1
|
Caminer MA, Libbrecht R, Majoe M, Ho DV, Baumann P, Foitzik S. Task-specific odorant receptor expression in worker antennae indicates that sensory filters regulate division of labor in ants. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1004. [PMID: 37783732 PMCID: PMC10545721 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05273-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Division of labor (DOL) is a characteristic trait of insect societies, where tasks are generally performed by specialized individuals. Inside workers focus on brood or nest care, while others take risks by foraging outside. Theory proposes that workers have different thresholds to perform certain tasks when confronted with task-related stimuli, leading to specialization and consequently DOL. Workers are presumed to vary in their response to task-related cues rather than in how they perceive such information. Here, we test the hypothesis that DOL instead stems from workers varying in their efficiency to detect stimuli of specific tasks. We use transcriptomics to measure mRNA expression levels in the antennae and brain of nurses and foragers of the ant Temnothorax longispinosus. We find seven times as many genes to be differentially expressed between behavioral phenotypes in the antennae compared to the brain. Moreover, half of all odorant receptors are differentially expressed, with an overrepresentation of the 9-exon gene family upregulated in the antennae of nurses. Nurses and foragers thus apparently differ in the perception of their olfactory environment and task-related signals. Our study supports the hypothesis that antennal sensory filters predispose workers to specialize in specific tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel A Caminer
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Megha Majoe
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - David V Ho
- Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter Baumann
- Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
da Silva J. The kin selection theory of genomic imprinting and modes of reproduction in the eusocial Hymenoptera. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:677-695. [PMID: 36457233 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is known from flowering plants and mammals but has not been confirmed for the Hymenoptera even though the eusocial Hymenoptera are prime candidates for this peculiar form of gene expression. Here, the kin selection theory of genomic imprinting is reviewed and applied to the eusocial Hymenoptera. The evidence for imprinting in eusocial Hymenoptera with the typical mode of reproduction, involving the sexual production of diploid female offspring, which develop into workers or gynes, and the arrhenotokous parthenogenesis of haploid males, is also reviewed briefly. However, the focus of this review is how atypical modes of reproduction, involving thelytokous parthenogenesis, hybridisation and androgenesis, may also select for imprinting. In particular, naturally occurring hybridisation in several genera of ants may provide useful tests of the role of kin selection in the evolution of imprinting. Hybridisation is expected to disrupt the coadaptation of antagonistically imprinted loci, and thus affect the phenotypes of hybrids. Some of the limited data available on hybrid worker reproduction and on colony sex ratios support predictions about patterns of imprinting derived from kin selection theory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jack da Silva
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Psalti MN, Gohlke D, Libbrecht R. Experimental increase of worker diversity benefits brood production in ants. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:163. [PMID: 34461829 PMCID: PMC8404329 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01890-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reproductive division of labor of eusocial insects, whereby one or several queens monopolize reproduction, evolved in a context of high genetic relatedness. However, many extant eusocial species have developed strategies that decrease genetic relatedness in their colonies, suggesting some benefits of the increased diversity. Multiple studies support this hypothesis by showing positive correlations between genetic diversity and colony fitness, as well as finding effects of experimental manipulations of diversity on colony performance. However, alternative explanations could account for most of these reports, and the benefits of diversity on performance in eusocial insects still await validation. In this study, we experimentally increased worker diversity in small colonies of the ant Lasius niger while controlling for typical confounding factors. RESULTS We found that experimental colonies composed of workers coming from three different source colonies produced more larvae and showed more variation in size compared to groups of workers coming from a single colony. CONCLUSIONS We propose that the benefits of increased diversity stemmed from an improved division of labor. Our study confirms that worker diversity enhances colony performance, thus providing a possible explanation for the evolution of multiply mated queens and multiple-queen colonies in many species of eusocial insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina N. Psalti
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Dustin Gohlke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lucas C, Ben-Shahar Y. The foraging gene as a modulator of division of labour in social insects. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:168-178. [PMID: 34151702 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1940173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The social ants, bees, wasps, and termites include some of the most ecologically-successful groups of animal species. Their dominance in most terrestrial environments is attributed to their social lifestyle, which enable their colonies to exploit environmental resources with remarkable efficiency. One key attribute of social insect colonies is the division of labour that emerges among the sterile workers, which represent the majority of colony members. Studies of the mechanisms that drive division of labour systems across diverse social species have provided fundamental insights into the developmental, physiological, molecular, and genomic processes that regulate sociality, and the possible genetic routes that may have led to its evolution from a solitary ancestor. Here we specifically discuss the conserved role of the foraging gene, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Originally identified as a behaviourally polymorphic gene that drives alternative foraging strategies in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, changes in foraging expression and kinase activity were later shown to play a key role in the division of labour in diverse social insect species as well. In particular, foraging appears to regulate worker transitions between behavioural tasks and specific behavioural traits associated with morphological castes. Although the specific neuroethological role of foraging in the insect brain remains mostly unknown, studies in genetically tractable insect species indicate that PKG signalling plays a conserved role in the neuronal plasticity of sensory, cognitive and motor functions, which underlie behaviours relevant to division of labour, including appetitive learning, aggression, stress response, phototaxis, and the response to pheromones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Lucas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (UMR7261), CNRS - University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Yehuda Ben-Shahar
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sieber KR, Dorman T, Newell N, Yan H. (Epi)Genetic Mechanisms Underlying the Evolutionary Success of Eusocial Insects. INSECTS 2021; 12:498. [PMID: 34071806 PMCID: PMC8229086 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Eusocial insects, such as bees, ants, and wasps of the Hymenoptera and termites of the Blattodea, are able to generate remarkable diversity in morphology and behavior despite being genetically uniform within a colony. Most eusocial insect species display caste structures in which reproductive ability is possessed by a single or a few queens while all other colony members act as workers. However, in some species, caste structure is somewhat plastic, and individuals may switch from one caste or behavioral phenotype to another in response to certain environmental cues. As different castes normally share a common genetic background, it is believed that much of this observed within-colony diversity results from transcriptional differences between individuals. This suggests that epigenetic mechanisms, featured by modified gene expression without changing genes themselves, may play an important role in eusocial insects. Indeed, epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, have been shown to influence eusocial insects in multiple aspects, along with typical genetic regulation. This review summarizes the most recent findings regarding such mechanisms and their diverse roles in eusocial insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayli R. Sieber
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (K.R.S.); (T.D.); (N.N.)
| | - Taylor Dorman
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (K.R.S.); (T.D.); (N.N.)
| | - Nicholas Newell
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (K.R.S.); (T.D.); (N.N.)
| | - Hua Yan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (K.R.S.); (T.D.); (N.N.)
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Oldroyd BP, Yagound B. Parent-of-origin effects, allele-specific expression, genomic imprinting and paternal manipulation in social insects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200425. [PMID: 33866807 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Haplo-diploidy and the relatedness asymmetries it generates mean that social insects are prime candidates for the evolution of genomic imprinting. In single-mating social insect species, some genes may be selected to evolve genomic mechanisms that enhance reproduction by workers when they are inherited from a female. This situation reverses in multiple mating species, where genes inherited from fathers can be under selection to enhance the reproductive success of daughters. Reciprocal crosses between subspecies of honeybees have shown strong parent-of-origin effects on worker reproductive phenotypes, and this could be evidence of such genomic imprinting affecting genes related to worker reproduction. It is also possible that social insect fathers directly affect gene expression in their daughters, for example, by placing small interfering RNA molecules in semen. Gene expression studies have repeatedly found evidence of parent-specific gene expression in social insects, but it is unclear at this time whether this arises from genomic imprinting, paternal manipulation, an artefact of cyto-nuclear interactions, or all of these. This article is part of the theme issue 'How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Oldroyd
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, 14193 Berlin, Germany.,BEE Lab, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Boris Yagound
- BEE Lab, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Marshall H, van Zweden JS, Van Geystelen A, Benaets K, Wäckers F, Mallon EB, Wenseleers T. Parent of origin gene expression in the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, supports Haig's kinship theory for the evolution of genomic imprinting. Evol Lett 2020; 4:479-490. [PMID: 33312684 PMCID: PMC7719552 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is the differential expression alleles in diploid individuals, with the expression being dependent on the sex of the parent from which it was inherited. Haig's kinship theory hypothesizes that genomic imprinting is due to an evolutionary conflict of interest between alleles from the mother and father. In social insects, it has been suggested that genomic imprinting should be widespread. One recent study identified parent-of-origin expression in honey bees and found evidence supporting the kinship theory. However, little is known about genomic imprinting in insects and multiple theoretical predictions must be tested to avoid single-study confirmation bias. We, therefore, tested for parent-of-origin expression in a primitively eusocial bee. We found equal numbers of maternally and paternally biased expressed genes. The most highly biased genes were maternally expressed, offering support for the kinship theory. We also found low conservation of potentially imprinted genes with the honey bee, suggesting rapid evolution of genomic imprinting in Hymenoptera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hollie Marshall
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyThe University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RHUnited Kingdom
| | - Jelle S. van Zweden
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social EvolutionDepartment of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Anneleen Van Geystelen
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social EvolutionDepartment of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Kristof Benaets
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social EvolutionDepartment of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Felix Wäckers
- Biobest Belgium N.V., 2260 WesterloBelgium
- The Lancaster Environmental CentreUniversity of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YWUnited Kingdom
| | - Eamonn B. Mallon
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyThe University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RHUnited Kingdom
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social EvolutionDepartment of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000LeuvenBelgium
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Howe J, Schiøtt M, Li Q, Wang Z, Zhang G, Boomsma JJ. A novel method for using RNA-seq data to identify imprinted genes in social Hymenoptera with multiply mated queens. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1770-1782. [PMID: 33030255 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting results in parent-of-origin-dependent gene expression biased towards either the maternally or paternally derived allele at the imprinted locus. The kinship theory of genomic imprinting argues that this unusual expression pattern can be a manifestation of intra-genomic conflict between the maternally and paternally derived halves of the genome that arises because they are not equally related to the genomes of social partners. The theory thus predicts that imprinting may evolve wherever there are close interactions among asymmetrically related kin. The social Hymenoptera with permanent caste differentiation are suitable candidates for testing the kinship theory because haplodiploid sex determination creates strong relatedness asymmetries and nursing workers interact closely with kin. However, progress in the search for imprinted genes in the social Hymenoptera has been slow, in part because tests for imprinting rely on reciprocal crosses that are impossible in most species. Here, we develop a method to systematically search for imprinting in haplodiploid social insects without crosses, using instead samples of pooled individuals collected from natural colonies. We tested this protocol using data available for the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior, providing the first genome-wide search for imprinting in any ant. Although we identified several genes as potentially imprinted, none of the four genes tested could be verified as imprinted using digital droplet PCR, highlighting the need for higher quality genomic assemblies that accurately map duplicated genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jack Howe
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Qiye Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Guojie Zhang
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Andras JP, Hollis KL, Carter KA, Couldwell G, Nowbahari E. Analysis of ants' rescue behavior reveals heritable specialization for first responders. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb212530. [PMID: 32029458 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.212530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In colonies of Cataglyphis cursor ants, a single queen mates with multiple males, creating the foundation for heritable behavioral specializations. A novel and unique candidate for such specializations is rescue behavior, a precisely delivered form of altruism in which workers attempt to release trapped nestmates and which relies on short-term memory of previous actions to increase its efficiency. Consistent with task specialization, not all individuals participate; instead, some individuals move away from the victim, which gives rescuers unrestricted access. Using a bioassay to identify rescuers and non-rescuers, coupled with paternity assignment via polymorphic microsatellite markers, we not only show that rescue behavior is heritable, with 34% of the variation explained by paternity, but also establish that rescue, heretofore overlooked in analyses of division of labor, is a true specialization, an ant version of first responders. Moreover, this specialization emerges as early as 5 days of age, and the frequency of rescuers remains constant across ants' age ranges. The extremely broad range of these ants' heritable polyethism provides further support for the critical role of polyandry in increasing the efficiency of colony structure and, in turn, reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason P Andras
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075-1462, USA
| | - Karen L Hollis
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience & Behavior, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075-1462, USA
| | - Kristyn A Carter
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience & Behavior, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075-1462, USA
| | - Genevieve Couldwell
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience & Behavior, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075-1462, USA
| | - Elise Nowbahari
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée EA 4443, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pegoraro M, Marshall H, Lonsdale ZN, Mallon EB. Do social insects support Haig's kin theory for the evolution of genomic imprinting? Epigenetics 2018; 12:725-742. [PMID: 28703654 PMCID: PMC5739101 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2017.1348445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although numerous imprinted genes have been described in several lineages, the phenomenon of genomic imprinting presents a peculiar evolutionary problem. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain gene imprinting, the most supported being Haig's kinship theory. This theory explains the observed pattern of imprinting and the resulting phenotypes as a competition for resources between related individuals, but despite its relevance it has not been independently tested. Haig's theory predicts that gene imprinting should be present in eusocial insects in many social scenarios. These lineages are therefore ideal for testing both the theory's predictions and the mechanism of gene imprinting. Here we review the behavioral evidence of genomic imprinting in eusocial insects, the evidence of a mechanism for genomic imprinting and finally we evaluate recent results showing parent of origin allele specific expression in honeybees in the light of Haig's theory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Pegoraro
- a Department of Genetics and Genome Biology , University of Leicester , UK
| | - Hollie Marshall
- a Department of Genetics and Genome Biology , University of Leicester , UK
| | - Zoë N Lonsdale
- a Department of Genetics and Genome Biology , University of Leicester , UK
| | - Eamonn B Mallon
- a Department of Genetics and Genome Biology , University of Leicester , UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Qi YX, Zeng T, Wang L, Lu YY. Biogenic amine signaling systems in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta - Possible contributors to worker division of labor. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018. [PMID: 29526717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is a dangerous invasive pest in the United States, China and other countries. Efficient division of labor is one of the main reasons for the success of this social insect. Biogenic amines are important regulators of worker division of labor in this eusocial insect, but the related molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we identified 10 candidate biogenic amine synthetic enzyme genes and 17 candidate biogenic amine receptor genes in the genome of S. invicta. Quantitative real-time PCR results indicated that foragers had higher head transcripts levels of all the tested enzyme genes than nurses did. In the abdomen, only the rate-limiting enzyme genes for the biosynthesis of serotonin and dopamine were higher in foragers than in nurses. Among the tested serotonin receptors, only the expression of 5-HT2A gene showed significant difference between foragers and nurses. In the head, more abundant 5-HT2A transcripts were detected in foragers than in nurses. Foragers expressed higher Octβ4R than nurses in the head and abdomen. However, much lower mRNA levels of Dop3 receptor gene were detected in both body regions of foragers than nurses. Several other octopamine and tyramine receptor genes were also differentially expressed between foragers and nurses in the head and/or in the abdomen. Our results will improve the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying biogenic amine modulation of the worker division of labor in S. invicta.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xiang Qi
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Tian Zeng
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
The study of insect social behavior has offered tremendous insight into the molecular mechanisms mediating behavioral and phenotypic plasticity. Genomic applications to the study of eusocial insect species, in particular, have led to several hypotheses for the processes underlying the molecular evolution of behavior. Advances in understanding the genetic control of social organization have also been made, suggesting an important role for supergenes in the evolution of divergent behavioral phenotypes. Intensive study of social phenotypes across species has revealed that behavior and caste are controlled by an interaction between genetic and environmentally mediated effects and, further, that gene expression and regulation mediate plastic responses to environmental signals. However, several key methodological flaws that are hindering progress in the study of insect social behavior remain. After reviewing the current state of knowledge, we outline ongoing challenges in experimental design that remain to be overcome in order to advance the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea A Weitekamp
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; ,
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; ,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Blight O, Albet Díaz-Mariblanca G, Cerdá X, Boulay R. A proactive–reactive syndrome affects group success in an ant species. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
|
14
|
Lucas C, Nicolas M, Keller L. Expression of foraging and Gp-9 are associated with social organization in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 24:93-104. [PMID: 25315753 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate levels of expression of two major genes, the odorant binding protein Gp-9 (general protein-9) and foraging, that have been shown to be associated with behavioural polymorphisms in ants. We analysed workers and young nonreproductive queens collected from nests of the monogyne (single reproductive queen per nest) and polygyne (multiple reproductive queens) social forms of Solenopsis invicta. In workers but not young queens, the level of foraging expression was significantly associated with social form and the task performed (ie localization in the nest or foraging area). The level of expression of Gp-9 was also associated with social form and worker localization. In addition there was a higher level of expression of the Gp-9(b) allele compared with the Gp-9(B) allele in the heterozygote workers and the young nonreproductive queens. Finally, in the polygyne colonies the level of expression of foraging was not significantly associated with the Gp-9 genotype for either workers or young nonreproductive queens, suggesting that both genes have independent non-epistatic effects on behaviour in S. invicta.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Lucas
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (UMR 7261), CNRS, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yan H, Bonasio R, Simola DF, Liebig J, Berger SL, Reinberg D. DNA methylation in social insects: how epigenetics can control behavior and longevity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:435-52. [PMID: 25341091 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest to the scientific community. DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic signals, plays an important role in modulating gene expression and can therefore establish, sustain, and alter organism-level phenotypes, including behavior and life span. Unlike DNA methylation in mammals, DNA methylation in insects, including eusocial insects, is enriched in gene bodies of actively expressed genes. Recent investigations have revealed the important role of gene body methylation in regulating gene expression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA methylation research and discuss its significance in our understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of behavior and longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
Understanding the molecular basis of how behavioural states are established, maintained and altered by environmental cues is an area of considerable and growing interest. Epigenetic processes, including methylation of DNA and post-translational modification of histones, dynamically modulate activity-dependent gene expression in neurons and can therefore have important regulatory roles in shaping behavioural responses to environmental cues. Several eusocial insect species - with their unique displays of behavioural plasticity due to age, morphology and social context - have emerged as models to investigate the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of animal social behaviour. This Review summarizes recent studies in the epigenetics of social behaviour and offers perspectives on emerging trends and prospects for establishing genetic tools in eusocial insects.
Collapse
|
17
|
Kennedy P, Uller T, Helanterä H. Are ant supercolonies crucibles of a new major transition in evolution? J Evol Biol 2014; 27:1784-96. [PMID: 24976004 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The biological hierarchy of genes, cells, organisms and societies is a fundamental reality in the living world. This hierarchy of entities did not arise ex nihilo at the origin of life, but rather has been serially generated by a succession of critical events known as 'evolutionary transitions in individuality' (ETIs). Given the sequential nature of ETIs, it is natural to look for candidates to form the next hierarchical tier. We analyse claims that these candidates are found among 'supercolonies', ant populations in which discrete nests cooperate as part of a wider collective, in ways redolent of cells in a multicellular organism. Examining earlier empirical work and new data within the recently proposed 'Darwinian space' framework, we offer a novel analysis of the evolutionary status of supercolonies and show how certain key conditions might be satisfied in any future process transforming these collaborative networks into true Darwinian individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Kennedy
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Slaa EJ, Chappell P, Hughes WOH. Colony genetic diversity affects task performance in the red ant Myrmica rubra. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
19
|
Castillo P, Pietrantonio PV. Differences in sNPF receptor-expressing neurons in brains of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) worker subcastes: indicators for division of labor and nutritional status? PLoS One 2013; 8:e83966. [PMID: 24376775 PMCID: PMC3869854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, the neuronal and molecular mechanisms related to worker division of labor are poorly understood. Workers from different subcastes (major, medium and minors) perform different tasks, which are loosely associated with their size. We hypothesized that the short neuropeptide F (sNPF) signaling system (NPY-like) could be involved in mechanisms of worker division of labor and sensing or responding to colony nutritional requirements. Thus, we investigated the expression of the short neuropeptide F receptor (sNPFR) in the brain and subesophageal ganglion (SEG) of workers from colonies with and without brood. Across worker subcastes a total of 9 clusters of immunoreactive sNPFR cells were localized in the brain and the subesophageal ganglion (SEG); some of these cells were similar to those observed previously in the queen. Worker brain sNPFR cell clusters were found in the protocerebrum near mushroom bodies, in the central complex and in the lateral horn. Other sNPFR immunoreactive cells were found at the edge of the antennal lobes. Across subcastes, we observed both a constant and a differential pattern of sNPFR clusters, with a higher number of sNPFR cells found in minor than in major workers. Those sNPFR cells detected in all worker subcastes appear to be involved in olfaction or SEG functions. The differential expression of clusters in subcastes suggests that sNPFR signaling is involved in regulating behaviors associated with specific subcastes and thus, division of labor. Some sNPFR cells appear to be involved in nutrient sensing and/or brood care, feeding behavior and locomotion. In colonies without brood, workers showed a lower cluster number, and an overall reduced sNPFR signal. Our results suggest the sNPF signaling system is a candidate for the neurobiological control of worker division of labor and sensing brood presence, perhaps correlating with protein requirements and availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Castillo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patricia V. Pietrantonio
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jeanson R, Weidenmüller A. Interindividual variability in social insects - proximate causes and ultimate consequences. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:671-87. [PMID: 24341677 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals within social groups often show consistent differences in behaviour across time and context. Such interindividual differences and the evolutionary challenge they present have recently generated considerable interest. Social insects provide some of the most familiar and spectacular examples of social groups with large interindividual differences. Investigating these within-group differences has a long research tradition, and behavioural variability among the workers of a colony is increasingly regarded as fundamental for a key feature of social insects: division of labour. The goal of this review is to illustrate what we know about both the proximate mechanisms underlying behavioural variability among the workers of a colony and its ultimate consequences; and to highlight the many open questions in this research field. We begin by reviewing the literature on mechanisms that potentially introduce, maintain, and adjust the behavioural differentiation among workers. We highlight the fact that so far, most studies have focused on behavioural variability based on genetic variability, provided by e.g. multiple mating of the queen, while other mechanisms that may be responsible for the behavioural differentiation among workers have been largely neglected. These include maturational, nutritional and environmental influences. We further discuss how feedback provided by the social environment and learning and experience of adult workers provides potent and little-explored sources of differentiation. In a second part, we address what is known about the potential benefits and costs of increased behavioural variability within the workers of a colony. We argue that all studies documenting a benefit of variability so far have done so by manipulating genetic variability, and that a direct test of the effect of behavioural variability on colony productivity has yet to be provided. We emphasize that the costs associated with interindividual variability have been largely overlooked, and that a better knowledge of the cost/benefit balance of behavioural variability is crucial for our understanding of the evolution of the mechanisms underlying the social organization of insect societies. We conclude by highlighting what we believe to be promising but little-explored avenues for future research on how within-colony variability has evolved and is maintained. We emphasize the need for comparative studies and point out that, so far, most studies on interindividual variability have focused on variability in individual response thresholds, while the significance of variability in other parameters of individual response, such as probability and intensity of the response, has been largely overlooked. We propose that these parameters have important consequences for the colony response. Much more research is needed to understand if and how interindividual variability is modulated in order to benefit division of labour, homeostasis and ultimately colony fitness in social insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Jeanson
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Cedex 9, Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Cedex 9, Toulouse, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Libbrecht R, Oxley PR, Kronauer DJC, Keller L. Ant genomics sheds light on the molecular regulation of social organization. Genome Biol 2013; 14:212. [PMID: 23895728 PMCID: PMC4053786 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2013-14-7-212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ants are powerful model systems for the study of cooperation and sociality. In this review, we discuss how recent advances in ant genomics have contributed to our understanding of the evolution and organization of insect societies at the molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romain Libbrecht
- Laboratory of Insect Social Evolution, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore Building, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter R Oxley
- Laboratory of Insect Social Evolution, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel JC Kronauer
- Laboratory of Insect Social Evolution, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore Building, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Linksvayer TA, Busch JW, Smith CR. Social supergenes of superorganisms: Do supergenes play important roles in social evolution? Bioessays 2013; 35:683-9. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremiah W. Busch
- School of Biological Sciences; Washington State University; Pullman WA, USA
| | - Chris R. Smith
- Department of Biology; Earlham College; Richmond IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|