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Sasaki K, Yoshimura H, Nishimura M. Caste-specific storage of dopamine-related substances in the brains of four Polistes paper wasp species. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280881. [PMID: 36701284 PMCID: PMC9879392 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
How the role of dopamine differs according to the evolution of eusociality and how it is required in the flexible society of Polistes paper wasps need further clarification. In the present study, we compared the storage and usage of dopamine-related substances in brains between the castes of paper wasps. The head widths, lipid stores in the abdomen, and levels of biogenic amines in the brains were measured in newly emerged females before male emergence (workers) and after male emergence (gynes) in four Polistes species. The head widths and the lipid stores were significantly larger in gynes than workers in P. snelleni, P. rothneyi, and P. jokahamae, whereas they did not differ between castes in P. chinensis. The levels of dopamine precursors in the brains were significantly higher in gynes than workers in P. snelleni, P. chinensis, and P. rothneyi, whereas those of dopamine and its metabolites did not differ between castes in these species. In P. jokahamae, the levels of dopamine precursors and dopamine in the brains did not differ between castes, but those of a dopamine metabolite were significantly higher in gynes than workers. Thus, the caste differences in the levels of dopamine-related substances did not always match body sizes and nutritional reserves. Foundresses in P. rothneyi had significantly lower levels of dopamine precursors and higher levels of dopamine and its metabolite than newly emerged gynes. These results suggested that in several Polistes species, dopamine precursors were stored in the brain without dopamine biosynthesis at emergence, and then converted into dopamine in foundresses during colony founding. These neuroendocrinal states in Polistes species largely differed from those in eusocial bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
- Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hideto Yoshimura
- Division of Agro-Environment Research, Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
| | - Masakazu Nishimura
- Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Patalano S, Alsina A, Gregorio-Rodríguez C, Bachman M, Dreier S, Hernando-Herraez I, Nana P, Balasubramanian S, Sumner S, Reik W, Rulands S. Self-organization of plasticity and specialization in a primitively social insect. Cell Syst 2022; 13:768-779.e4. [PMID: 36044898 PMCID: PMC9512265 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Biological systems have the capacity to not only build and robustly maintain complex structures but also to rapidly break up and rebuild such structures. Here, using primitive societies of Polistes wasps, we show that both robust specialization and rapid plasticity are emergent properties of multi-scale dynamics. We combine theory with experiments that, after perturbing the social structure by removing the queen, correlate time-resolved multi-omics with video recordings. We show that the queen-worker dimorphism relies on the balance between the development of a molecular queen phenotype in all insects and colony-scale inhibition of this phenotype via asymmetric interactions. This allows Polistes to be stable against intrinsic perturbations of molecular states while reacting plastically to extrinsic cues affecting the whole society. Long-term stability of the social structure is reinforced by dynamic DNA methylation. Our study provides a general principle of how both specialization and plasticity can be achieved in biological systems. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solenn Patalano
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.
| | - Adolfo Alsina
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Noethnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Carlos Gregorio-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Sistemas Informáticos y Computación, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ciencias, 3, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Martin Bachman
- Discovery Science and Technology, Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Cheshire SK10 4GT, UK; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge CB2 ORE, UK; Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Stephanie Dreier
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | - Paulin Nana
- Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, School of Wood, Water and Natural Resources, University of Dschang, Ebolowa Campus, P.O. Box 786, Ebolowa, Cameroon
| | - Shankar Balasubramanian
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge CB2 ORE, UK; Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, CB2 0SP, Cambridge, UK
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Wolf Reik
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
| | - Steffen Rulands
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Noethnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany; Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauer Str. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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3
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Shell WA, Rehan SM. Social divergence: molecular pathways underlying castes and longevity in a facultatively eusocial small carpenter bee. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212663. [PMID: 35317677 PMCID: PMC8941392 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Unravelling the evolutionary origins of eusocial life is a longstanding endeavour in the field of evolutionary-developmental biology. Descended from solitary ancestors, eusocial insects such as honeybees have evolved ontogenetic division of labour in which short-lived workers perform age-associated tasks, while a long-lived queen produces brood. It is hypothesized that (i) eusocial caste systems evolved through the co-option of deeply conserved genes and (ii) longevity may be tied to oxidative damage mitigation capacity. To date, however, these hypotheses have been examined primarily among only obligately eusocial corbiculate bees. We present brain transcriptomic data from a Japanese small carpenter bee, Ceratina japonica (Apidae: Xylocopinae), which demonstrates both solitary and eusocial nesting in sympatry and lives 2 or more years in the wild. Our dataset captures gene expression patterns underlying first- and second-year solitary females, queens and workers, providing an unprecedented opportunity to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying caste-antecedent phenotypes in a long-lived and facultatively eusocial bee. We find that C. japonica's queens and workers are underpinned by divergent gene regulatory pathways, involving many differentially expressed genes well-conserved among other primitively eusocial bee lineages. We also find support for oxidative damage reduction as a proximate mechanism of longevity in C. japonica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt A. Shell
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Sandra M. Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
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4
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Olivares-Castro G, Cáceres-Jensen L, Guerrero-Bosagna C, Villagra C. Insect Epigenetic Mechanisms Facing Anthropogenic-Derived Contamination, an Overview. INSECTS 2021; 12:780. [PMID: 34564220 PMCID: PMC8468710 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Currently, the human species has been recognized as the primary species responsible for Earth's biodiversity decline. Contamination by different chemical compounds, such as pesticides, is among the main causes of population decreases and species extinction. Insects are key for ecosystem maintenance; unfortunately, their populations are being drastically affected by human-derived disturbances. Pesticides, applied in agricultural and urban environments, are capable of polluting soil and water sources, reaching non-target organisms (native and introduced). Pesticides alter insect's development, physiology, and inheritance. Recently, a link between pesticide effects on insects and their epigenetic molecular mechanisms (EMMs) has been demonstrated. EMMs are capable of regulating gene expression without modifying genetic sequences, resulting in the expression of different stress responses as well as compensatory mechanisms. In this work, we review the main anthropogenic contaminants capable of affecting insect biology and of triggering EMMs. EMMs are involved in the development of several diseases in native insects affected by pesticides (e.g., anomalous teratogenic reactions). Additionally, EMMs also may allow for the survival of some species (mainly pests) under contamination-derived habitats; this may lead to biodiversity decline and further biotic homogenization. We illustrate these patterns by reviewing the effect of neonicotinoid insecticides, insect EMMs, and their ecological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Olivares-Castro
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Avenida José Pedro Alessandri 774, Santiago 7760197, Chile;
| | - Lizethly Cáceres-Jensen
- Laboratorio de Físicoquímica Analítica, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago 7760197, Chile;
| | - Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
- Environmental Toxicology Program, Department of Integrative Biology, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cristian Villagra
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Avenida José Pedro Alessandri 774, Santiago 7760197, Chile;
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5
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Zhu D, Ge J, Guo S, Hou L, Shi R, Zhou X, Nie X, Wang X. Independent variations in genome-wide expression, alternative splicing, and DNA methylation in brain tissues among castes of the buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. J Genet Genomics 2021; 48:681-694. [PMID: 34315685 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Caste differentiation in social hymenopterans is an intriguing example of phenotypic plasticity. However, the co-ordination among gene regulatory factors to mediate caste differentiation remains inconclusive. In this study, we determined the role of gene regulation and related epigenetic processes in pre-imaginal caste differentiation in the primitively eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris. By combining RNA-Seq data from Illumina and PacBio and accurately quantifying methylation at whole-genomic base pair resolution, we found that queens, workers, and drones mainly differentiate in gene expression but not in alternative splicing and DNA methylation. Gynes are the most distinct with the lowest global level of whole-genomic methylation and with the largest number of caste-specific transcripts and alternative splicing events. By contrast, workers exhibit few uniquely expressed or alternatively spliced genes. Moreover, several genes involved in hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism are related to caste differentiation, whereas several neuropeptides are linked with sex differentiation. Despite little genome-wide association among differential gene expression, splicing, and differential DNA methylation, the overlapped gene ontology (GO) terms point to nutrition-related activity. Therefore, variations in gene regulation correlate with the behavioral differences among castes and highlight the specialization of toolkit genes in bumblebee gynes at the beginning of the adult stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jin Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Siyuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rangjun Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Xianhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; CAS Centre for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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6
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Giraldo YM, Muscedere ML, Traniello JFA. Eusociality and Senescence: Neuroprotection and Physiological Resilience to Aging in Insect and Mammalian Systems. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673172. [PMID: 34211973 PMCID: PMC8239293 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Are eusociality and extraordinary aging polyphenisms evolutionarily coupled? The remarkable disparity in longevity between social insect queens and sterile workers-decades vs. months, respectively-has long been recognized. In mammals, the lifespan of eusocial naked mole rats is extremely long-roughly 10 times greater than that of mice. Is this robustness to senescence associated with social evolution and shared mechanisms of developmental timing, neuroprotection, antioxidant defenses, and neurophysiology? Focusing on brain senescence, we examine correlates and consequences of aging across two divergent eusocial clades and how they differ from solitary taxa. Chronological age and physiological indicators of neural deterioration, including DNA damage or cell death, appear to be decoupled in eusocial insects. In some species, brain cell death does not increase with worker age and DNA damage occurs at similar rates between queens and workers. In comparison, naked mole rats exhibit characteristics of neonatal mice such as protracted development that may offer protection from aging and environmental stressors. Antioxidant defenses appear to be regulated differently across taxa, suggesting independent adaptations to life history and environment. Eusocial insects and naked mole rats appear to have evolved different mechanisms that lead to similar senescence-resistant phenotypes. Careful selection of comparison taxa and further exploration of the role of metabolism in aging can reveal mechanisms that preserve brain functionality and physiological resilience in eusocial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ysabel Milton Giraldo
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Graduate Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Mario L. Muscedere
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James F. A. Traniello
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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7
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Yoshimura H, Yamada YY, Sasaki K. Identification of biogenic amines involved in photoperiod-dependent caste-fate determination during the adult stage in a temperate paper wasp. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 131:104223. [PMID: 33711330 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the temperate paper wasp Polistes jokahamae, caste is influenced by photoperiod during the adult stage, but the mechanisms underlying the caste-fate determination system have been unclear. We measured the brain levels of monoamines and related substances in females kept isolated for two weeks under different photoperiods. Except for in the first-emerging group, the females developed ovaries under long-day conditions, whereas they stored lipids under short-day conditions. The levels of tyramine in the brain were significantly higher under long-day than under short-day conditions and positively correlated with maximum oocyte lengths. These results suggest that tyramine was produced in response to long daylength during the adult stage and associated with ovarian development, which is the principal characteristic of reproductive workers. There was also a significant positive correlation between dopamine levels in the brain and maximum oocyte length, independent of photoperiod, suggesting that dopamine is involved in reproductive function with tyramine resulting in the induction of reproductive workers. Meanwhile, higher levels of tryptophan in the brain were found in short-day conditions and positively correlated with lipid stores. However, serotonin synthesized from tryptophan and N-acetylserotonin were not associated with lipid stores without photoperiodic responses, suggesting that tryptophan is involved in the physiological changes toward gyne under short daylength, independently of serotonin signaling. In conclusion, tyramine and tryptophan are candidates for mediating photoperiod-dependent caste-fate determination in P. jokahamae: the former is involved in generating the worker caste while the latter is involved in generating the gyne caste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideto Yoshimura
- Insect Ecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Y Yamada
- Insect Ecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Ken Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan.
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8
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Reproductive physiology corresponds to adult nutrition and task performance in a Neotropical paper wasp: a test of dominance-nutrition hypothesis predictions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02898-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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9
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Short CA, Hatle JD, Hahn DA. Protein Stores Regulate When Reproductive Displays Begin in the Male Caribbean Fruit Fly. Front Physiol 2020; 11:991. [PMID: 32848894 PMCID: PMC7424033 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals exhibit reproductive behavior that requires expenditure of valuable nutrients. In males of many species, competitive energetically demanding displays and the development of sexual ornaments require prior accumulation of nutrient stores. Males must coordinate nutrient stores with ornament development and reproductive displays or they risk depleting their resources mid-development or mid-display, reducing their chance of mating. Males may use nutrient stores to regulate their reproductive behavior. Amino acid reserves may be important for reproduction, but the roles of amino acid stores in initiating maturation and reproductive behavior are less studied than fat stores. Insects store amino acids as hexamerin storage proteins. Many fly species use a specific hexamerin, larval serum protein 2 (LSP-2), as both a juvenile storage medium and to store protein consumed after adult eclosion. Protein stored as LSP-2 has previously been suggested to regulate reproduction in females, but no role has been proposed for LSP-2 in regulating male maturation. We use males of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa, a species with nutrient-intensive male sexual displays to test whether LSP-2 stores regulate male reproductive displays. We fed adult A. suspensa males a diet with or without protein, then assayed these males for lsp-2 transcript abundance via qRT-PCR, LSP-2 protein abundance via Western blot, and reproductive display behavior via observation. We found that adult males with ad libitum dietary protein had greater lsp-2 transcript and protein abundance, earlier sexual display behavior, and were more likely to exhibit sexual display behavior than protein-deprived adult males. We show that lsp-2 knockdown via RNAi decreases the proportion of males exhibiting reproductive displays, particularly early in the onset of reproductive behavior. Our results suggest circulating LSP-2 protein stores regulate reproductive behavior in A. suspensa males, consistent with protein stores modulating reproduction in males with expensive reproductive strategies. Our results are consistent with hexamerin storage proteins performing dual roles of protein storage and protein signaling. Our work also has substantial practical applications because tephritid flies are a pest group and the timing and expression of male reproductive displays in this group are important for control efforts using the sterile insect technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clancy A. Short
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - John D. Hatle
- Department of Biology, The University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Daniel A. Hahn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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10
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Bernadou A, Hoffacker E, Pable J, Heinze J. Lipid content influences division of labour in a clonal ant. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb219238. [PMID: 32107304 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.219238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The fat body, a major metabolic hub in insects, is involved in many functions, e.g. energy storage, nutrient sensing and immune response. In social insects, fat appears to play an additional role in division of labour between egg layers and workers, which specialize in non-reproductive tasks inside and outside their nest. For instance, reproductives are more resistant to starvation, and changes in fat content have been associated with the transition from inside to outside work or reproductive activities. However, most studies have been correlative and we still need to unravel the causal interrelationships between fat content and division of both reproductive and non-reproductive labour. Clonal ants, e.g. Platythyrea punctata, are ideal models for studying task partitioning without confounding variation in genotype and morphology. In this study, we examined the range of variation and flexibility of fat content throughout the lifespan of workers, the threshold of corpulence associated with foraging or reproduction and whether low fat content is a cause rather than a consequence of the transition to foraging. We found that lipid stores change with division of labour from corpulent to lean and, in reverted nurses, back to corpulent. In addition, our data show the presence of fat content thresholds that trigger the onset of foraging or egg-laying behaviour. Our study supports the view that mechanisms that regulate reproduction and foraging in solitary insects, in particular the nutritional status of individuals, have been co-opted to regulate division of labour in colonies of social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Bernadou
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hoffacker
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Julia Pable
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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11
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Identification and Expression Profiling of Peripheral Olfactory Genes in the Parasitoid Wasp Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared on Different Aphid Hosts. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10110397. [PMID: 31717299 PMCID: PMC6920860 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Generalist parasitoids of aphids, such as the wasp Aphidius ervi, display significant differences in terms of host preference and host acceptance, depending on the host on which they developed (natal host), which is preferred over a non-natal host, a trait known as host fidelity. This trait allows females to quickly find hosts in heterogeneous environments, a process mediated by chemosensory/olfactory mechanisms, as parasitoids rely on olfaction and chemical cues during host selection. Thus, it is expected that proteins participating in chemosensory recognition, such as odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs) would play a key role in host preference. In this study, we addressed the effect of parasitoid reciprocal host switching between two aphid hosts (Sitobion avenae and Acyrthosiphon pisum) on the expression patterns of chemosensory genes in the wasp A. ervi. First, by using a transcriptomic approach based on RNAseq of A. ervi females reared on S. avenae and A. pisum, we were able to annotate a total of 91 transcripts related to chemoperception. We also performed an in-silico expression analysis and found three OBPs and five ORs displaying different expression levels. Then, by using qRT-PCR amplification, we found significant differences in the expression levels of these eight genes when the parasitoids were reciprocally transplanted from S. avenae onto A. pisum and vice versa. This suggests that the expression levels of genes coding for odorant receptors and odorant-binding proteins would be regulated by the specific plant–aphid host complex where the parasitoids develop (maternal previous experience) and that chemosensory genes coding for olfactory mechanisms would play a crucial role on host preference and host acceptance, ultimately leading to the establishment of host fidelity in A. ervi parasitoids.
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12
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Arsenault SV, Glastad KM, Hunt BG. Leveraging technological innovations to investigate evolutionary transitions to eusociality. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 34:27-32. [PMID: 31247414 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The study of the major transition to eusociality presents several challenges to researchers, largely resulting from the importance of complex behavioral phenotypes and the shift from individual to group level selection. These challenges are being met with corresponding technological improvements. Advances in resource development for non-model taxa, behavioral tracking, nucleic acid sequencing, and reverse genetics are facilitating studies of hypotheses that were previously intractable. These innovations are resulting in the development of new model systems tailored to the exploration of specific behavioral phenotypes and the querying of underlying molecular mechanisms that drive eusocial behaviors. Here, we present a brief overview of how methodological innovations are advancing our understanding of the evolution of eusociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel V Arsenault
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | - Karl M Glastad
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Brendan G Hunt
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States.
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13
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Avila P, Fromhage L, Lehmann L. Sex-allocation conflict and sexual selection throughout the lifespan of eusocial colonies. Evolution 2019; 73:1116-1132. [PMID: 31004345 PMCID: PMC6593813 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Models of sex‐allocation conflict are central to evolutionary biology but have mostly assumed static decisions, where resource allocation strategies are constant over colony lifespan. Here, we develop a model to study how the evolution of dynamic resource allocation strategies is affected by the queen‐worker conflict in annual eusocial insects. We demonstrate that the time of dispersal of sexuals affects the sex‐allocation ratio through sexual selection on males. Furthermore, our model provides three predictions that depart from established results of classic static allocation models. First, we find that the queen wins the sex‐allocation conflict, while the workers determine the maximum colony size and colony productivity. Second, male‐biased sex allocation and protandry evolve if sexuals disperse directly after eclosion. Third, when workers are more related to new queens, then the proportional investment into queens is expected to be lower, which results from the interacting effect of sexual selection (selecting for protandry) and sex‐allocation conflict (selecting for earlier switch to producing sexuals). Overall, we find that colony ontogeny crucially affects the outcome of sex‐allocation conflict because of the evolution of distinct colony growth phases, which decouples how queens and workers affect allocation decisions and can result in asymmetric control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piret Avila
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, Jyväskylä FI-40014, Finland
| | - Laurent Lehmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Yaguchi H, Suzuki R, Matsunami M, Shigenobu S, Maekawa K. Transcriptomic changes during caste development through social interactions in the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3446-3456. [PMID: 30962904 PMCID: PMC6434549 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most striking examples of phenotypic plasticity is the different phenotypes (i.e., castes) within a same nest of social insects. Castes usually derive from a single genotype initially by receiving social cues among individuals during development. Specific gene expression changes may be involved in caste differentiation, and thus, the regulatory mechanism of these changes should be clarified in order to understand social maintenance and evolution. The damp-wood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis is one of the most important model termite species, due to not only the availability of genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic information but also evidence that soldier- and worker-destined individuals can be identified in natural conditions. Given that the nutritional intakes via social interactions are crucial for caste differentiation in this species, there is a possibility that transcriptomic changes are influenced by the nutritional difference among these individuals. Here, whole body RNA-seq analysis of 3rd-instar larvae with biological replications and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were conducted. We found the drastic expression differences during caste developments between soldier- and worker-destined individuals. The results indicated that there are several key signaling pathways responsible for caste formations, which are involved in developments and social interactions. Particularly, the nutritional sensitive signaling was upregulated in soldier-destined individuals, while some metabolic pathways were identified in worker-destined individuals. These bioinformatic data obtained should be utilized to examine the molecular mechanisms of caste determination in social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Yaguchi
- Graduate School of Science and EngineeringUniversity of ToyamaToyamaJapan
- Tropical Biosphere Research CenterUniversity of the RyukyusNishiharaJapan
| | - Ryutaro Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and EngineeringUniversity of ToyamaToyamaJapan
| | | | - Shuji Shigenobu
- Functional Genomics FacilityNational Institute for Basic BiologyOkazakiJapan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and EngineeringUniversity of ToyamaToyamaJapan
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15
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Brahma A, Mandal S, Gadagkar R. Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible. Biol Lett 2018; 14:rsbl.2017.0592. [PMID: 29438052 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In primitively eusocial insects, many individuals function as workers despite being capable of independent reproduction. Such altruistic behaviour is usually explained by the argument that workers gain indirect fitness by helping close genetic relatives. The focus on indirect fitness has left open the question of whether workers are also capable of getting direct fitness in the future in spite of working towards indirect fitness in the present. To investigate this question, we recorded behavioural profiles of all wasps on six naturally occurring nests of Ropalidia marginata, and then isolated all wasps in individual plastic boxes, giving them an opportunity to initiate nests and lay eggs. We found that 41% of the wasps successfully did so. Compared to those that failed to initiate nests, those that did were significantly younger, had significantly higher frequency of self-feeding behaviour on their parent nests but were not different in the levels of work performed in the parent nests. Thus ageing and poor feeding, rather than working for their colonies, constrain individuals for future independent reproduction. Hence, future direct fitness and present work towards gaining indirect fitness are not incompatible, making it easier for worker behaviour to be selected by kin selection or multilevel selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindita Brahma
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Souvik Mandal
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Raghavendra Gadagkar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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16
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17
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Rehan SM, Glastad KM, Steffen MA, Fay CR, Hunt BG, Toth AL. Conserved Genes Underlie Phenotypic Plasticity in an Incipiently Social Bee. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:2749-2758. [PMID: 30247544 PMCID: PMC6190964 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a strong history of theoretical work on the mechanisms of social evolution, relatively little is known of the molecular genetic changes that accompany transitions from solitary to eusocial forms. Here, we provide the first genome of an incipiently social bee that shows both solitary and social colony organization in sympatry, the Australian carpenter bee Ceratina australensis. Through comparative analysis, we provide support for the role of conserved genes and cis-regulation of gene expression in the phenotypic plasticity observed in nest-sharing, a rudimentary form of sociality. Additionally, we find that these conserved genes are associated with caste differences in advanced eusocial species, suggesting these types of mechanisms could pave the molecular pathway from solitary to eusocial living. Genes associated with social nesting in this species show signatures of being deeply conserved, in contrast to previous studies in other bees showing novel and faster-evolving genes are associated with derived sociality. Our data provide support for the idea that the earliest social transitions are driven by changes in gene regulation of deeply conserved genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire
| | - Karl M Glastad
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Cameron R Fay
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University
| | | | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University
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18
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The effect of maternal care on gene expression and DNA methylation in a subsocial bee. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3468. [PMID: 30150650 PMCID: PMC6110825 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05903-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental plasticity describes the influence of environmental factors on phenotypic variation. An important mediator of developmental plasticity in many animals is parental care. Here, we examine the consequences of maternal care on offspring after the initial mass provisioning of brood in the small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata. Removal of the mother during larval development leads to increased aggression and avoidance in adulthood. This corresponds with changes in expression of over one thousand genes, alternative splicing of hundreds of genes, and significant changes to DNA methylation. We identify genes related to metabolic and neuronal functions that may influence developmental plasticity and aggression. We observe no genome-wide association between differential DNA methylation and differential gene expression or splicing, though indirect relationships may exist between these factors. Our results provide insight into the gene regulatory context of DNA methylation in insects and the molecular avenues through which variation in maternal care influences developmental plasticity.
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19
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O’Donnell S, Fiocca K, Campbell M, Bulova S, Zelanko P, Velinsky D. Adult nutrition and reproductive physiology: a stable isotope analysis in a eusocial paper wasp (Mischocyttarus mastigophorus, Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2501-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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20
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Schultner E, Oettler J, Helanterä H. The Role of Brood in Eusocial Hymenoptera. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2018; 92:39-78. [PMID: 29558609 DOI: 10.1086/690840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Study of social traits in offspring traditionally reflects on interactions in simple family groups, with famous examples including parent-offspring conflict and sibling rivalry in birds and mammals. In contrast, studies of complex social groups such as the societies of ants, bees, and wasps focus mainly on adults and, in particular, on traits and interests of queens and workers. The social role of developing individuals in complex societies remains poorly understood. We attempt to fill this gap by illustrating that development in social Hymenoptera constitutes a crucial life stage with important consequences for the individual as well as the colony. We begin by describing the complex social regulatory network that modulates development in Hymenoptera societies. By highlighting the inclusive fitness interests of developing individuals, we show that they may differ from those of other colony members. We then demonstrate that offspring have evolved specialized traits that allow them to play a functional, cooperative role within colonies and give them the potential power to act toward increasing their inclusive fitness. We conclude by providing testable predictions for investigating the role of brood in colony interactions and giving a general outlook on what can be learned from studying offspring traits in hymenopteran societies.
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21
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Berens AJ, Tibbetts EA, Toth AL. Cognitive specialization for learning faces is associated with shifts in the brain transcriptome of a social wasp. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:2149-2153. [PMID: 28615487 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.155200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The specialized ability to learn and recall individuals based on distinct facial features is known in only a few, large-brained social taxa. Social paper wasps in the genus Polistes are the only insects known to possess this form of cognitive specialization. We analyzed genome-wide brain gene expression during facial and pattern training for two species of paper wasps (P. fuscatus, which has face recognition, and P. metricus, which does not) using RNA sequencing. We identified 237 transcripts associated with face specialization in P. fuscatus, including some transcripts involved in neuronal signaling (serotonin receptor and tachykinin). Polistes metricus that learned faces (without specialized learning) and P. fuscatus in social interactions with familiar partners (from a previous study) showed distinct sets of brain differentially expressed transcripts. These data suggest face specialization in P. fuscatus is related to shifts in the brain transcriptome associated with genes distinct from those related to general visual learning and social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali J Berens
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Tibbetts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.,Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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22
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Sumner S, Bell E, Taylor D. A molecular concept of caste in insect societies. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:42-50. [PMID: 29602361 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The term 'caste' is used to describe the division of reproductive labour that defines eusocial insect societies. The definition of 'caste' has been debated over the last 50 years, specifically with respect to the simplest insect societies; this raises the question of whether a simple categorisation of social behaviour by reproductive state alone is helpful. Gene-level analyses of behaviours of individuals in hymenopteran social insect societies now provide a new empirical base-line for defining caste and understanding the evolution and maintenance of a reproductive division of labour. We review this literature to identify a set of potential molecular signatures that, combined with behavioural, morphological and physiological data, help define caste more precisely; these signatures vary with the type of society, and are likely to be influenced by ecology, life-history, and stage in the colony cycle. We conclude that genomic approaches provide us with additional ways to help quantify and categorise caste, and behaviour in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Medawar Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Emily Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Daisy Taylor
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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23
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Yoshimura H, Yamada YY. Caste-fate determination primarily occurs after adult emergence in a primitively eusocial paper wasp: significance of the photoperiod during the adult stage. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:15. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1541-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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24
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Ballesteros GI, Gadau J, Legeai F, Gonzalez-Gonzalez A, Lavandero B, Simon JC, Figueroa CC. Expression differences in Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) females reared on different aphid host species. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3640. [PMID: 28852588 PMCID: PMC5572533 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms that allow generalist parasitoids to exploit many, often very distinct hosts are practically unknown. The wasp Aphidius ervi, a generalist koinobiont parasitoid of aphids, was introduced from Europe into Chile in the late 1970s to control agriculturally important aphid species. A recent study showed significant differences in host preference and host acceptance (infectivity) depending on the host A. ervi were reared on. In contrast, no genetic differentiation between A. ervi populations parasitizing different aphid species and aphids of the same species reared on different host plants was found in Chile. Additionally, the same study did not find any fitness effects in A. ervi if offspring were reared on a different host as their mothers. Here, we determined the effect of aphid host species (Sitobion avenae versus Acyrthosiphon pisum reared on two different host plants alfalfa and pea) on the transcriptome of adult A. ervi females. We found a large number of differentially expressed genes (between host species: head: 2,765; body: 1,216; within the same aphid host species reared on different host plants: alfalfa versus pea: head 593; body 222). As expected, the transcriptomes from parasitoids reared on the same host species (pea aphid) but originating from different host plants (pea versus alfalfa) were more similar to each other than the transcriptomes of parasitoids reared on a different aphid host and host plant (head: 648 and 1,524 transcripts; body: 566 and 428 transcripts). We found several differentially expressed odorant binding proteins and olfactory receptor proteins in particular, when we compared parasitoids from different host species. Additionally, we found differentially expressed genes involved in neuronal growth and development as well as signaling pathways. These results point towards a significant rewiring of the transcriptome of A. ervi depending on aphid-plant complex where parasitoids develop, even if different biotypes of a certain aphid host species (A. pisum) are reared on the same host plant. This difference seems to persist even after the different wasp populations were reared on the same aphid host in the laboratory for more than 50 generations. This indicates that either the imprinting process is very persistent or there is enough genetic/allelic variation between A. ervi populations. The role of distinct molecular mechanisms is discussed in terms of the formation of host fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel I Ballesteros
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America.,Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Fabrice Legeai
- GenScale, INRIA Centre Rennes, Rennes, France.,Institute of Genetics, Environment and Plant Protection, INRA, Le Rheu, France
| | - Angelica Gonzalez-Gonzalez
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Blas Lavandero
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | | | - Christian C Figueroa
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
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25
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O'Donnell S, Bulova S. Development and evolution of brain allometry in wasps (Vespidae): size, ecology and sociality. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:54-61. [PMID: 28805639 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We review research on brain development and brain evolution in the wasp family Vespidae. Basic vespid neuroanatomy and some aspects of functional neural circuitry are well-characterized, and genomic tools for exploring brain plasticity are being developed. Although relatively modest in terms of species richness, the Vespidae include species spanning much of the known range of animal social complexity, from solitary nesters to highly eusocial species with some of the largest known colonies and multiple reproductives. Eusocial species differ in behavior and ecology including variation in queen/worker caste differentiation and in diurnal/nocturnal activity. Species differences in overall brain size are strongly associated with brain allometry; relative sizes of visual processing tissues increase at faster rates than antennal processing tissues. The lower relative size of the central-processing mushroom bodies (MB) in eusocial species compared to solitary relatives suggests sociality may relax demands on individual cognitive abilities. However, queens have greater relative MB volumes than their workers, and MB development is positively associated with social dominance status in some species. Fruitful areas for future investigations of adaptive brain investment in the clade include sampling of key overlooked taxa with diverse social structures, and the analysis of neural correlations with ecological divergence in foraging resources and diel activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean O'Donnell
- Department of Biodiversity Earth & Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Susan Bulova
- Department of Biodiversity Earth & Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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26
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Kapheim KM. Nutritional, endocrine, and social influences on reproductive physiology at the origins of social behavior. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:62-70. [PMID: 28805640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the evolutionary origins of social behavior in insects requires understanding the physiological basis for reproductive plasticity. Solitary bees and wasps or those living in small, flexible societies will be key to understanding how conserved pathways have evolved to give rise to reproductive castes. Nutrient-sensing and endocrine pathways are decoupled from reproduction in some life stages of social insects. Heterochrony, particularly as it is related to diapause physiology, may be an important mechanism by which this decoupling occurs. Additional research is needed to understand how these pathways became sensitive to cues from the social environment. Future research targeting species with a diversity of social behaviors and diapause strategies will be key to understanding the physiological basis of social evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Kapheim
- Utah State University, Department of Biology, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
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27
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Jandt JM, Suryanarayanan S, Hermanson JC, Jeanne RL, Toth AL. Maternal and nourishment factors interact to influence offspring developmental trajectories in social wasps. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20170651. [PMID: 28637858 PMCID: PMC5489728 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The social and nutritional environments during early development have the potential to affect offspring traits, but the mechanisms and molecular underpinnings of these effects remain elusive. We used Polistes fuscatus paper wasps to dissect how maternally controlled factors (vibrational signals and nourishment) interact to induce different caste developmental trajectories in female offspring, leading to worker or reproductive (gyne) traits. We established a set of caste phenotype biomarkers in P. fuscatus females, finding that gyne-destined individuals had high expression of three caste-related genes hypothesized to have roles in diapause and mitochondrial metabolism. We then experimentally manipulated maternal vibrational signals (via artificial 'antennal drumming') and nourishment levels (via restricted foraging). We found that these caste-related biomarker genes were responsive to drumming, nourishment level or their interaction. Our results provide a striking example of the potent influence of maternal and nutritional effects in influencing transcriptional activity and developmental outcomes in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Jandt
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - John C Hermanson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Robert L Jeanne
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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28
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Toth AL, Rehan SM. Molecular Evolution of Insect Sociality: An Eco-Evo-Devo Perspective. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 62:419-442. [PMID: 27912247 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of eusociality is a perennial issue in evolutionary biology, and genomic advances have fueled steadily growing interest in the genetic changes underlying social evolution. Along with a recent flurry of research on comparative and evolutionary genomics in different eusocial insect groups (bees, ants, wasps, and termites), several mechanistic explanations have emerged to describe the molecular evolution of eusociality from solitary behavior. These include solitary physiological ground plans, genetic toolkits of deeply conserved genes, evolutionary changes in protein-coding genes, cis regulation, and the structure of gene networks, epigenetics, and novel genes. Despite this proliferation of ideas, there has been little synthesis, even though these ideas are not mutually exclusive and may in fact be complementary. We review available data on molecular evolution of insect sociality and highlight key biotic and abiotic factors influencing social insect genomes. We then suggest both phylogenetic and ecological evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo) perspectives for a more synthetic view of molecular evolution in insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011;
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824;
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29
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Judd TM, Fasnacht MP. A Nutritional Profile of the Trap-Nesting Wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae): Comparison of Sexes and Overwintering and Non-Overwintering Generations. INSECTS 2017; 8:insects8010003. [PMID: 28054943 PMCID: PMC5371931 DOI: 10.3390/insects8010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure is a bivoltine trap-nesting species that possesses a non-overwintering generation (G1) and a generation that overwinters as a prepupa (G2). Thus, the nutritional needs of the G1 individuals were predicted to be different than the G2 because the latter generation needs to store energy prior to diapause. Trap-nesting Trypoxylon are also of interest because, unlike most Hymenoptera, the males guard the nest while females forage. Thus, males may lose nutrients as they stay and guard the nest. In this study, a nutritional profile was created for T. lactitarse to compare the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) and micronutrient (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn) levels of the different life stages of the wasp and compare individuals of the G1 and G2 generations. There were distinct changes in the nutrient levels relative to the original food source as individuals metamorphosed into larvae, pupae, and adults. G1 larvae had higher levels of carbohydrates than G2 larvae. G2 larvae had higher levels of lipids and K than G1 larvae, indicating possible differences in energy storage. In adults, there was an increase in levels of carbohydrates and Mn. Parental males, which stay and guard the nest, were found to have higher levels of carbohydrates at the end of the nesting period than females and emerging adults. One possible implication is that females may feed males during the nesting period, as the females are the only individuals to forage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Judd
- Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA.
| | - Matthew P Fasnacht
- Department of Chemistry, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA
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30
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de Souza AR, Baptista CF, Lino-Neto J. The sternal brush of the Van der Vecht organ scales isometrically with body size: implications for the study of incipient morphological castes in primitively eusocial wasps. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2016.1236041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André R. de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brasil
| | | | - José Lino-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil
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de Souza AR, Petrocelli I, Lino-Neto J, Santos EF, Noll FB, Turillazzi S. Ontogenic Caste Differences in the Van der Vecht Organ of Primitively Eusocial Neotropical Paper Wasps. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154521. [PMID: 27167514 PMCID: PMC4864236 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have reported incipient morphological caste dimorphism in the Van der Vecht organ size of some temperate Polistes paper wasps. Whether species other than the temperate ones show a similar pattern remains elusive. Here, we have studied some Neotropical Polistes species. By comparing females collected through the year, we showed caste related differences in the size of the Van der Vecht organ in P. ferreri (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.45 ± 0.06, workers = 0.38 ± 0.07 mm2, p = 0.0021), P. versicolor (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.54 ± 0.11, workers = 0.46 ± 0.09 mm2, p = 0.010), but not P. simillimus (body size corrected Van der Vech organ size of queens = 0.52 ± 0.05, workers = 0.49 ± 0.06 mm2, p = 0.238). Therefore, it seems that queens and workers of some Neotropical Polistes have diverged in their ontogenic trajectory of the Van der Vecht organ size, providing clear evidence for incipient morphological caste dimorphism. As Polistes are distributed mostly in the tropics, we propose that physical caste differences may be widespread in the genus. Also, we highlight that morphological divergence in the queen–worker phenotypes may have started through differential selection of body structures, like the Van der Vecht organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570–000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica ‘Leo Pardi’, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125, Firenze, Italy
| | - José Lino-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570–000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Fernando Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Barbosa Noll
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica ‘Leo Pardi’, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125, Firenze, Italy
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Corona M, Libbrecht R, Wheeler DE. Molecular mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity in social insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 13:55-60. [PMID: 27436553 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Polyphenism in insects, whereby a single genome expresses different phenotypes in response to environmental cues, is a fascinating biological phenomenon. Social insects are especially intriguing examples of phenotypic plasticity because division of labor results in the development of extreme morphological phenotypes, such as the queen and worker castes. Although sociality evolved independently in ants, bees, wasps and termites, similar genetic pathways regulate phenotypic plasticity in these different groups of social insects. The insulin/insulin-like growth signaling (IIS) plays a key role in this process. Recent research reveals that IIS interacts with other pathways including target of rapamycin (TOR), epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr), juvenile hormone (JH) and vitellogenin (Vg) to regulate caste differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Corona
- USDA Bee Research, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Building 306, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Diana E Wheeler
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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Jandt JM, Thomson JL, Geffre AC, Toth AL. Lab rearing environment perturbs social traits: a case study withPolisteswasps. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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