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Weger AA, Rittschof CC. The diverse roles of insulin signaling in insect behavior. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 4:1360320. [PMID: 38638680 PMCID: PMC11024295 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2024.1360320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
In insects and other animals, nutrition-mediated behaviors are modulated by communication between the brain and peripheral systems, a process that relies heavily on the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS). Previous studies have focused on the mechanistic and physiological functions of insulin-like peptides (ILPs) in critical developmental and adult milestones like pupation or vitellogenesis. Less work has detailed the mechanisms connecting ILPs to adult nutrient-mediated behaviors related to survival and reproductive success. Here we briefly review the range of behaviors linked to IIS in insects, from conserved regulation of feeding behavior to evolutionarily derived polyphenisms. Where possible, we incorporate information from Drosophila melanogaster and other model species to describe molecular and neural mechanisms that connect nutritional status to behavioral expression via IIS. We identify knowledge gaps which include the diverse functional roles of peripheral ILPs, how ILPs modulate neural function and behavior across the lifespan, and the lack of detailed mechanistic research in a broad range of taxa. Addressing these gaps would enable a better understanding of the evolution of this conserved and widely deployed tool kit pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clare C. Rittschof
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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2
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Pyenson BC, Rehan SM. Gene regulation supporting sociality shared across lineages and variation in complexity. Genome 2024; 67:99-108. [PMID: 38096504 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0054] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Across evolutionary lineages, insects vary in social complexity, from those that exhibit extended parental care to those with elaborate divisions of labor. Here, we synthesize the sociogenomic resources from hundreds of species to describe common gene regulatory mechanisms in insects that regulate social organization across phylogeny and levels of social complexity. Different social phenotypes expressed by insects can be linked to the organization of co-expressing gene networks and features of the epigenetic landscape. Insect sociality also stems from processes like the emergence of parental care and the decoupling of ancestral genetic programs. One underexplored avenue is how variation in a group's social environment affects the gene expression of individuals. Additionally, an experimental reduction of gene expression would demonstrate how the activity of specific genes contributes to insect social phenotypes. While tissue specificity provides greater localization of the gene expression underlying social complexity, emerging transcriptomic analysis of insect brains at the cellular level provides even greater resolution to understand the molecular basis of social insect evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
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3
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Jones BM, Rubin BER, Dudchenko O, Kingwell CJ, Traniello IM, Wang ZY, Kapheim KM, Wyman ES, Adastra PA, Liu W, Parsons LR, Jackson SR, Goodwin K, Davidson SM, McBride MJ, Webb AE, Omufwoko KS, Van Dorp N, Otárola MF, Pham M, Omer AD, Weisz D, Schraiber J, Villanea F, Wcislo WT, Paxton RJ, Hunt BG, Aiden EL, Kocher SD. Convergent and complementary selection shaped gains and losses of eusociality in sweat bees. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:557-569. [PMID: 36941345 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Sweat bees have repeatedly gained and lost eusociality, a transition from individual to group reproduction. Here we generate chromosome-length genome assemblies for 17 species and identify genomic signatures of evolutionary trade-offs associated with transitions between social and solitary living. Both young genes and regulatory regions show enrichment for these molecular patterns. We also identify loci that show evidence of complementary signals of positive and relaxed selection linked specifically to the convergent gains and losses of eusociality in sweat bees. This includes two pleiotropic proteins that bind and transport juvenile hormone (JH)-a key regulator of insect development and reproduction. We find that one of these proteins is primarily expressed in subperineurial glial cells that form the insect blood-brain barrier and that brain levels of JH vary by sociality. Our findings are consistent with a role of JH in modulating social behaviour and suggest that eusocial evolution was facilitated by alteration of the proteins that bind and transport JH, revealing how an ancestral developmental hormone may have been co-opted during one of life's major transitions. More broadly, our results highlight how evolutionary trade-offs have structured the molecular basis of eusociality in these bees and demonstrate how both directional selection and release from constraint can shape trait evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beryl M Jones
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin E R Rubin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Callum J Kingwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Ian M Traniello
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Z Yan Wang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Karen M Kapheim
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Eli S Wyman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Per A Adastra
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Weijie Liu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Lance R Parsons
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - S RaElle Jackson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Katharine Goodwin
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Shawn M Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew J McBride
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Andrew E Webb
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Kennedy S Omufwoko
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nikki Van Dorp
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mauricio Fernández Otárola
- Biodiversity and Tropical Ecology Research Center (CIBET) and School of Biology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Melanie Pham
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joshua Schraiber
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Illumina Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Fernando Villanea
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - William T Wcislo
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brendan G Hunt
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah D Kocher
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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4
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Resource sharing is sufficient for the emergence of division of labour. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7232. [PMID: 36433975 PMCID: PMC9700737 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35038-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Division of labour occurs in a broad range of organisms. Yet, how division of labour can emerge in the absence of pre-existing interindividual differences is poorly understood. Using a simple but realistic model, we show that in a group of initially identical individuals, division of labour emerges spontaneously if returning foragers share part of their resources with other group members. In the absence of resource sharing, individuals follow an activity schedule of alternating between foraging and other tasks. If non-foraging individuals are fed by other individuals, their alternating activity schedule becomes interrupted, leading to task specialisation and the emergence of division of labour. Furthermore, nutritional differences between individuals reinforce division of labour. Such differences can be caused by increased metabolic rates during foraging or by dominance interactions during resource sharing. Our model proposes a plausible mechanism for the self-organised emergence of division of labour in animal groups of initially identical individuals. This mechanism could also play a role for the emergence of division of labour during the major evolutionary transitions to eusociality and multicellularity.
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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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6
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Quque M, Villette C, Criscuolo F, Sueur C, Bertile F, Heintz D. Eusociality is linked to caste-specific differences in metabolism, immune system, and somatic maintenance-related processes in an ant species. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:29. [PMID: 34971425 PMCID: PMC11073003 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04024-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The social organization of many primate, bird and rodent species and the role of individuals within that organization are associated with specific individual physiological traits. However, this association is perhaps most pronounced in eusocial insects (e.g., termites, ants). In such species, genetically close individuals show significant differences in behavior, physiology, and life expectancy. Studies addressing the metabolic changes according to the social role are still lacking. We aimed at understanding how sociality could influence essential molecular processes in a eusocial insect, the black garden ant (Lasius niger) where queens can live up to ten times longer than workers. Using mass spectrometry-based analysis, we explored the whole metabolome of queens, nest-workers and foraging workers. A former proteomics study done in the same species allowed us to compare the findings of both approaches. Confirming the former results at the proteome level, we showed that queens had fewer metabolites related to immunity. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find any metabolite linked to reproduction in queens. Among the workers, foragers had a metabolic signature reflecting a more stressful environment and a more highly stimulated immune system. We also found that nest-workers had more digestion-related metabolites. Hence, we showed that specific metabolic signatures match specific social roles. Besides, we identified metabolites differently expressed among behavioral castes and involved in nutrient sensing and longevity pathways (e.g., sirtuins, FOXO). The links between such molecular pathways and aging being found in an increasing number of taxa, our results confirm and strengthen their potential universality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Quque
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Claire Villette
- Plant Imaging and Mass Spectrometry (PIMS), Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Criscuolo
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Bertile
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- Infrastructure Nationale de Protéomique ProFI, FR2048, Strasbourg, France
| | - Dimitri Heintz
- Plant Imaging and Mass Spectrometry (PIMS), Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
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7
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Vieira J, Freitas FCP, Cristino AS, Moda LMR, Martins JR, Bitondi MMG, Simões ZLP, Barchuk AR. miRNA-34 and miRNA-210 target hexamerin genes enhancing their differential expression during early brain development of honeybee (Apis mellifera) castes. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:594-604. [PMID: 34309096 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
During the honeybee larval stage, queens develop larger brains than workers, with morphological differentiation appearing at the fourth larval phase (L4), just after a boost in nutritional difference both prospective females experience. The molecular promoters of this caste-specific brain development are already ongoing in previous larval phases. Transcriptomic analyses revealed a set of differentially expressed genes in the L3 brains of queens and workers, which represents the early molecular response to differential feeding females receive during larval development. Three genes of this set, hex70b, hex70c and hex110, are more highly transcribed in the brain of workers than in queens. The microRNAs miR-34, miR-210 and miR-317 are in higher levels in the queens' brain at the same phase of larval development. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the brain of workers expresses higher levels of hexamerins than that of queens during key phases of larval development and that this differential hexamerin genes expression is further enhanced by the repressing activity of miR-34, miR-210 and miR-317. Our transcriptional analyses showed that hex70b, hex70c and hex110 genes are differentially expressed in the brain of L3 and L4 larval phases of honeybee queens and workers. In silico reconstructed miRNA-mRNA interaction networks were validated using luciferase assays, which showed miR-34 and miR-210 negatively regulate hex70b and hex110 genes by directly and redundantly binding their 3'UTR (untranslated region) sequences. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-34 and miR-210 act together promoting differential brain development in honeybee castes by downregulating the expression of the putative antineurogenic hexamerin genes hex70b and hex110.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Vieira
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - F C P Freitas
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A S Cristino
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - L M R Moda
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - J R Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - M M G Bitondi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Z L P Simões
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A R Barchuk
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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8
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Saleh NW, Hodgson K, Pokorny T, Mullins A, Chouvenc T, Eltz T, Ramírez SR. Social Behavior, Ovary Size, and Population of Origin Influence Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the Orchid Bee Euglossa dilemma. Am Nat 2021; 198:E136-E151. [PMID: 34648396 DOI: 10.1086/716511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are waxy compounds on the surface of insects that prevent desiccation and frequently serve as chemical signals mediating social and mating behaviors. Although their function in eusocial species has been heavily investigated, little is known about the evolution of CHC-based communication in species with simpler forms of social organization lacking specialized castes. Here we investigate factors shaping CHC variation in the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma, which forms casteless social groups of two to three individuals. We first assess geographic variation, examining CHC profiles of males and females from three populations. We also consider CHC variation in the sister species, Euglossa viridissima, which occurs sympatrically with one population of E. dilemma. Next, we consider variation associated with female behavioral phases, to test the hypothesis that CHCs reflect ovary size and social dominance. We uncover a striking CHC polymorphism in E. dilemma spanning populations. In addition, we identify a separate set of CHCs that correlate with ovary size, social dominance, and expression of genes associated with social behavior, suggesting that CHCs convey reproductive and social information in E. dilemma. Together, our results reveal complex patterns of variation in which a subset of CHCs reflect the social and reproductive status of nestmates.
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9
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Uy FMK, Jernigan CM, Zaba NC, Mehrotra E, Miller SE, Sheehan MJ. Dynamic neurogenomic responses to social interactions and dominance outcomes in female paper wasps. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009474. [PMID: 34478434 PMCID: PMC8415593 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions have large effects on individual physiology and fitness. In the immediate sense, social stimuli are often highly salient and engaging. Over longer time scales, competitive interactions often lead to distinct social ranks and differences in physiology and behavior. Understanding how initial responses lead to longer-term effects of social interactions requires examining the changes in responses over time. Here we examined the effects of social interactions on transcriptomic signatures at two times, at the end of a 45-minute interaction and 4 hours later, in female Polistes fuscatus paper wasp foundresses. Female P. fuscatus have variable facial patterns that are used for visual individual recognition, so we separately examined the transcriptional dynamics in the optic lobe and the non-visual brain. Results demonstrate much stronger transcriptional responses to social interactions in the non-visual brain compared to the optic lobe. Differentially regulated genes in response to social interactions are enriched for memory-related transcripts. Comparisons between winners and losers of the encounters revealed similar overall transcriptional profiles at the end of an interaction, which significantly diverged over the course of 4 hours, with losers showing changes in expression levels of genes associated with aggression and reproduction in paper wasps. On nests, subordinate foundresses are less aggressive, do more foraging and lay fewer eggs compared to dominant foundresses and we find losers shift expression of many genes in the non-visual brain, including vitellogenin, related to aggression, worker behavior, and reproduction within hours of losing an encounter. These results highlight the early neurogenomic changes that likely contribute to behavioral and physiological effects of social status changes in a social insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floria M. K. Uy
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Jernigan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Natalie C. Zaba
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Eshan Mehrotra
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sara E. Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Noll FB, da Silva M, Soleman RA, Lopes RB, Grandinete YC, Almeida EAB, Wenzel JW, Carpenter JM. Marimbondos: systematics, biogeography, and evolution of social behaviour of neotropical swarm-founding wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Epiponini). Cladistics 2021; 37:423-441. [PMID: 34478190 DOI: 10.1111/cla.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neotropical swarm-founding wasps are divided into 19 genera in the tribe Epiponini (Vespidae, Polistinae). They display extensive variation in several colony-level traits that make them an attractive model system for reconstructing the evolution of social phenotypes, including caste dimorphism and nest architecture. Epiponini has been upheld as a solid monophyletic group in most phylogenetic analyses carried out so far, supported by molecular, morphological and behavioural data. Recent molecular studies, however, propose different relationships among the genera of swarm-founding wasps. This study is based on the most comprehensive epiponine sampling so far and was analyzed by combining morphological, nesting and molecular data. The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis shows many of the traditional clades but still impacts the way certain behavioural characters, such as nest structure and castes, evolved, and thus requires some re-interpretations. Angiopolybia as sister to the remaining Epiponini implies that nest envelopes and a casteless system are plesiomorphic in the tribe. Molecular dating points to an early tribal diversification during the Eocene (c. 55-38 Ma), with the major differentiation of current genera concentrated in the Oligocene/Miocene boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando B Noll
- Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Marjorie da Silva
- Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Raduan A Soleman
- Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rogério B Lopes
- Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Yuri C Grandinete
- Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A B Almeida
- Depto. Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - John W Wenzel
- Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, 15677, USA
| | - James M Carpenter
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA
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11
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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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12
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Costa CP, Duennes MA, Fisher K, Der JP, Watrous KM, Okamoto N, Yamanaka N, Woodard SH. Transcriptome analysis reveals nutrition‐ and age‐related patterns of gene expression in the fat body of pre‐overwintering bumble bee queens. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:720-737. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kaleigh Fisher
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
| | - Joshua P. Der
- Department of Biological Science California State University Fullerton CA USA
| | | | - Naoki Okamoto
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
| | - Naoki Yamanaka
- Department of Entomology University of California Riverside CA USA
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13
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Quque M, Benhaim-Delarbre M, Deneubourg JL, Sueur C, Criscuolo F, Bertile F. Division of labour in the black garden ant (Lasius niger) leads to three distinct proteomes. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 117:103907. [PMID: 31255645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Task specialization in social insects leads to striking intra-specific differences in behaviour, morphology, physiology and longevity, but the underlying mechanisms remain not yet fully understood. Adult colonies of black garden ants (Lasius niger) have a single queen fertilized by one or a small number of males. The inter-individual genetic variability is thus relatively low, making it easier to focus on the individual molecular differences linked to the division of labour. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics enabled us to highlight which biological functions create the difference between queens, foragers and nest-workers. The proteome of each caste reflected nicely their social role: e.g., reproduction for queens, pesticide resistance for foragers - that are the most exposed to environmental risk factors - and, interestingly, digestion for nest-workers, thus highlighting proteomic profiles differences even among workers. Furthermore, our exploratory approach suggests energy trade-off mechanisms - in connection with the theory of social immunity - that might explain the difference in longevity between queens and workers. This study brings evidence that proteomics is able to highlight the subtle mechanisms of molecular regulation induced by social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Quque
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | | | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, CPBT, CP231, Av. F. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - François Criscuolo
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Fabrice Bertile
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
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14
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15
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Piekarski PK, Carpenter JM, Lemmon AR, Moriarty Lemmon E, Sharanowski BJ. Phylogenomic Evidence Overturns Current Conceptions of Social Evolution in Wasps (Vespidae). Mol Biol Evol 2018; 35:2097-2109. [PMID: 29924339 PMCID: PMC6107056 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that eusociality originated once in Vespidae has shaped interpretation of social evolution for decades and has driven the supposition that preimaginal morphophysiological differences between castes were absent at the outset of eusociality. Many researchers also consider casteless nest-sharing an antecedent to eusociality. Together, these ideas endorse a stepwise progression of social evolution in wasps (solitary → casteless nest-sharing → eusociality with rudimentary behavioral castes → eusociality with preimaginal caste-biasing (PCB) → morphologically differentiated castes). Here, we infer the phylogeny of Vespidae using sequence data generated via anchored hybrid enrichment from 378 loci across 136 vespid species and perform ancestral state reconstructions to test whether rudimentary and monomorphic castes characterized the initial stages of eusocial evolution. Our results reject the single origin of eusociality hypothesis, contest the supposition that eusociality emerged from a casteless nest-sharing ancestor, and suggest that eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae began with castes having morphological differences. An abrupt appearance of castes with ontogenetically established morphophysiological differences conflicts with the current conception of stepwise social evolution and suggests that the climb up the ladder of sociality does not occur through sequential mutation. Phenotypic plasticity and standing genetic variation could explain how cooperative brood care evolved in concert with nest-sharing and how morphologically dissimilar castes arose without a rudimentary intermediate. Furthermore, PCB at the outset of eusociality implicates a subsocial route to eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae, emphasizing the role of mother-daughter interactions and subfertility (i.e. the cost component of kin selection) in the origin of workers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James M Carpenter
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
| | - Alan R Lemmon
- Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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16
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Cappa F, Cini A, Pepiciello I, Petrocelli I, Cervo R. Female body size, weight and fat storage rather than nestmateship determine male attraction in the invasive yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2018.1501437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Cappa
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence),
| | - Alessandro Cini
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence),
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Irene Pepiciello
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence),
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence),
| | - Rita Cervo
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence),
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17
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Hora ZA, Altaye SZ, Wubie AJ, Li J. Proteomics Improves the New Understanding of Honeybee Biology. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2018; 66:3605-3615. [PMID: 29558123 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b00772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The honeybee is one of the most valuable insect pollinators, playing a key role in pollinating wild vegetation and agricultural crops, with significant contribution to the world's food production. Although honeybees have long been studied as model for social evolution, honeybee biology at the molecular level remained poorly understood until the year 2006. With the availability of the honeybee genome sequence and technological advancements in protein separation, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics, aspects of honeybee biology such as developmental biology, physiology, behavior, neurobiology, and immunology have been explored to new depths at molecular and biochemical levels. This Review comprehensively summarizes the recent progress in honeybee biology using proteomics to study developmental physiology, task transition, and physiological changes in some of the organs, tissues, and cells based on achievements from the authors' laboratory in this field. The research advances of honeybee proteomics provide new insights for understanding of honeybee biology and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zewdu Ararso Hora
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Solomon Zewdu Altaye
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Abebe Jemberie Wubie
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Jianke Li
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100081 , China
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18
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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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19
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Weiner S, Geffre A, Toth A. Functional genomics in the wild: a case study with paper wasps shows challenges and prospects for RNA interference in ecological systems. Genome 2018; 61:266-272. [DOI: 10.1139/gen-2017-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a useful tool to assess gene function by knocking down expression of a target gene and has been used successfully in domestic and laboratory organisms. However, the use of RNAi for functional genomics has not fully extended into ecological model organisms in natural environments. Assessment of gene function in the wild is important because gene function can be environmentally and context dependent. Here, we present a case study using RNAi to assess gene function in wild paper wasps Polistes metricus, to test roles for two candidate genes (NADH dehydrogenase (NADHdh) and retinoid and fatty acid binding protein (RfaBp)) in the development of reproductive castes. Previous studies have shown that these genes are upregulated in larvae that become queens compared to workers, but this pattern was reversed in the laboratory, making field-based studies necessary. We orally administered dsRNA to larvae in field colonies and found evidence of a short-term knockdown followed by a compensatory rebound in expression for RfaBp. We also observed the predicted worker-like decrease in lipid stores in NADHdh dsRNA treated wasps, suggesting a possible role for NADHdh in caste development. We discuss our results in the context of challenges for using RNAi for functional genomics in ecological model organisms in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.A. Weiner
- Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - A.G. Geffre
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - A.L. Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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20
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Fischman BJ, Pitts-Singer TL, Robinson GE. Nutritional Regulation of Phenotypic Plasticity in a Solitary Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 46:1070-1079. [PMID: 28981639 PMCID: PMC5850749 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvx119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity involves adaptive responses to predictable environmental fluctuations and may promote evolutionary change. We studied the regulation of phenotypic plasticity in an important agricultural pollinator, the solitary alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata F.). Specifically, we investigated how larval nutrition affects M. rotundata diapause plasticity and how diapause plasticity affects adult female reproductive behavior. Field surveys and laboratory manipulations of aspects of larval diet demonstrated nutritional regulation of M. rotundata diapause plasticity. Manipulation of larval diet quality through the addition of royal jelly, the caste-determining substance of the honey bee Apis mellifera L., increased the probability of diapause in M. rotundata. We also found that larval nutrition and diapause status affected M. rotundata adult female reproductive behavior. Nutritional effects on larval diapause that also impact adult fitness have intriguing implications for the evolution of developmental plasticity in bees. In particular, as the solitary lifestyle of M. rotundata is considered to be the ancestral condition in bees, nutritionally regulated plasticity may have been an ancestral condition in all bees that facilitated the evolution of other forms of phenotypic plasticity, such as the castes of social bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brielle J Fischman
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 ()
- Current address: Department of Biology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY 14456
| | | | - Gene E Robinson
- Department of Entomology, Neuroscience Program, and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 ()
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21
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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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22
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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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23
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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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24
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Okada Y, Watanabe Y, Tin MMY, Tsuji K, Mikheyev AS. Social dominance alters nutrition-related gene expression immediately: transcriptomic evidence from a monomorphic queenless ant. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:2922-2938. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasukazu Okada
- Department of General Systems Studies; Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; The University of Tokyo; 3-8-1 Komaba Tokyo Japan
| | - Yutaka Watanabe
- Ecology and Evolution Unit; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology; 1919-1 Tancha Onna-son Kunigami Okinawa 904-0495 Japan
| | - Mandy M. Y. Tin
- Ecology and Evolution Unit; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology; 1919-1 Tancha Onna-son Kunigami Okinawa 904-0495 Japan
| | - Kazuki Tsuji
- Department of Subtropical Agro-Environmental Sciences; Faculty of Agriculture; University of the Ryukyus; Nishihara Okinawa 903-0213 Japan
| | - Alexander S. Mikheyev
- Ecology and Evolution Unit; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology; 1919-1 Tancha Onna-son Kunigami Okinawa 904-0495 Japan
- Research School of Biology; Australian National University; Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
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25
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Karathanasis N, Tsamardinos I, Lagani V. omicsNPC: Applying the Non-Parametric Combination Methodology to the Integrative Analysis of Heterogeneous Omics Data. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165545. [PMID: 27812137 PMCID: PMC5094732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The advance of omics technologies has made possible to measure several data modalities on a system of interest. In this work, we illustrate how the Non-Parametric Combination methodology, namely NPC, can be used for simultaneously assessing the association of different molecular quantities with an outcome of interest. We argue that NPC methods have several potential applications in integrating heterogeneous omics technologies, as for example identifying genes whose methylation and transcriptional levels are jointly deregulated, or finding proteins whose abundance shows the same trends of the expression of their encoding genes. Results We implemented the NPC methodology within “omicsNPC”, an R function specifically tailored for the characteristics of omics data. We compare omicsNPC against a range of alternative methods on simulated as well as on real data. Comparisons on simulated data point out that omicsNPC produces unbiased / calibrated p-values and performs equally or significantly better than the other methods included in the study; furthermore, the analysis of real data show that omicsNPC (a) exhibits higher statistical power than other methods, (b) it is easily applicable in a number of different scenarios, and (c) its results have improved biological interpretability. Conclusions The omicsNPC function competitively behaves in all comparisons conducted in this study. Taking into account that the method (i) requires minimal assumptions, (ii) it can be used on different studies designs and (iii) it captures the dependences among heterogeneous data modalities, omicsNPC provides a flexible and statistically powerful solution for the integrative analysis of different omics data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestoras Karathanasis
- Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology—Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Vincenzo Lagani
- Department of Computer Science, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- * E-mail:
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26
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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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27
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Toth AL, Sumner S, Jeanne RL. Patterns of longevity across a sociality gradient in vespid wasps. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 16:28-35. [PMID: 27720047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The reversal of the fecundity/longevity tradeoff in social insects is striking, but we lack understanding of when and how this reversal evolved. Vespid wasps are excellent models for studying social evolution because species show different levels of sociality from solitary to primitively to advanced eusocial. We provide the first synthesis of existing, but scanty, data available on longevity in vespids. We explore whether the fecundity/longevity tradeoff reversal is exaggerated in species with more derived sociality. Although the reversal is evident in primitively social wasps, the available data suggest it may be stronger in large-colonied species, which show a trend toward shorter worker longevity. More data are needed on additional species and underlying mechanisms, but vespids hold promise for understanding the evolution of the fecundity/longevity tradeoff reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Toth
- Departments of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and Entomology, Iowa State University, USA.
| | - Seirian Sumner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Robert L Jeanne
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
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28
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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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Kapheim KM. Genomic sources of phenotypic novelty in the evolution of eusociality in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 13:24-32. [PMID: 27436550 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Genomic resources are now available for closely related species that vary in social behavior, providing insight on the genomics of social evolution. Changes in the architecture of gene regulatory networks likely influence the evolutionary trajectory of social traits. Evolutionarily novel genes are likely important in the evolution of social diversity among insects, but it is unclear whether new genes played a driving role in the advent or elaboration of eusociality or if they were instead a result of other genomic features of eusociality. The worker phenotype appears to be the center of genetic novelty, but the mechanisms for this remain unresolved. Future studies are needed to understand how genetic novelty arises, becomes incorporated into existing gene regulatory networks, and the effects this has on the evolution of social traits in closely related social and solitary species.
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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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Morandin C, Dhaygude K, Paviala J, Trontti K, Wheat C, Helanterä H. Caste-biases in gene expression are specific to developmental stage in the ant Formica exsecta. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1705-18. [PMID: 26172873 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how a single genome creates and maintains distinct phenotypes is a central goal in evolutionary biology. Social insects are a striking example of co-opted genetic backgrounds giving rise to dramatically different phenotypes, such as queen and worker castes. A conserved set of molecular pathways, previously envisioned as a set of 'toolkit' genes, has been hypothesized to underlie queen and worker phenotypes in independently evolved social insect lineages. Here, we investigated the toolkit from a developmental point of view, using RNA-Seq to compare caste-biased gene expression patterns across three life stages (pupae, emerging adult and old adult) and two female castes (queens and workers) in the ant Formica exsecta. We found that the number of genes with caste-biased expression increases dramatically from pupal to old adult stages. This result suggests that phenotypic differences between queens and workers at the pupal stage may derive from a relatively low number of caste-biased genes, compared to higher number of genes required to maintain caste differences at the adult stage. Gene expression patterns were more similar among castes within developmental stages than within castes despite the extensive phenotypic differences between queens and workers. Caste-biased expression was highly variable among life stages at the level of single genes, but more consistent when gene functions (gene ontology terms) were investigated. Finally, we found that a large part of putative toolkit genes were caste-biased at least in some life stages in F. exsecta, and the caste-biases, but not their direction, were more often shared between F. exsecta and other ant species than between F. exsecta and bees. Our results indicate that gene expression should be examined across several developmental stages to fully reveal the genetic basis of polyphenisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Morandin
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland.,Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Hanko, Finland
| | - K Dhaygude
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Paviala
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - K Trontti
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - C Wheat
- Department of Zoology, Population Genetics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - H Helanterä
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland.,Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Hanko, Finland
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Berens AJ, Hunt JH, Toth AL. Nourishment level affects caste-related gene expression in Polistes wasps. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:235. [PMID: 25880983 PMCID: PMC4381360 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1410-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Social insects exhibit striking phenotypic plasticity in the form of distinct reproductive (queen) and non-reproductive (worker) castes, which are typically driven by differences in the environment during early development. Nutritional environment and nourishment during development has been shown to be broadly associated with caste determination across social insect taxa such as bees, wasps, and termites. In primitively social insects such as Polistes paper wasps, caste remains flexible throughout adulthood, but there is evidence that nourishment inequalities can bias caste development with workers receiving limited nourishment compared to queens. Dominance and vibrational signaling are behaviors that have also been linked to caste differences in paper wasps, suggesting that a combination of nourishment and social factors may drive caste determination. To better understand the molecular basis of nutritional effects on caste determination, we used RNA-sequencing to investigate the gene expression changes in response to proteinaceous nourishment deprivation in Polistes metricus larvae. Results We identified 285 nourishment-responsive transcripts, many of which are related to lipid metabolism and oxidation-reduction activity. Via comparisons to previously identified caste-related genes, we found that nourishment restriction only partially biased wasp gene expression patterns toward worker caste-like traits, which supports the notion that nourishment, in conjunction with social environment, is a determinant of developmental caste bias. In addition, we conducted cross-species comparisons of nourishment-responsive genes, and uncovered largely lineage-specific gene expression changes, suggesting few shared nourishment-responsive genes across taxa. Conclusion Overall, the results from this study highlight the complex and multifactorial nature of environmental effects on the gene expression patterns underlying plastic phenotypes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1410-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali J Berens
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
| | - James H Hunt
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA. .,Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA. .,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| | - Amy L Toth
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,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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Quantitative differences in nourishment affect caste-related physiology and development in the paper wasp Polistes metricus. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116199. [PMID: 25706417 PMCID: PMC4338145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The distinction between worker and reproductive castes of social insects is receiving increased attention from a developmental rather than adaptive perspective. In the wasp genus Polistes, colonies are founded by one or more females, and the female offspring that emerge in that colony are either non-reproducing workers or future reproductives of the following generation (gynes). A growing number of studies now indicate that workers emerge with activated reproductive physiology, whereas the future reproductive gynes do not. Low nourishment levels for larvae during the worker-rearing phase of the colony cycle and higher nourishment levels for larvae when gynes are reared are now strongly suspected of playing a major role in this difference. Here, we present the results of a laboratory rearing experiment in which Polistes metricus single foundresses were held in environmental conditions with a higher level of control than in any previously published study, and the amount of protein nourishment made available to feed larvae was the only input variable. Three experimental feeding treatments were tested: restricted, unrestricted, and hand-supplemented. Analysis of multiple response variables shows that wasps reared on restricted protein nourishment, which would be the case for wasps reared in field conditions that subsequently become workers, tend toward trait values that characterize active reproductive physiology. Wasps reared on unrestricted and hand-supplemented protein, which replicates higher feeding levels for larvae in field conditions that subsequently become gynes, tend toward trait values that characterize inactive reproductive physiology. Although the experiment was not designed to test for worker behavior per se, our results further implicate activated reproductive physiology as a developmental response to low larval nourishment as a fundamental aspect of worker behavior in Polistes.
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Berens AJ, Hunt JH, Toth AL. Comparative Transcriptomics of Convergent Evolution: Different Genes but Conserved Pathways Underlie Caste Phenotypes across Lineages of Eusocial Insects. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 32:690-703. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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Petrocelli I, Ricciardi G, Rodrigues de Souza A, Ermanni A, Ninu A, Turillazzi S. Visual Signals of Individual Quality in a European Solitary Founding Paper Wasp. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Giulia Ricciardi
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | | | - Andrea Ermanni
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Andrea Ninu
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
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Anderson KE, Carroll MJ, Sheehan T, Lanan MC, Mott BM, Maes P, Corby-Harris V. Hive-stored pollen of honey bees: many lines of evidence are consistent with pollen preservation, not nutrient conversion. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:5904-17. [PMID: 25319366 PMCID: PMC4285803 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Honey bee hives are filled with stored pollen, honey, plant resins and wax, all antimicrobial to differing degrees. Stored pollen is the nutritionally rich currency used for colony growth and consists of 40–50% simple sugars. Many studies speculate that prior to consumption by bees, stored pollen undergoes long-term nutrient conversion, becoming more nutritious ‘bee bread’ as microbes predigest the pollen. We quantified both structural and functional aspects associated with this hypothesis using behavioural assays, bacterial plate counts, microscopy and 454 amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from both newly collected and hive-stored pollen. We found that bees preferentially consume fresh pollen stored for <3 days. Newly collected pollen contained few bacteria, values which decreased significantly as pollen were stored >96 h. The estimated microbe to pollen grain surface area ratio was 1:1 000 000 indicating a negligible effect of microbial metabolism on hive-stored pollen. Consistent with these findings, hive-stored pollen grains did not appear compromised according to microscopy. Based on year round 454 amplicon sequencing, bacterial communities of newly collected and hive-stored pollen did not differ, indicating the lack of an emergent microbial community co-evolved to digest stored pollen. In accord with previous culturing and 16S cloning, acid resistant and osmotolerant bacteria like Lactobacillus kunkeei were found in greatest abundance in stored pollen, consistent with the harsh character of this microenvironment. We conclude that stored pollen is not evolved for microbially mediated nutrient conversion, but is a preservative environment due primarily to added honey, nectar, bee secretions and properties of pollen itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk E Anderson
- Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA; USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
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Jeanne RL, Suryanarayanan S. A new model for caste development in social wasps. Commun Integr Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.4161/cib.15262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Morandin C, Havukainen H, Kulmuni J, Dhaygude K, Trontti K, Helanterä H. Not only for egg yolk--functional and evolutionary insights from expression, selection, and structural analyses of Formica ant vitellogenins. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:2181-93. [PMID: 24895411 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitellogenin (Vg), a storage protein, has been extensively studied for its egg-yolk precursor role, and it has been suggested to be fundamentally involved in caste differences in social insects. More than one Vg copy has been reported in several oviparous species, including ants. However, the number and function of different Vgs, their phylogenetic relatedness, and their role in reproductive queens and nonreproductive workers have been studied in few species only. We studied caste-biased expression of Vgs in seven Formica ant species. Only one copy of conventional Vg was identified in Formica species, and three Vg homologs, derived from ancient duplications, which represent yet undiscovered Vg-like genes. We show that each of these Vg-like genes is present in all studied Hymenoptera and some of them in other insects as well. We show that after each major duplication event, at least one of the Vg-like genes has experienced a period of positive selection. This, combined with the observation that the Vg-like genes have acquired or lost specific protein domains suggests sub- or neofunctionalization between Vg and the duplicated genes. In contrast to earlier studies, Vg was not consistently queen biased in its expression, and the caste bias of the three Vg-like genes was highly variable among species. Furthermore, a truncated and Hymenoptera-specific Vg-like gene, Vg-like-C, was consistently worker biased. Multispecies comparisons are essential for Vg expression studies, and for gene expression studies in general, as we show that expression and also, putative functions cannot be generalized even among closely related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Morandin
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandTvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heli Havukainen
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Jonna Kulmuni
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Biology and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kishor Dhaygude
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kalevi Trontti
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Heikki Helanterä
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandTvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Lucas ER, Field J. Caste determination through mating in primitively eusocial societies. J Theor Biol 2013; 335:31-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2013.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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40
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Petrocelli I, Turillazzi S. The morphology of Van der Vecth's organ as a tool to measure caste dimorphism in Polistes paper wasps: a comparative approach. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Italy
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia; Università degli Studi di Firenze; Sesto Fiorentino Italy
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41
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Hattori A, Sugime Y, Sasa C, Miyakawa H, Ishikawa Y, Miyazaki S, Okada Y, Cornette R, Lavine LC, Emlen DJ, Koshikawa S, Miura T. Soldier morphogenesis in the damp-wood termite is regulated by the insulin signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2013; 320:295-306. [PMID: 23703784 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Revised: 01/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Eusocial insects exhibit various morphological castes associated with the division of labor within a colony. Termite soldiers possess defensive traits including mandibles that are greatly exaggerated and enlarged, as compared to termite reproductives and workers. The enlarged mandibles of soldiers are known to result from dynamic morphogenesis during soldier differentiation that can be induced by juvenile hormone and its analogs. However, the detailed developmental mechanisms still remain unresolved. Because the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) pathway has been shown to regulate the relative sizes of organs (i.e., allometry) in other insects, we examined the expression profiles of major IIS factors in the damp-wood termite Hodotermopsis sjostedti, during soldier differentiation. The relative expression patterns of orthologs for termite InR (HsjInR), PKB/Akt (HsjPKB/Akt), and FOXO (HsjFOXO) suggest that HsjInR and HsjPKB/Akt were up-regulated in the period of elongation of mandibles during soldier development. In situ hybridization showed that HsjInR was strongly expressed in the mandibular epithelial tissues, and RNA interference (RNAi) for HsjInR disrupted soldier-specific morphogenesis including mandibular elongation. These results suggest that signaling through the IIS pathway is required for soldier-specific morphogenesis. In addition, up-regulation of the IIS pathway in other body tissues occurred at earlier stages of development, indicating that there is tissue-specific IIS regulation. Because the IIS pathway is generally thought to act upstream of JH in insects, our results suggest the damp-wood termite may have evolved a novel feedback loop between JH and IIS that enables social interactions, rather than nutrition, to regulate caste determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Hattori
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Jandt JM, Bengston S, Pinter-Wollman N, Pruitt JN, Raine NE, Dornhaus A, Sih A. Behavioural syndromes and social insects: personality at multiple levels. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:48-67. [PMID: 23672739 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2012] [Revised: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Animal personalities or behavioural syndromes are consistent and/or correlated behaviours across two or more situations within a population. Social insect biologists have measured consistent individual variation in behaviour within and across colonies for decades. The goal of this review is to illustrate the ways in which both the study of social insects and of behavioural syndromes has overlapped, and to highlight ways in which both fields can move forward through the synergy of knowledge from each. Here we, (i) review work to date on behavioural syndromes (though not always referred to as such) in social insects, and discuss mechanisms and fitness effects of maintaining individual behavioural variation within and between colonies; (ii) summarise approaches and principles from studies of behavioural syndromes, such as trade-offs, feedback, and statistical methods developed specifically to study behavioural consistencies and correlations, and discuss how they might be applied specifically to the study of social insects; (iii) discuss how the study of social insects can enhance our understanding of behavioural syndromes-research in behavioural syndromes is beginning to explore the role of sociality in maintaining or developing behavioural types, and work on social insects can provide new insights in this area; and (iv) suggest future directions for study, with an emphasis on examining behavioural types at multiple levels of organisation (genes, individuals, colonies, or groups of individuals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Jandt
- Department of Ecology, Evolutionary and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
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43
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Rodrigues AMM, Gardner A. Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous groups. Evolution 2013; 67:2284-98. [PMID: 23888851 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Social groups are often composed of individuals who differ in many respects. Theoretical studies on the evolution of helping and harming behaviors have largely focused upon genetic differences between individuals. However, nongenetic variation between group members is widespread in natural populations, and may mediate differences in individuals' social behavior. Here, we develop a framework to study how variation in individual quality mediates the evolution of unconditional and conditional social traits. We investigate the scope for the evolution of social traits that are conditional on the quality of the actor and/or recipients. We find that asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of plastic traits with different individuals expressing helping and harming traits within the same group. In this context, population viscosity can mediate the evolution of social traits, and local competition can promote both helping and harming behaviors. Furthermore, asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of competition-like traits between clonal individuals. Overall, we highlight the importance of asymmetries in individual quality, including differences in reproductive value and the ability to engage in successful social interactions, in mediating the evolution of helping and harming behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- António M M Rodrigues
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, United Kingdom.
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Lavine LC, Hahn LL, Warren IA, Garczynski SF, Dworkin I, Emlen DJ. Cloning and characterization of an mRNA encoding an insulin receptor from the horned scarab beetle Onthophagus nigriventris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 82:43-57. [PMID: 23136112 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The insulin signaling pathway is the primary signaling pathway coupling growth with nutritional condition in all animals. Sensitivity to circulating levels of insulin has been shown to regulate the growth of specific traits in a dose-dependent manner in response to environmental conditions in a diversity of insect species. Alternative phenotypes in insects manifest in a variety of morphologies such as the sexually dimorphic and male dimorphic horned beetles. Large males of the sexually dimorphic dung beetle Onthophagus nigriventris develop a thoracic horn up to twice the length of the body whereas small males and females never develop this horn. The regulation of this dimorphism is known to be nutrition dependent for males. We focused on the insulin signaling pathway as a potential regulator of this dimorphism. We sequenced a full-length gene transcript encoding the O. nigriventris insulin receptor (OnInR), which is the receptor for circulating insulin and insulin-like peptides in animals. We show that the predicted OnInR protein is similar in overall amino acid identity to other insulin receptors (InRs) and is most closely related phylogenetically to insect InRs. Expression of the OnInR transcript was found during development of imaginal tissues in both males and females. However, expression of OnInR in the region where a horn would grow of small males and female was significantly higher than in the horn tissues of large males at the end of growth. This variation in OnInR expression between sexes and morphs indicates a role for the InR in polymorphic horn development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Corley Lavine
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
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Veraksa A. Regulation of developmental processes: insights from mass spectrometry-based proteomics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2012; 2:723-34. [PMID: 24014456 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has become an indispensable tool for protein identification and quantification. In this paper, common MS workflows are described, with an emphasis on applications of MS-based proteomics in developmental biology. Progress has been made in the analysis of proteome changes during tissue differentiation and in various genetic perturbations. MS-based proteomics has been particularly useful for identifying novel protein interactions by affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS), many of which have been subsequently functionally validated and led to the discovery of previously unknown modes of developmental regulation. Quantitative proteomics approaches can be used to study posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of proteins such as phosphorylation, to reveal the dynamics of intracellular signal transduction. Integrative approaches combine quantitative MS-based proteomics with other high-throughput methods, with the promise of a systems level understanding of developmental regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Veraksa
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA.
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Age-related learning deficits can be reversible in honeybees Apis mellifera. Exp Gerontol 2012; 47:764-72. [PMID: 22626973 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2012.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Many animals are characterized by declining brain function at advanced ages, including honeybees (Apis mellifera). Variation in honeybee social development, moreover, results in individual differences in the progression of aging that may be accelerated, delayed, and sometimes reversed by changes in behavior. Here, we combine manipulations of social development with a measurement of sensory sensitivity, Pavlovian (associative) learning, and a proteomic technique to study the brain of aged honeybees. First, we confirm that sensory sensitivity can remain intact during aging, and that age-associated learning deficits are specific to bees that forage, a behavior typically expressed after a period of nursing activity. These initial data go beyond previous findings by showing how foragers age in social groups of different age compositions and sizes. Thereafter, we establish that learning ability can recover in aged foragers that revert to nursing tasks. Finally, we use liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS(2)) to describe proteomic differences between central brains, from reverted former foragers that varied in recovery of learning performance, and from nurse bees that varied in learning ability but never foraged. We find that recovery is positively associated with levels of stress response/cellular maintenance proteins in the central brain, while variation in learning before aging is negatively associated with the amounts of metabolic enzymes in the brain tissue. Our work provides the strongest evidence, thus far, for reversibility of learning deficits in aged honeybees, and indicates that recovery-related brain plasticity is connected to cellular stress resilience, maintenance and repair processes.
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PERRARD A, VILLEMANT C, CARPENTER JM, BAYLAC M. Differences in caste dimorphism among three hornet species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): forewing size, shape and allometry. J Evol Biol 2012; 25:1389-98. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02527.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Kapheim KM, Smith AR, Ihle KE, Amdam GV, Nonacs P, Wcislo WT. Physiological variation as a mechanism for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:1437-46. [PMID: 22048951 PMCID: PMC3282364 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social castes of eusocial insects may have arisen through an evolutionary modification of an ancestral reproductive ground plan, such that some adults emerge from development physiologically primed to specialize on reproduction (queens) and others on maternal care expressed as allo-maternal behaviour (workers). This hypothesis predicts that variation in reproductive physiology should emerge from ontogeny and underlie division of labour. To test these predictions, we identified physiological links to division of labour in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee, Megalopta genalis. Queens are larger, have larger ovaries and have higher vitellogenin titres than workers. We then compared queens and workers with their solitary counterparts-solitary reproductive females and dispersing nest foundresses-to investigate physiological variation as a factor in caste evolution. Within dyads, body size and ovary development were the best predictors of behavioural class. Queens and dispersers are larger, with larger ovaries than their solitary counterparts. Finally, we raised bees in social isolation to investigate the influence of ontogeny on physiological variation. Body size and ovary development among isolated females were highly variable, and linked to differences in vitellogenin titres. As these are key physiological predictors of social caste, our results provide evidence for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial bee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Kapheim
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Boerjan B, Cardoen D, Verdonck R, Caers J, Schoofs L. Insect omics research coming of age1This review is part of a virtual symposium on recent advances in understanding a variety of complex regulatory processes in insect physiology and endocrinology, including development, metabolism, cold hardiness, food intake and digestion, and diuresis, through the use of omics technologies in the postgenomic era. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As more and more insect genomes are fully sequenced and annotated, omics technologies, including transcriptomic, proteomic, peptidomics, and metobolomic profiling, as well as bioinformatics, can be used to exploit this huge amount of sequence information for the study of different biological aspects of insect model organisms. Omics experiments are an elegant way to deliver candidate genes, the function of which can be further explored by genetic tools for functional inactivation or overexpression of the genes of interest. Such tools include mainly RNA interference and are currently being developed in diverse insect species. In this manuscript, we have reviewed how omics technologies were integrated and applied in insect biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Boerjan
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dries Cardoen
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Entomology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Verdonck
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle Caers
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Diz AP, Martínez-Fernández M, Rolán-Alvarez E. Proteomics in evolutionary ecology: linking the genotype with the phenotype. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:1060-80. [PMID: 22268916 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05426.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The study of the proteome (proteomics), which includes the dynamics of protein expression, regulation, interactions and its function, has played a less prominent role in evolutionary and ecological investigations in comparison with the study of the genome and transcriptome. There are, however, a number of arguments suggesting that this situation should change. First, the proteome is closer to the phenotype than the genome or the transcriptome, and as such may be more directly responsive to natural selection, and thus closely linked to adaptation. Second, there is evidence of a low correlation between protein and transcript expression levels across genes in many different organisms. Finally, there have been some recent important technological improvements in proteomics methods that make them feasible, practical and useful to address a wide range of evolutionary questions even in nonmodel organisms. The different proteomic methods, their limitations and problems when interpreting empirical data are described and discussed. In addition, the proteomic literature pertaining to evolutionary ecology is reviewed with examples, and potential applications of proteomics in a variety of evolutionary contexts are outlined. New proteomic research trends such as the study of posttranslational modifications and protein-protein interactions, as well as the combined use of the different -omics approaches, are discussed in relation to the development of a more functional and integrated perspective, needed for achieving a more comprehensive knowledge of evolutionary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel P Diz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología, Facultad de Biología, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
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