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Liu F, Xu F, Zhang Y, Qian Y, Zhang G, Shi L, Peng L. Comparative Analyses of Reproductive Caste Types Reveal Vitellogenin Genes Involved in Queen Fertility in Solenopsis invicta. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17130. [PMID: 38138959 PMCID: PMC10743176 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) is a social pest species with a robust reproductive ability that causes extensive damage. Identification of the genes involved in queen fertility is critical in order to better understand the reproductive biology and screening for the potential molecular targets in S. invicta. Here, we used the mRNA deep sequencing (RNA-seq) approach to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the transcriptomes of three reproductive caste types of S. invicta, including queen (QA) and winged female (FA) and male (MA) ants. The genes that were specific to and highly expressed in the queens were then screened, and the Vg2 and Vg3 genes were chosen as targets to explore their functions in oogenesis and fertility. A minimum of 6.08 giga bases (Gb) of clean reads was obtained from all samples, with a mapping rate > 89.78%. There were 7524, 7133, and 977 DEGs identified in the MA vs. QA, MA vs. FA, and FA vs. QA comparisons, respectively. qRT-PCR was used to validate 10 randomly selected DEGs, including vitellogenin 2 (Vg2) and 3 (Vg3), and their expression patterns were mostly consistent with the RNA-seq data. The S. invicta Vgs included conserved domains and motifs that are commonly found in most insect Vgs. SiVg2 and SiVg3 were highly expressed in queens and winged females and were most highly expressed in the thorax, followed by the fat body, head, and epidermis. Evaluation based on a loss-of-function-based knockdown analysis showed that the downregulation of either or both of these genes resulted in smaller ovaries, less oogenesis, and less egg production. The results of transcriptional sequencing provide a foundation for clarifying the regulators of queen fertility in S. invicta. The functions of SiVg2 and SiVg3 as regulators of oogenesis highlight their importance in queen fecundity and their potential as targets of reproductive disruption in S. invicta control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Fengchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yikun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yurui Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Guofeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Longqing Shi
- Rice Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350018, China;
| | - Lu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (F.L.); (F.X.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Q.); (G.Z.)
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Starkey J, Hawkings C, Tamborindeguy C. Influence of juvenile hormone analog on behavior in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14726. [PMID: 37679373 PMCID: PMC10485025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41540-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Division of labor is a hallmark characteristic of social insect colonies. While it is understood that worker differentiation is regulated through either the queen or her brood, the understanding of the physiology behind task regulation varies within social species. Studies in eusocial insects have shown that juvenile hormone (JH) is associated with division of labor and the onset of foraging tasks. Although, outside of a few key species, this interaction has yet to be elucidated in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. In this study, we evaluated the role of a JH analog, S-hydroprene in worker task transition in Solenopsis invicta. S-hydroprene was applied to nurses to observe behavioral changes. S-hyroprene application to nurses did not affect phototaxis, but there was a shift in behavior from internal, nest-based behaviors to external, foraging-based behaviors. These results show that JH may be implicated in worker task transition in S. invicta and may function similarly as it does in other eusocial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Starkey
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 412 Heep Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chloe Hawkings
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 412 Heep Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, Thompson Hall, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Cecilia Tamborindeguy
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 412 Heep Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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Korb J, Meusemann K, Aumer D, Bernadou A, Elsner D, Feldmeyer B, Foitzik S, Heinze J, Libbrecht R, Lin S, Majoe M, Monroy Kuhn JM, Nehring V, Negroni MA, Paxton RJ, Séguret AC, Stoldt M, Flatt T. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the mechanisms underpinning ageing and fecundity in social insects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190728. [PMID: 33678016 PMCID: PMC7938167 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The exceptional longevity of social insect queens despite their lifelong high fecundity remains poorly understood in ageing biology. To gain insights into the mechanisms that might underlie ageing in social insects, we compared gene expression patterns between young and old castes (both queens and workers) across different lineages of social insects (two termite, two bee and two ant species). After global analyses, we paid particular attention to genes of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling (IIS)/target of rapamycin (TOR)/juvenile hormone (JH) network, which is well known to regulate lifespan and the trade-off between reproduction and somatic maintenance in solitary insects. Our results reveal a major role of the downstream components and target genes of this network (e.g. JH signalling, vitellogenins, major royal jelly proteins and immune genes) in affecting ageing and the caste-specific physiology of social insects, but an apparently lesser role of the upstream IIS/TOR signalling components. Together with a growing appreciation of the importance of such downstream targets, this leads us to propose the TI-J-LiFe (TOR/IIS-JH-Lifespan and Fecundity) network as a conceptual framework for understanding the mechanisms of ageing and fecundity in social insects and beyond. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Karen Meusemann
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra, Acton 2601, Australia
| | - Denise Aumer
- Developmental Zoology, Molecular Ecology Research Group, Hoher Weg 4, D-06099 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Abel Bernadou
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Elsner
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, D-60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Silu Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Megha Majoe
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - José Manuel Monroy Kuhn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Volker Nehring
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Matteo A. Negroni
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Alice C. Séguret
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Flatt
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - the So-Long consortium
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra, Acton 2601, Australia
- Developmental Zoology, Molecular Ecology Research Group, Hoher Weg 4, D-06099 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, D-60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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Araki M, Miyakawa MO, Suzuki T, Miyakawa H. Two insulin‐like peptides may regulate egg production in opposite directions via juvenile hormone signaling in the queenless antPristomyrmex punctatus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2020; 334:225-234. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Araki
- Center for Bioscience Research and EducationUtsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiya Tochigi Japan
| | - Misato O. Miyakawa
- Center for Bioscience Research and EducationUtsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiya Tochigi Japan
| | - Tomohiro Suzuki
- Center for Bioscience Research and EducationUtsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiya Tochigi Japan
| | - Hitoshi Miyakawa
- Center for Bioscience Research and EducationUtsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiya Tochigi Japan
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Hawkings C, Calkins TL, Pietrantonio PV, Tamborindeguy C. Caste-based differential transcriptional expression of hexamerins in response to a juvenile hormone analog in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216800. [PMID: 31107891 PMCID: PMC6527210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The reproductive ground plan hypothesis proposes that gene networks regulating foraging behavior and reproductive female physiology in social insects emerged from ancestral gene and endocrine factor networks. Expression of storage proteins such as vitellogenins and hexamerins is an example of this co-option. Hexamerins, through their role modulating juvenile hormone availability, are involved in caste determination in termites. The genome of the fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) encodes four hexamerin genes, hexamerin-like (LOC105192919, hereafter called hexamerin 1), hexamerin (LOC105204474, hereafter called hexamerin 2), arylphorin subunit alpha-like, and arylphorin subunit beta. In this study, a phylogenetic analysis of the S. invicta hexamerins determined that each predicted protein clustered with one of the orthologous Apis mellifera hexamerins. Gene expression analyses by RT-qPCR revealed differential expression of the hexamerins between queens and workers, and between specific task-allocated workers (nurses and foragers). Queens and nurses had significantly higher expression of all genes when compared to foragers. Hexamerin 1 was expressed at higher levels in queens, while hexamerin 2 and arylphorin subunit beta were expressed at significantly higher levels in nurses. Arylphorin subunit alpha-like showed no significant difference in expression between virgin queens and nurses. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between the expression of hexamerin genes and S-hydroprene, a juvenile hormone analog. Significant changes in hexamerin expression were recorded in nurses, virgin queens, and foragers 12 h after application of the analog. Hexamerin 1 and arylphorin subunit alpha-like expression were significantly lower after analog application in virgin queens. In foragers, hexamerin 2 and arylphorin subunit beta were significantly lower after analog application, while in nurses expression of all genes were significantly lower after analog application. Our results suggest that in S. invicta hexamerin genes could be associated with reproductive division of labor and task-allocation of workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Hawkings
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Travis L. Calkins
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patricia V. Pietrantonio
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cecilia Tamborindeguy
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Kohlmeier P, Alleman AR, Libbrecht R, Foitzik S, Feldmeyer B. Gene expression is more strongly associated with behavioural specialization than with age or fertility in ant workers. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:658-670. [PMID: 30525254 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ecological success of social insects is based on division of labour, not only between queens and workers, but also among workers. Whether a worker tends the brood or forages is influenced by age, fertility and nutritional status, with brood carers being younger, more fecund and more corpulent. Here, we experimentally disentangle behavioural specialization from age and fertility in Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers and analyse how these parameters are linked to whole-body gene expression. A total of 3,644 genes were associated with behavioural specialization which is ten times more than associated with age and 50 times more than associated with fertility. Brood carers were characterized by an upregulation of three Vitellogenin (Vg) genes, one of which, Vg-like A, was the most differentially expressed gene that was recently shown experimentally to control the switch from brood to worker care. The expression of Conventional Vg was unlinked to behavioural specialization, age or fertility, which contrasts to studies on bees and some ants. Diversity in Vg/Vg-like copy number and expression bias across ants supports subfunctionalization of Vg genes and indicates that some regulatory mechanisms of division of labour diverged in different ant lineages. Simulations revealed that our experimental dissociation of co-varying factors reduced transcriptomic noise, suggesting that confounding factors could potentially explain inconsistencies across transcriptomic studies of behavioural specialization in ants. Thus, our study reveals that worker gene expression is mainly linked to the worker's function for the colony and provides novel insights into the evolution of sociality in ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kohlmeier
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Austin R Alleman
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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