scholarly journals Genetic Compatibility Affects Queen and Worker Caste Determination

Science ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 322 (5901) ◽  
pp. 552-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Schwander ◽  
L. Keller
Keyword(s):  
Caste Determination ◽  
Genetic Compatibility ◽  
Worker Caste

scholarly journals Epigenetics in Social Insects: A New Direction for Understanding the Evolution of Castes

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan A. Weiner ◽  
Amy L. Toth
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Differential Methylation ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
The Social ◽  
Worker Castes ◽  
Regulatory Flexibility ◽  
Worker Caste ◽  
Caste Differences ◽  
Epigenetic Research

Epigenetic modifications to DNA, such as DNA methylation, can expand a genome’s regulatory flexibility, and thus may contribute to the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. Recent work has demonstrated the importance of DNA methylation in alternative queen and worker “castes” in social insects, particularly honeybees. Social insects are an excellent system for addressing questions about epigenetics and evolution because: (1) they have dramatic caste polyphenisms that appear to be tied to differential methylation, (2) DNA methylation is widespread in various groups of social insects, and (3) there are intriguing connections between the social environment and DNA methylation in many species, from insects to mammals. In this article, we review research on honeybees, and, when available, other social insects, on DNA methylation and queen and worker caste differences. We outline a conceptual framework for the effects of methylation on caste determination in honeybees that may help guide studies of epigenetic regulation in other polyphenic taxa. Finally, we suggest future paths of study for social insect epigenetic research, including the importance of comparative studies of DNA methylation on a broader range of species, and highlight some key unanswered mechanistic questions about how DNA methylation affects gene regulation.

scholarly journals Worker caste determination in the army ant Eciton burchellii

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 513-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Jaffé ◽  
Daniel J.C Kronauer ◽  
F Bernhard Kraus ◽  
Jacobus J Boomsma ◽  
Robin F.A Moritz
Keyword(s):  
Social Insects ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Test System ◽  
Caste Differentiation ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
Task Specialization ◽  
Army Ant ◽  
Genetic Components ◽  
Eciton Burchellii ◽  
Worker Caste

Elaborate division of labour has contributed significantly to the ecological success of social insects. Division of labour is achieved either by behavioural task specialization or by morphological specialization of colony members. In physical caste systems, the diet and rearing environment of developing larvae is known to determine the phenotype of adult individuals, but recent studies have shown that genetic components also contribute to the determination of worker caste. One of the most extreme cases of worker caste differentiation occurs in the army ant genus Eciton , where queens mate with many males and colonies are therefore composed of numerous full-sister subfamilies. This high intracolonial genetic diversity, in combination with the extreme caste polymorphism, provides an excellent test system for studying the extent to which caste determination is genetically controlled. Here we show that genetic effects contribute significantly to worker caste fate in Eciton burchellii . We conclude that the combination of polyandry and genetic variation for caste determination may have facilitated the evolution of worker caste diversity in some lineages of social insects.

scholarly journals Genetic polymorphism in leaf-cutting ants is phenotypically plastic

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1618) ◽  
pp. 1625-1630 ◽  
Author(s):  
William O.H Hughes ◽  
Jacobus J Boomsma
Keyword(s):  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Genetic Influence ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
Adaptive Property ◽  
The Social ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Large Worker ◽  
Leaf Cutting ◽  
Response Thresholds ◽  
Worker Caste

Advanced societies owe their success to an efficient division of labour that, in some social insects, is based on specialized worker phenotypes. The system of caste determination in such species is therefore critical. Here, we examine in a leaf-cutting ant ( Acromyrmex echinatior ) how a recently discovered genetic influence on caste determination interacts with the social environment. By removing most of one phenotype (large workers; LW) from test colonies, we increased the stimulus for larvae to develop into this caste, while for control colonies we removed a representative sample of all workers so that the stimulus was unchanged. We established the relative tendencies of genotypes to develop into LW by genotyping workers before and after the manipulation. In the control colonies, genotypes were similarly represented in the large worker caste before and after worker removal. In the test colonies, however, this relationship was significantly weaker, demonstrating that the change in environmental stimuli had altered the caste propensity of at least some genotypes. The results indicate that the genetic influence on worker caste determination acts via genotypes differing in their response thresholds to environmental cues and can be conceptualized as a set of overlapping reaction norms. A plastic genetic influence on division of labour has thus evolved convergently in two distantly related polyandrous taxa, the leaf-cutting ants and the honeybees, suggesting that it may be a common, potentially adaptive, property of complex, genetically diverse societies.

scholarly journals Differential gene expression in queen–worker caste determination in bumble-bees

2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1568) ◽  
pp. 1145-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. M Pereboom ◽  
William C Jordan ◽  
Seirian Sumner ◽  
Robert L Hammond ◽  
Andrew F. G Bourke
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Differential Gene Expression ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Phenotypic Diversity ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Subtractive Hybridization ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Differential Gene ◽  
Worker Caste

Investigating how differential gene expression underlies caste determination in the social Hymenoptera is central to understanding how variation in gene expression underlies adaptive phenotypic diversity. We investigated for the first time the association between differential gene expression and queen–worker caste determination in the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris . Using suppression subtractive hybridization we isolated 12 genes that were differentially expressed in queen- and worker-destined larvae. We found that the sets of genes underlying caste differences in larvae and adults failed to overlap greatly. We also found that B. terrestris shares some of the genes whose differential expression is associated with caste determination in the honeybee, Apis mellifera , but their expression patterns were not identical. Instead, we found B. terrestris to exhibit a novel pattern, whereby most genes upregulated (i.e. showing relatively higher levels of expression) in queen-destined larvae early in development were upregulated in worker-destined larvae late in development. Overall, our results suggest that caste determination in B. terrestris involves a difference not so much in the identity of genes expressed by queen- and worker-destined larvae, but primarily in the relative timing of their expression. This conclusion is of potential importance in the further study of phenotypic diversification via differential gene expression.

Insecticidal Activities of the Leaf Extract of the Invasive Alien Plant, Chromolaena odorata (L.) (Asteraceae) Against Macrotermes species (Termites)

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-153
Author(s):  
O. Uyi, ◽  
I.G. Amolo ◽  
A.D. Adetimehin
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Extract ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Chromolaena Odorata ◽  
Leaf Extracts ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Biological Efficacy ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Impregnation Technique ◽  
Aqueous Leaf Extract ◽  
Worker Caste

Several studies have demonstrated the biological efficacy of leaf, stem and root powders or extracts of Chromolaena odorata (L.) King and Robinson against insect pests but those that are focused on the biological efficacy of aqueous leaf extracts against Macrotermes species are scanty. Current management of termites with synthetic insecticides is being discouraged due to human and environmental hazards. Therefore, the insecticidal effectiveness of aqueous leaf extract C. odorata against Macrotermes species was investigated. Five concentrations (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% (w/v)) of the aqueous extract of C. odorata plant were evaluated for repellency and toxicity on the worker caste of Macrotermes species following standard procedures. The filter paper impregnation technique was used for the bioassay. Percentage repellency was monitored for 30 minutes and mortality recorded at 12, 24 and 36 hours post exposure. The leaf extract of C. odorata significantly repelled 95% of Macrotermes species at the highest concentration of 10% (w/v) after 30 minutes post treatment exposure. Mortality of Macrotermes species was independent of treatment concentration, but dependent on duration of exposure. All treatment concentrations of aqueous leaf extract of C. odorata caused significant mortality against Macrotermes species ranging between 94% and 98% compared to the control; indicating very great potential for adoption and use in the management of Macrotermes species.

scholarly journals Impact of “non-lethal” tarsal clipping on bumble bees (Bombus vosnesenskii) may depend on queen stage and worker size

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Mola ◽  
Clara Stuligross ◽  
Maureen L. Page ◽  
Danielle Rutkowski ◽  
Neal M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Material ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
First Year ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Worker Size ◽  
Monitoring Tools ◽  
Individual Survival ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Worker Caste

Abstract Recent bumble bee declines have prompted the development of novel population monitoring tools, including the use of putatively non-lethal tarsal clipping to obtain genetic material. However, the potential side effects of tarsal clipping have only been tested in the worker caste of a single domesticated species, prompting the need to more broadly test whether tarsal clipping negatively affects sampled individuals. To determine if tarsal clipping reduces queen survivorship and colony establishment, we collected wild queens of Bombus vosnesenskii and clipped tarsi from a single leg of half the individuals. We reared captive queens and estimated survivorship and nest establishment success. We also clipped tarsi of workers from a subset of colonies across a range of body sizes. We found no consistent negative effect of clipping on queen survival. In the first year, clipped nest-searching queens suffered heavy mortality, but there was no effect on foraging queens. The following year, we found no effect of clipping on queen survival or establishment. Clipping did not reduce overall worker survival but reduced survivorship for those in the smallest size quartile. Implications for insect conservation Our findings suggest tarsal clipping does not have consistent negative effects on individual survival. However, our results varied with queen behavioral state, year, and worker size, suggesting differences within and among species and interactions with landscape stressors warrant further study. In the interim, we recommend researchers and conservationists minimize the use of tarsal clipping for sensitive species, populations, or small workers except in cases of exceptional scientific need.

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