Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Barbara Feldmeyer, Claudia Gstoettl, Jennifer Wallner, Evelien Jongepier, Alice Seguret, Donato A. Grasso, Erich Bornberg-Bauer, Susanne Foitzik, Jurgen Heinze
Summary: The division of labour between queen and workers is crucial for the ecological success of social Hymenoptera. Insect societies are vulnerable to social parasites, but the gene expression differences between queen and worker are conserved across various lifestyles. Caste has a stronger impact on gene expression than lifestyle, indicating a core set of genes linked to caste in this ant taxon.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Laura Chavarria-Pizarro, Marjorie da Silva, Danilo C. Ament, Eduardo A. B. Almeida, Fernando Barbosa Noll
Summary: All Epiponini wasps are polygynic, with multiple queens alternating over the colony cycle. However, little is known about the queen selection process in Epiponini. This study aimed to investigate the behavior of queens and workers during queen selection in multiple species of Epiponini and interpret evolutionary changes.
Article
Entomology
Yao Yi, Yi-Bo Liu, Andrew B. Barron, Zhi-Jiang Zeng
Summary: Queens reared from transplanted worker larvae show differences in weight, number of ovarioles, and genome-wide methylation compared to queens reared from transplanted eggs. Methylation differences in genes related to reproduction, longevity, immunity, and metabolic functions suggest that queens reared from worker larvae may be less fecund and healthy. The findings caution that commercial queen rearing practices involving worker larvae transplantation may compromise the quality of queens produced.
Article
Ecology
Julia Giehr, Juergen Heinze
Summary: In many species of social insects, workers are capable of laying unfertilized eggs, leading to conflicts over male parentage. In some species, this conflict can result in queen killing. Queen expulsion and matricide in ants were observed to decrease the number of workers and brood, but increase male production, ultimately impacting worker fitness.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meng Jie Jin, Zi Long Wang, Zi Hao Wu, Xu Jiang He, Yong Zhang, Qiang Huang, Li Zhen Zhang, Xiao Bo Wu, Wei Yu Yan, Zhi Jiang Zeng
Summary: Phenotypic dimorphism between honeybee queens and workers is regulated by chromosomal conformation and H3K27ac and H3K4me1 modifications, as revealed by Hi-C and ChIP-Seq technologies. Queens have more chromosome interactions and unique H3K27ac modifications, while workers have more H3K4me1 modifications. The potential caste gene Map3k15 is identified in queen-worker differentiation.
Article
Biology
Martina Ozan, Heikki Helantera, Patrizia d'Ettorre, Liselotte Sundstrom
Summary: Cooperative breeding in ants involves conflicts over reproductive shares, which can be resolved in different ways. This study examined how the reproductive success of queens in the ant Formica fusca is influenced by the size of their worker entourage, their fecundity, and their cuticular hydrocarbon profile. The results showed that queen fecundity and egg hatching success increased with the size of their entourage, and newly hatched larvae from highly fecund queens were smaller. Additionally, higher relatedness among workers was found to increase queen fecundity, and queens with a large worker entourage had different cuticular chemistry compared to those with a small worker entourage. These findings highlight the important role of workers in determining queen fitness and the impact of relatedness on colony reproductive output.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Johanna Tross, Harald Wolf, Sarah Elisabeth Pfeffer
Summary: This study investigates the locomotion behavior of different worker subcastes and males in Camponotus fellah ants. The results show that body size and shape have varying effects on locomotion behavior, with minor workers exhibiting the highest relative velocities and males having lower walking speeds.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David H. Collins, Anders Wiren, Marjorie Labedan, Michael Smith, David C. Prince, Irina Mohorianu, Tamas Dalmay, Andrew F. G. Bourke
Summary: The caste system in eusocial insects like honeybees represents a prime example of developmental polyphenism, playing a crucial role in the evolution of advanced eusociality. By analyzing gene expression in female larvae of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, researchers found differences in gene expression peak after the queen-dependent period, with relatively few novel genes expressed between castes. Moreover, comparisons with genes from the honeybee Apis mellifera revealed low levels of overlap, indicating divergence in caste-associated genes between these two species since their last common eusocial ancestor.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Arthur Weyna, Jonathan Romiguier, Charles Mullon
Summary: The coevolution of hybridization and caste determination can trigger an evolutionary arms race between nonhybrid larvae developing into queens and queens producing workers through hybridization. This competition may lead to genetically hard-wired caste determination despite potential reductions in worker function and colony fitness due to hybridization.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Elena Facchini, Maria Grazia De Iorio, Federica Turri, Flavia Pizzi, Daniela Laurino, Marco Porporato, Rita Rizzi, Giulio Pagnacco
Summary: The study highlights the importance of honeybee queen quality, with genetic and morphological traits playing a significant role in the performance and survivability of honeybee colonies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lauren M. Rusert, Jeffrey S. Pettis, David R. Tarpy
Summary: The study found that the presence of Varroa mites in Hawaii may not significantly decrease the mating success of honey bee queens, with overall high levels of polyandry observed. Additionally, there was a significant association between the number of sperm stored in queen bees' spermathecae and the number of managed colonies in the mating localities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sa Yang, Yanchun Deng, Li Zhang, Xinling Wang, Shuai Deng, Pingli Dai, Chunsheng Hou
Summary: This study aimed to understand the pathogenic mechanism of Black queen cell virus (BQCV). The complete genome sequence of BQCV was obtained, and an infectious clone was constructed. The study also confirmed that the infectious clone of BQCV induced cellular and humoral immune response in honeybees. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the viral infection mechanism and host immune responses.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Giulia Scarparo, Madison Sankovitz, Kevin J. Loope, Erin Wilson-Rankin, Jessica Purcell
Summary: Invasive social insects, such as yellowjacket wasps, can cause extensive damage and threaten biodiversity. This study used genome-wide loci to investigate genetic structure and queen turnover in colonies of western yellowjacket in Hawaii. The results showed that polygyne colonies have a longer lifespan and lower queen turnover. This study provides insights into requeening dynamics in this invasive and incipiently polygyne population.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nian-Feng Wan, Liwan Fu, Matteo Dainese, Yue-Qing Hu, Lars Podenphant Kiaer, Forest Isbell, Christoph Scherber
Summary: Increasing plant genetic diversity improves the performance of plants and natural enemies of herbivores, while decreasing the performance of plant antagonists. Plant genetic diversity enhances natural pest control and consumer control of plants by reducing plant antagonist pressure.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Shahid Ali Akbar, Himender Bharti, Mariusz Kanturski, Aijaz Ahmad Wachkoo
Summary: This paper describes and illustrates the new species Syllophopsis peetersi from Silent Valley National Park in the Western Ghats of India, marking the first native report of the genus from the Indian subcontinent. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was used to elucidate the general morphology and sensilla of the new species. The new species is similar to congeners from Madagascar, but shows larger differences from species found elsewhere.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cleo Bertelsmeier, Sebastien Ollier, Andrew M. Liebhold, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Darren Ward, Laurent Keller
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2018)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric R. Lucas, Laurent Keller
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2018)
Review
Ecology
Cleo Bertelsmeier, Laurent Keller
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Casper J. van der Kooi, Karim Ghali, David Amptmeijer, Tanja Schwander
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Akiko Koto, Naoto Motoyama, Hiroki Tahara, Sean McGregor, Minoru Moriyama, Takayoshi Okabe, Masayuki Miura, Laurent Keller
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2019)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Alexandra Bezler, Fabian Braukmann, Sean M. West, Arthur Duplan, Raffaella Conconi, Frederic Schutz, Pierre Gonczy, Fabio Piano, Kristin Gunsalus, Eric A. Miska, Laurent Keller
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brian Hollis, Mareike Koppik, Kristina U. Wensing, Hanna Ruhmann, Eleonore Genzoni, Berra Erkosar, Tadeusz J. Kawecki, Claudia Fricke, Laurent Keller
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2019)
Review
Ecology
Dustin R. Rubenstein, J. Arvid Agren, Lucia Carbone, Nels C. Elde, Hopi E. Hoekstra, Karen M. Kapheim, Laurent Keller, Corrie S. Moreau, Amy L. Toth, Sam Yeaman, Hans A. Hofmann
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2019)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tomas Kay, Laurent Lehmann, Laurent Keller
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Cyril Matthey-Doret, Casper J. van der Kooi, Daniel L. Jeffries, Jens Bast, Alice B. Dennis, Christoph Vorburger, Tanja Schwander
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Darren J. Parker, Jens Bast, Kirsten Jalvingh, Zoe Dumas, Marc Robinson-Rechavi, Tanja Schwander
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Kamil S. Jaron, Jens Bast, Reuben W. Nowell, T. Rhyker Ranallo-Benavidez, Marc Robinson-Rechavi, Tanja Schwander
Summary: Systematic characterization of genomic features in 26 parthenogenetic animals revealed no consistent patterns across transitions to asexuality, indicating lineage-specific rather than general consequences of parthenogenesis. Only parthenogens of hybrid origin showed high heterozygosity levels, while non-hybrid parthenogens appeared largely homozygous, regardless of the cellular mechanism underlying parthenogenesis.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wen-Juan Ma, Bart A. Pannebakker, Xuan Li, Elzemiek Geuverink, Seyed Yahya Anvar, Paris Veltsos, Tanja Schwander, Louis van de Zande, Leo W. Beukeboom
Summary: During the transition from sexual to asexual reproduction, female functional virginity, a trait where asexual females resist mating or fertilizing eggs, appears to evolve early in the transition. The genetic basis of this trait appears to be controlled by a single recessive locus. QTL mapping and candidate gene analyses revealed a single QTL of large effect, comprising at least 131 protein-coding genes, in the related sexual species. This suggests that rapid evolution of female functional virginity in the transition to asexuality may be governed by a single locus or cluster of closely linked loci.
Article
Ecology
Darren J. Parker, Kamil S. Jaron, Zoe Dumas, Marc Robinson-Rechavi, Tanja Schwander
Summary: Sex chromosomes have evolved repeatedly across different species, with similar consequences such as accelerated evolution and increased accumulation of sexually antagonistic alleles. In Timema stick insects, the X chromosome has remained consistent in size and gene content over 30 million years of evolution, showing limited association with sexually biased genes.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Susana Freitas, Darren J. Parker, Marjorie Labedan, Zoe Dumas, Tanja Schwander
Summary: In this study, evidence for cryptic sex was found in two populations of Timema stick insects, which could help explain the success of parthenogenesis in this genus and raises questions about the persistence of old parthenogens in nature.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
