A5043082179- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Dyeing and Modifying Textile Fibers
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Plant and fungal interactions
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Misinformation and Its Impacts
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
Université de Tours
2023-2025
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2023-2025
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2013-2024
Rockefeller University
2013-2018
University of Lausanne
2011-2016
Institut Agro Rennes-Angers
2007
University of Reading
2007
Queens and workers of eusocial Hymenoptera are considered homologous to the reproductive brood care phases an ancestral subsocial life cycle. However, molecular mechanisms underlying evolution division labor remain obscure. Using a brain transcriptomics screen, we identified single gene,
Polyphenism is the phenomenon in which alternative phenotypes are produced by a single genotype response to environmental cues. An extreme case found social insects, reproductive queens and sterile workers that greatly differ morphology behavior can arise from genotype. Experimental evidence for maternal effects on caste determination, differential larval development toward queen or worker caste, was recently documented Pogonomyrmex seed harvester ants, only colonies with hibernated produce...
The reproductive ground plan hypothesis (RGPH) proposes that the physiological pathways regulating reproduction were co-opted to regulate worker division of labor. Support for this in honeybees is provided by studies demonstrating potential workers, assessed levels vitellogenin (Vg), linked task performance. Interestingly, contrary have a single Vg ortholog and potentially fertile nurses, genome harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus harbors two genes (Pb_Vg1 Pb_Vg2) nurses produce infertile...
The life-prolonging effects of antioxidants have long entered popular culture, but the scientific community still debates whether free radicals and resulting oxidative stress negatively affect longevity. Social insects are intriguing models for analysing relationship between senescence because life histories differ vastly long-lived reproductives genetically similar short-lived workers. Here, we present results an experiment on accumulation damage to proteins, a comparative analysis...
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 insects, we compared gene expression patterns between young and old castes (both workers) across different lineages insects (two termite, two bee ant species). After global analyses, paid particular attention to genes insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling (IIS)/target rapamycin (TOR)/juvenile...
The ecological success of social insects is based on division labour, not only between queens and workers, but also among workers. Whether a worker tends the brood or forages influenced by age, fertility nutritional status, with carers being younger, more fecund corpulent. Here, we experimentally disentangle behavioural specialization from age in Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers analyse how these parameters are linked to whole-body gene expression. A total 3,644 genes were associated...
Division of labor between reproductive queens and workers that perform brood care is a hallmark insect societies. However, studies the molecular basis this fundamental dichotomy are limited by fact caste an individual cannot typically be experimentally manipulated at adult stage. Here we take advantage unique biology clonal raider ant, Ooceraea biroi, to study brain gene expression dynamics during induced transitions behavior.Introducing larvae inhibit reproduction induce behavior causes...
Humans and other social mammals experience isolation from their group as stressful, triggering behavioural physiological anomalies that reduce fitness. While has been intensely studied in mammals, it is less clear how insects, which evolved sociality independently, respond to isolation. Here we examined whether the typical mammalian responses isolation, e.g., an impaired ability interact socially immune suppression are also found insects. We consequences of on behaviour brain gene expression...
ABSTRACT In social animals, reproductive activity and ageing are influenced by group composition. monogynous (single‐queen) insect societies, queen presence affects worker fecundity longevity, but less is known about responses to number variation in polygynous (multi‐queen) species or how queens age these systems. We created queenless, one‐queen two‐queen colonies of the invasive, ant Tapinoma magnum examine effect on survival, ovary oocyte development, oxidative stress resistance fat body...
Longevity is traded off with fecundity in most solitary species, but the two traits are positively linked social insects. In ants, fecund individuals (queens and kings) live longer than non-reproductive individuals, workers. many workers may become fertile following queen loss, recent evidence suggests that worker extends lifespan. We postulated this effect part owing to improved resilience oxidative stress, tested hypothesis three Myrmicine ants: Temnothorax rugatulus, leaf-cutting ants...
Division of labor (DOL) is a characteristic trait insect societies, where tasks are generally performed by specialized individuals. Inside workers focus on brood or nest care, while others take risks foraging outside. Theory proposes that have different thresholds to perform certain when confronted with task-related stimuli, leading specialization and consequently DOL. Workers presumed vary in their response cues rather than how they perceive such information. Here, we test the hypothesis...
Reproductive division of labor and the coexistence distinct castes are hallmarks insect societies. In social species with multiple queens per colony, fitness nestmate directly depends on process caste allocation (i.e., relative investment in queen, sterile worker male production). The aim this study is to investigate genetic components a multiple-queen ant species. We conducted controlled crosses Argentine Linepithema humile established single-queen colonies identify maternal paternal family...
Division of labor is central to the organization insect societies. Within‐colony comparisons between subfamilies workers (patrilines or matrilines) revealed genetic effects on division in many social species. Although this has been taken as evidence for additive labor, it never experimentally tested. To determine relative roles and nonadditive (e.g., compatibility, epistasis, parent‐of‐origin imprinting effects) worker behavior, we performed controlled crosses using Argentine ant Linepithema...
In many organisms, circadian rhythms and associated oscillations in gene expression are controlled by post-translational modifications of histone proteins. Although epigenetic mechanisms influence key aspects insect societies, their implication regulating has not been studied social insects. Here we ask whether acetylation plays a role adjusting activity the ant Temnothorax longispinosus. We characterized patterns 20 colonies to reveal that these ants exhibit diurnal rhythm colony-level can...
Abstract The functioning of biological systems relies on the cooperation specialized components and understanding processes that produce such specialization is a major challenge in biology. Here, we study ontogeny at new phenotypic level: superorganisms (i.e. insect societies with individuals). We investigate how founding queens, earliest developmental stage ant colonies, transition from expressing behavioural pluripotency to becoming strictly egg production. demonstrate presence workers...
Abstract Insect colonies with morphologically distinct castes have been called superorganisms because their queens and workers are functionally analogous to the germline soma in metazoan bodies. In haplodiploid ants, typically lost sperm storage organ but retained ovaries so they can lay unfertilized eggs. Worker reproduction often occurs after queen loss is accompanied by a number of physiological changes. However, some evolutionarily derived become sterile many these species contain...
The gene family of insect olfactory receptors (ORs) has expanded greatly over the course evolution. ORs enable insects to detect volatile chemicals and therefore play an important role in social interactions, enemy prey recognition, foraging. sequences several thousand are known, but their specific function or ligands have only been identified for very few them. To advance functional characterization ORs, we assembled, curated, aligned 3902 from 21 species, which provide as annotated online...