A5067911390- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Youth Development and Social Support
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Computability, Logic, AI Algorithms
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Advanced Algebra and Logic
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Logic, Reasoning, and Knowledge
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- semigroups and automata theory
- Numerical Methods and Algorithms
- Mathematics and Applications
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Semantic Web and Ontologies
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Logic, programming, and type systems
- Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Historical and Architectural Studies
- Mathematical and Theoretical Analysis
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
York University
2012-2023
Janelia Research Campus
2015-2019
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
2015-2019
Keele University
2011
University of Toronto
1984-2009
Lakehead University
1973-1991
For bees, many roads lead to social harmony Eusociality, where workers sacrifice their reproductive rights support the colony, has evolved repeatedly and represents most form of evolution in insects. Kapheim et al. looked across genomes 10 bee species with varying degrees sociality determine underlying genomic contributions. No one path led eusociality, but similarities were seen features such as increases gene regulation methylation. It also seems that selection pressures relaxed after...
Significance Most hypotheses explaining the evolution of sociality in insects assume that positive selection drives worker traits. Yet we know little about extent natural acting on social insects. We produced a map for honey bee through analysis 40 individual genomes. found strong evidence genes and regulatory sequences, discovered mutations worker-biased proteins tend to have greater fitness effects than queen-biased proteins. also many instances influence traits, suggesting phenotypes...
Abstract The process of domestication often brings about profound changes in levels genetic variation animals and plants. honey bee, Apis mellifera, has been managed by humans for centuries both wax production crop pollination. Human management selective breeding are believed to have caused reductions diversity bee populations, thereby contributing the global declines threatening this ecologically economically important insect. However, previous studies supporting claim mostly relied on...
Nutrition is known to interact with genotype in human metabolic syndromes, obesity, and diabetes, also Drosophila metabolism. Plasticity responses, such as changes body fat or blood sugar response dietary alterations, may be affected by genotype. Here we show that variants of the foraging (for) gene melanogaster affect food deprivation a large suite adult phenotypes measuring environment interactions (GEI) food-related traits. for affects fat, carbohydrates, food-leaving behavior,...
The rise of insect societies, marked by the formation reproductive and sterile castes, represents a major unsolved mystery in evolution. Across several independent origins sociality, genomes social hymenopterans share two peculiar attributes: high recombination low but heterogeneous GC content. For example, genome honey bee, Apis mellifera , mosaic GC-poor GC-rich regions with rates an order magnitude higher than humans. However, it is unclear how heterogeneity content arises, relates to...
Significance The perception and processing of rewarding events are essential for organismal survival. In Drosophila , several groups neurons have been shown to mediate reward or processing. However, a complete description the circuit is missing. Here, we describe simple two-choice, high-throughput assay suitable performing large neuronal activation screens neural circuits involved in perception/processing. We characterized this using neuropeptide F (NPF) neurons, known experience flies....
Female behavior changes profoundly after mating. In Drosophila, the mechanisms underlying long-term led by seminal products have been extensively studied. However, effect of sensory component copulation on female's internal state and remains elusive. We pursued this question dissociating coital inputs from those male ejaculate. found that cause a reduction post-coital receptivity in females, referred to as "copulation effect." identified three layers neural circuit phenomenon. Abdominal...
Protection against inflammation and oxidative stress is key in slowing down aging processes. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) shows flexible patterns linked to the social role of individual bees. One molecular factor associated with regulation vitellogenin, a lipoglycophosphoprotein anti-inflammatory antioxidant properties. Recently, we identified three genes Hymenopteran genomes arisen from ancient insect vitellogenin duplications, named vg-like-A, -B, -C. function these homologs unclear. We...
Developmental plasticity generates phenotypic variation, but how it contributes to evolutionary change is unclear. Phenotypes of individuals in caste-based (eusocial) societies are particularly sensitive developmental processes, and the origins eusociality may be rooted ancestral forms. We used an integrative genomics approach evaluate relationships among plasticity, molecular evolution, social behavior a bee species ( Megalopta genalis ) that expresses flexible sociality, thus provides...
The littoral zone is important in lake ecosystems. It affects physical, chemical, and biological processes of the whole lake. We first describe patterns shoreline lengths a drawn from maps different scales. Second, we show that these or "measurement laws" hold for many lakes. then use "fractal" measuring theory to provide unifying explanation empirical results. Fractal also makes new predictions about statistical properties groups Patterns our data were consistent with predictions. Finally,...
Although it is acknowledged that genetic variation contributes to individual differences in thermotolerance, the specific genes and pathways involved how they are modulated by environment remain poorly understood. We link natural thermotolerance of neural function behavior Drosophila melanogaster foraging gene (for, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG)) as well its downstream target, phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Genetic pharmacological manipulations revealed reduced PKG (or PP2A)...
Abstract The vitellogenin egg yolk precursor protein represents a well‐studied case of social pleiotropy in the model organism Apis mellifera . Vitellogenin is associated with fecundity queens and plays major role controlling division labour workers, thereby affecting both individual colony‐level fitness. We studied molecular evolution seven other genes sequenced large population panel several closely related species to investigate on adaptive evolution. found significant excess...
Significance To survive, an organism must adjust its behavior based upon past experiences. In Drosophila , aggression affects fitness as it ensures access to food and mating resources. Here, we show that repeated aggressive encounters, males adopt a winner or loser state shows the qualities of persistence generalization. Winning is perceived rewarding, while losing aversive. We also demonstrate activity specific dopamine neurons needed for avoid odor previously paired with losing. Although...
Abstract The caste fate of developing female honey bee larvae is strictly socially regulated by adult nurse workers. As a result this social regulation, nurse‐expressed genes as well larval‐expressed may affect expression and evolution. We used novel transcriptomic approach to identify with putative direct indirect effects on development, we subsequently studied the relative rates molecular evolution at these caste‐associated genes. experimentally induced production new queens removing...
The yellow-banded bumblebee Bombus terricola was common in North America but has recently declined and is now on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. causes B. terricola's decline are not well understood. Our objectives were to create a partial genome then use this estimate population data conservation interest, determine whether genes showing signs recent selection point specific cause decline. Newer sequencing methods enable genomics be performed non-model organisms without published...
To determine the pattern of gene expression in brains associated with mothering during postpartum period, present study we assessed through microarrays four groups female rats: two new mothers that were experiencing hormonal and neurochemical changes pregnancy parturition, virgin females not. Within each these parity one group animals was exposed to responded pups engaged maternal behavior, left without any exposure therefore had no experience. We explored genes related hormones,...
It is increasingly apparent that genes and networks influence complex behavior are evolutionary conserved, which paradoxical considering labile over timescales. How does adaptive change in arise if controlled by pleiotropic, likely constrained genes? Pleiotropy connectedness known to constrain the general rate of protein evolution, prompting some suggest evolution traits, including behavior, fuelled regulatory sequence evolution. However, we seldom have data on strength selection mutations...
Eusocial Hymenoptera, such as the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, have highest recombination rates of multicellular animals.Citation1 Recently, we showedCitation2 that a side-effect in GC biased gene conversion (bGC), helps maintain unusual bimodal GC-content distribution bee genome by increasing high areas while low are losing because AT mutations and bGC. Although very rate A. mellifera makes evolution easier to study, pattern is consistent with results found many other species...
Abstract Alkali bees (Nomia melanderi) are solitary relatives of the halictine bees, which have become an important model for evolution social behavior, but few comparisons exist. These ground-nesting defend their developing offspring against pathogens and predators, thus exhibit some key traits that preceded insect sociality. also efficient native pollinators alfalfa seed, is a crop major economic value in United States. We sequenced, assembled, annotated high-quality draft genome 299.6 Mbp...