Weil, Tobias and Korb, Judith and Rehli, Michael (2009) Comparison of Queen-Specific Gene Expression in Related Lower Termite Species. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 26 (8). pp. 1841-1850. ISSN 0737-4038,
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The molecular mechanisms regulating caste determination and reproductive division of labor, the hallmarks of insect societies, are poorly defined. The identification of key genes involved in these developmentally important processes will be essential to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling one of the most impressive examples of polyphenism, the caste structure of eusocial species. Here, we applied representational difference analysis of cDNAs, to study differential gene expression between queens (female neotenics) and workers in the dry wood termite Cryptotermes cynocephalus and identified 13 genes that were highly expressed in queens. In addition, we partially cloned several homologous genes of the related termite species Cryptotermes secundus and compared the expression profiles of 10 homologous genes. In most cases, the preferential expression in female neotenics was not conserved between species, despite the close phylogenetic relationship of both Cryptotermes species. It is possible that these genes are associated with known species-specific differences in caste development modes. Only three genes (Neofem1, 2, and 3) showed a conserved and highly preferential expression in female neotenics, suggesting that their products may play important roles in female reproductives, in particular in controlling caste determination and reproductive division of labor.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | DROSOPHILA TAKEOUT GENE; BIG BRAIN; JUVENILE-HORMONE; HONEY-BEE; HODOTERMOPSIS-SJOSTEDTI; RETICULITERMES-FLAVIPES; SOCIAL EXPLOITATION; FOOD CONDITIONS; APIS-MELLIFERA; FOLLICLE CELLS; caste determination; gene expression; reproduction; social insects; termites; reproductive division of labor |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Zoological sciences 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Innere Medizin III (Hämatologie und Internistische Onkologie) Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie > Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie (Prof. Dr. Jürgen Heinze) |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Sep 2020 08:08 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Sep 2020 08:08 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/28655 |
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