Social information as an entrainment cue for the circadian clock

Genetics and Molecular Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 47(suppl 1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Animals adapt to the daily changes in their environmental conditions by means of genetically encoded circadian clocks. These clocks, found throughout tree life, regulate diverse biological functions, and allow periodical physiology behaviour. The molecular underpinnings these clocks have been extensively studied across taxa, revealing a brain-based system that coordinates rhythmic activities through neuronal networks signalling pathways. Entrainment, alignment internal rhythms with external cues or zeitgebers, is crucial for adaptive value While solar light-dark cycle primary zeitgeber most animals, other relevant such as temperature, meal timing, predators, anxiety, fear, physical activity, social interactions also play roles entraining search detailed description goal neurobiology an area growing societal interests. Moreover, disruptions are implicated various diseases, understanding entrainment pathways contributes developing interventions improved wellbeing health outcomes. This review focuses on socially cues, examining impact animal behaviour, explores sensory transmitting information central clock.

Language: Английский

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Both behavior-manipulating and non-manipulating entomopathogenic fungi affect rhythmic gene expression in carpenter ant foragers upon infection

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 20, 2023

ABSTRACT Background Behavioral plasticity in the nocturnal ant Camponotus floridanus is associated with changes daily rhythms of core clock and clock-controlled genes brain. Plasticity output, although adaptive, has been hypothesized to be a target for parasites that change host behavior timely manner complete their life cycle. This study aims explore this hypothesis by characterizing how transcriptomic upon infection manipulating parasite. We compared contrasted gene expression profile uninfected C. heads ants infected fungal parasite Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani non-manipulating fungus Beauveria bassiana , test if are specific behavioral modifying diseases, or such general hallmark infectious diseases. Results The repertoire oscillating every 24h showed almost three-fold reduction during O. infections, as controls. Control-like activity 24h-rhythmic was maintained but not B. heads. Half all brains displayed highly synchronized rhythmic both species-specific manner. Network analyses revealed affected same links between albeit different Conclusion Changes hosts might However, infection-associated species-specific, likely depends on history strategies used

Language: Английский

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Transcriptomic analysis of mosaic brain differentiation underlying complex division of labor in a social insect

The Journal of Comparative Neurology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 531(8), P. 853 - 865

Published: March 9, 2023

Concerted developmental programming may constrain changes in component structures of the brain, thus limiting ability selection to form an adaptive mosaic size-variable brain compartments independent total size or body size. Measuring patterns gene expression underpinning scaling conjunction with anatomical atlases can aid identifying influences concerted and/or evolution. Species exhibiting exceptional and behavioral polyphenisms provide excellent systems test predictions evolution models by quantifying expression. We examined a remarkably polymorphic behaviorally complex social insect, leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes. The majority significant differential observed among three morphologically, behaviorally, neuroanatomically differentiated worker groups was attributable However, we also found evidence unexplained morphological variation transcriptomic analysis identified not linearly correlated but sometimes mirroring neuropil scaling. Additionally, enriched ontology terms associated nucleic acid regulation, metabolism, neurotransmission, sensory perception, further supporting relationship between expression, mosaicism, labor role. These findings demonstrate that workers underpins neuroanatomical differentiation agrarian division A.

Language: Английский

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Biological rhythms and task allocation in ant colonies

Current Opinion in Insect Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 58, P. 101062 - 101062

Published: May 27, 2023

Language: Английский

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Brain Gene Expression of Foraging Behavior and Social Environment inCeratina calcarata

Genome Biology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(7)

Published: June 26, 2023

Rudimentary social systems have the potential to both advance our understanding of how complex sociality may evolved and changes in environment influence gene expression cooperation. Recently, studies primitively Hymenoptera greatly expanded empirical evidence for role shaping behavior expression. Here, we compare brain profiles foragers across contexts small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata. We conducted experimental manipulations field colonies examine among including foraging mothers, regular daughters, worker-like dwarf eldest daughters presence absence mother. Our analysis found significant differences associated with female age, reproductive status, environment, circadian clock dyw, hexamerin, genes involved regulation juvenile hormone chemical communication. also that candidate differentially expressed study were division labor, foraging, other advanced eusocial insects. results offer key developmental hormones rhythms producing cooperative rudimentary insect societies.

Language: Английский

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28 Minutes Later: Investigating the role of aflatrem-like compounds in Ophiocordyceps parasite manipulation of zombie ants

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 12, 2022

ABSTRACT Coevolutionary relationships between parasites and their hosts can lead to the emergence of diverse phenotypes over time, as seen in Ophiocordyceps fungi that manipulate insect arachnid behaviour aid fungal spore transmission. The most conspicuous examples are found ants Camponotini tribe, colloquially known “zombie ants”. While behaviours induced during infection well described, molecular underpinnings remain unknown. Recent genomics transcriptomics analyses camponoti-floridani have identified several highly upregulated biomolecules produced by fungus Camponotus floridanus . Among them is an ergot alkaloid related mycotoxin aflatrem, cause “staggers syndrome” cows. Staggering, defined unsteady movements side side, also observed C. late-stage infection. To test if aflatrem-like compounds could be responsible, we injected healthy with aflatrem recorded for 30 minutes. Using both automated object-tracking software MARGO manual behavioural quantification, reduced ant activity speed, increased staggering behaviours. examine underlying transcriptomic changes, performed RNA-Seq on heads aflatrem-injected ants, keeping step previous work -manipulated ants. We 261 genes were significantly dysregulated compared sham-injected controls. When data from groups shared 113 differentially regulated genes. These included sensory neuron membrane protein genes, odorant-binding musculoskeletal such titin obscurin Together, these results indicate affect neuromuscular function conservation staggers phenotype Bos taurus suggests manipulating strategies exhibited across Tree Life may more similar approach, not widely different application, than realize.

Language: Английский

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Division of Labor among Worker Bees Is Associated with the Lipidomic Plasticity in Their Brains

Agriculture, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(7), P. 952 - 952

Published: June 30, 2022

The division of labor is a dominant characteristic honeybees and accompanied by behavioral specialization cognitive enhancement. As the central nervous system to control labor-specific behaviors honeybee, brain richest in lipid terms both diversity abundance. In this study, an in-depth LC-MS/MS-based lipidomic method was applied systematically characterize compositions worker bees with three stages: newly emerged bee (NEB), nurse (NB), forager (FB). A total number 337 species that assigned 20 classes were analyzed. association lipidomes labors suggested results unsupervised supervised multivariate pattern recognition analysis. More than 68% identified found be significantly changed at least one comparison between NEB, NB, FB. 81 as potential labor-featured molecules VIP > 1 p-adj < 0.05. lipids FA(18:2), FA(18:3), FA(26:0), PC(18:0_18:3), PS(18:1_18:1), SM(d38:1), CoQ10, CoQ9, well their interactions 12 behavior-related genes, including AmEST-6, AmFABP, AmE75, AmDGAT2, AmLSD1, AmNPC1, AmABCA1, AmNMDAR1, AmHTT, AmNOS, etc., revealed further IPA These findings demonstrate for first time are associated stable differences labors, which help understand function on labor-dependent honeybees.

Language: Английский

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The ethology of foraging in ants: revisiting Tinbergen’s four questions

Frontiers in Ethology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3

Published: March 5, 2024

Since Tinbergen’s seminal contribution in 1963, ethology has blossomed as a multifaceted research field. Sixty years later, uncountable articles followed the four questions proposed necessary for understanding animal behaviour, and they culminated segmentation of subareas which communicate little among themselves. Foraging ants is one example where this division happened, despite clear need to integrate results obtained from different approaches. We chose subject revise literature, relating main relevant level explanation theoretical framework. Through such revision, we aim foster integration approaches bring light how can clarify understand foraging sixty after initial proposition.

Language: Английский

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In sickness and in health: RNA-Seq finds viruses associated with mutualist quality in the Amazonian plant-antAllomerus octoarticulatus

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 13, 2024

Ant-plant symbioses are classic examples of mutualism in which ant "bodyguards" defend myrmecophytic plants against enemies exchange for nest sites and often food. We used RNA-Seq to profile the transcriptomes Allomerus octoarticulatus workers, aggressively Amazonian plant Cordia nodosa herbivores, but varying degrees. Field behavioral assays with herbivores Peruvian Amazon showed striking variation among colonies relative zeal A. workers their host plant. Highly effective ineffective bodyguards differed gene expression profiles, revealed viral infections significantly associated bodyguarding behavior. Transcripts from eight new positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses were differentially expressed between high- or low-quality bodyguards. Colonies infected by distinct viruses, including clustering phylogenetically known cause aggression reduced locomotion, respectively, bees. Gene expression, immunity-related genes, also broodcare bodyguard ants, suggesting is a worker task. Ant colony health may influence cooperation ant-plant mutualisms.

Language: Английский

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What does your gut tell you? Influences of a zombie-making and generalist fungal entomopathogen on carpenter ant micro- and mycobiota

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 2, 2024

Microbiome composition impacts many host aspects including health, nutrition, reproduction, and behavior. This warrants the recent uptick in insect microbiota research across species ecosystems. Commensurate with this, bacterial microbiome of ant Camponotus floridanus has been well characterized body regions maturation levels. However, potential effects entomopathogens on gut microbiome, fungal communities therein, are yet to be assessed. Investigation during infection could provide insight into entomopathogenic manipulation strategies inform effective biopesticide strategies. Additionally, mycobiome remains often overlooked despite playing a vital role ecology implications for health outcomes. To improve our limited understanding infections insects, ants particular, we two different micro- mycobiota C. over time; Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani Beauveria bassiana. Specialist, zombie-making O. fungi hijack behavior three weeks, causing them find an elevated position, fix themselves place their mandibles. summiting is adaptive as transports fungus conditions that favor fruiting development, spore production, dispersal, transmission. In contrast, generalist entomopathogen B. bassiana infects kills within few days, without induction obvious fungus-adaptive behaviors. By comparing healthy Beauveria- Ophiocordyceps-infected aimed 1) describe dynamics infection, 2) determine if distinctive between have While did not measurably affect micro-and mycobiome, did, especially mycobiome. Moreover, were sampled Ophiocordyceps-adaptive had significantly compared controls those before after took place. suggests might play strategy Ophiocordyceps.

Language: Английский

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