Doublesex Evolution Is Correlated with Social Complexity in Ants.

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License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_B51D63E01A91
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Doublesex Evolution Is Correlated with Social Complexity in Ants.
Journal
Genome Biology and Evolution
Author(s)
Jia L.Y., Chen L., Keller L., Wang J., Xiao J.H., Huang D.W.
ISSN
1759-6653 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1759-6653
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2018
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
10
Number
12
Pages
3230-3242
Language
english
Abstract
The Dmrt (doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor) genes are transcription factors crucial for sex determination and sexual differentiation. In some social insects, doublesex (dsx) exhibits widespread caste-specific expression across different tissues and developmental stages and has been suggested as a candidate gene for regulating division of labor in social insects. We therefore conducted a molecular evolution analysis of the Dmrt gene family in 20 ants. We found that the insect-specific oligomerization domain of DSX, oligomerization domain 2, was absent in all ants, except for the two phylogenetically basal ant species (Ponerinae), whose social structure and organization resemble the presumed ancestral condition in ants. Phylogenetic reconstruction and selection analysis revealed that dsx evolved faster than the other three members of the Dmrt family. We found evidence for positive selection for dsx in the ant subfamilies with more advanced social organization (Myrmicinae and Formicinae), but not in the Ponerinae. Furthermore, we detected expression of two Dmrt genes, dsx and DMRT11E, in adult ants, and found a clear male-biased expression pattern of dsx in most species for which data are available. Interestingly, we did not detect male-biased expression of dsx in the two ant species that possess a genetic caste determination system. These results possibly suggest an association between the evolution of dsx and social organization as well as reproductive division of labor in ants.
Keywords
Animals, Ants/genetics, Ants/metabolism, Biological Evolution, Female, Gene Expression, Hierarchy, Social, Insect Proteins/genetics, Insect Proteins/metabolism, Male, Selection, Genetic, Social Behavior
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
04/01/2019 14:46
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:23
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