Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

Dataset Information

Comparison of fire ant adult workers with different Gp-9 (BB and Bb) genotypes and from monogyne and polygyne colonies.

ABSTRACT: In fire ants, a complex colony level phenotype, colony queen number, is completely associated with a single Mendelian factor marked by the gene Gp-9. The first aim of this study was to investigate whether variation in the genomic region marked by Gp-9 is associated with differences in patterns of expression of genes other than Gp-9 in workers. The second aim was to study how the social environment (i.e., presence or absence of nestmate workers with the b allele) can alter individual gene expression patterns. Keywords: Genotype comparison and social form comparison Three-condition experiment: Gp-9 BB monogyne, Gp-9 BB polygyne, and Gp-9 Bb polygyne. Biological replicates: 8 of each sample type from 2004 compared to common reference RNA batch 2004, and 12 of each sample type from 2006 compared to common reference RNA batch 2006. A fourth condition, Gp-9 bb polygyne with 1 biological replicate from 2004 and 1 from 2006, was compared to the respective reference RNA batch. One replicate per array.

ORGANISM(S): Solenopsis invicta

SUBMITTER: John Wang

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-11694 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Publications

Genome-wide expression patterns and the genetic architecture of a fundamental social trait.

Wang John J Ross Kenneth G KG Keller Laurent L

PLoS genetics 20080718 7

Explaining how interactions between genes and the environment influence social behavior is a fundamental research goal, yet there is limited relevant information for species exhibiting natural variation in social organization. The fire ant Solenopsis invicta is characterized by a remarkable form of social polymorphism, with the presence of one or several queens per colony and the expression of other phenotypic and behavioral differences being completely associated with allelic variation at a sin ...[more]

PMID: 18636101

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Project description:In many animals living in groups the reproductivestatus of individuals is determined by their social status. In specieswith social hierarchies, the death of dominant individuals typicallyupheaves the social hierarchy and provides an opportunity for subordinateindividuals to improve their social status. Such a phenomenon occursin the monogyne form of the fire ant\emph{, Solenopsis invicta, }wherecolonies typically contain a single wingless reproductive queen, thousandsof workers and hundreds of winged non-reproductive virgin queens.Upon the death of the mother queen, many virgin queens shed theirwings and initiate reproductive development instead of departing ona mating flight. Workers progressively execute almost all of themover the following weeks. The workers base their collective decisionon pheromonal cues associated with the onset of reproductive developmentof the virgin queens which occurs after orphaning. To examine the factors that determine which virgin queens are executed and which survive, we set up artificial competitions between queens from different colonies. Using microarrays, we found that queens from winning colonies showed higher mitochondrial as well as organ development activities 24 hours after orphaning than did queens from colonies that lost the competitions. Furthermore, queens from colonies where queens shed their wings faster after orphaning were more likely to survive competitions. Finally, higher wing shedding speed is linked to higher mitochondrial activity. Eight competitions were initially conducted between queens form pairs of colonies. Six competitions clearly identified one winning colony and one losing colony. We thus have microarray data for six competitions (ie biological replicates), with one winning and one losing colony within each competition. Thus 12 colonies total. For each colony, RNA extracted from five queens was pooled, and hybridized against an unrelated common reference RNA that had been made from a pool of many S. invicta individuals of all castes and developmental stages. Lab work was conducted in blocks (by competition) with randomized order within competition to avoid introducing bias. No technical replication was performed.

Dataset Information

Comparison of fire ant adult workers with different Gp-9 (BB and Bb) genotypes and from monogyne and polygyne colonies.

Publications

Genome-wide expression patterns and the genetic architecture of a fundamental social trait.

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