Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Gene expression analysis in the brain of low and high performers honeybee in an rewarded olfactory conditioning procedure.

ABSTRACT: Analysis used total RNA samples of individual brain superior protocerebrum of a backcrossed hygienic strain of adult bees maintained in four colonies. Individuals from the four colonies (67, 98, 73, 299) that showed high vs low performances in the behavioural procedure were analysed to determine behavioural differences. Colony and seasonal effects were minimised in this experimental set. A total of 24 biological replicates subdivided in high and low performers was analysed: 2 high and 2 low performers from colony 67, 4 high and 4 low performers from colony 73, 4 high and 4 low performers from colony 98, 2 high and 2 low performers from colony 299 (Arrays 13-36). In a second analysis, colony effects were analysed by comparing high performer bees from different colonies. Seasonal effect were minimised during this experimental set. A total of 12 biological replicates subdivided in high performers from the four colonies were analysed. Three individuals from each colony were compared to individuals from other colonies (Arrays 1-12). Each individual brain RNA sample was divided into two subsamples labelled with cy3 resp. cy5. Dye were swapped for each sample, which was analysed twice with two other samples of the other comparison group. The sample were analysed in 'loop' by terminating the analysis with the comparison of the first sample with the last one.

ORGANISM(S): Apis mellifera mellifera

SUBMITTER: Gérard Leboulle

PROVIDER: E-MTAB-7909 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:Background: Eusociality is widely considered to evolve through kin selection, where the reproductive success of an individual’s close relative is favored at the expense of its own. High genetic relatedness is thus considered a prerequisite for eusociality. While ants are textbook examples of eusocial animals, not all ants form colonies of closely related individuals. One such example is the ectatommine ant Rhytidoponera metallica, which predominantly forms predominantly queen-less colonies that have such a low intra-colony relatedness that they have been proposed to represent a transient, unstable form of eusociality. However, R. metallica is among the most abundant and widespread ants on the Australian continent. This apparent contrast provides an example of how inclusive fitness may not by itself explain the maintenance of eusociality and raises the question of what other selective advantages maintain their eusocial lifestyle. Results: We provide a comprehensive portrait of the venom of R. metallica and show that the colony-wide venom consists of a, for an ant, exceptionally high diversity of functionally distinct toxins. These toxins have evolved under strong positive selection, which is normally expected to reduce genetic variance. Yet, R. metallica exhibits remarkable intra-colony variation, with workers sharing only a relatively small proportion of toxins in their venoms. We also find that this variation is not due to the presence of chemical castes, but that it has a genetic foundation that is at least in part explained by toxin allelic diversity. Conclusions: Taken together, our results suggest that the toxin diversity contained in R. metallica colonies may be maintained by a form of group selection, which selects for colonies that can exploit more resources and defend against a wider range of predators. We propose that increased intra-colony genetic variance resulting from low kinship may itself provide a selective advantage in the form of an expanded pharmacological venom repertoire. These findings provide an example of how group selection on adaptive phenotypes may contribute to maintaining eusociality where a prerequisite for kin selection is diminished.

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Gene expression analysis in the brain of low and high performers honeybee in an rewarded olfactory conditioning procedure.

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