Dataset Information

Molecular signatures of plastic phenotypes in two eusocial insect species with simple societies.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity is important in adaptation and shapes the evolution of organisms. However, we understand little about what aspects of the genome are important in facilitating plasticity. Eusocial insect societies produce plastic phenotypes from the same genome, as reproductives (queens) and nonreproductives (workers). The greatest plasticity is found in the simple eusocial insect societies in which individuals retain the ability to switch between reproductive and nonreproductive phenotypes as adults. We lack comprehensive data on the molecular basis of plastic phenotypes. Here, we sequenced genomes, microRNAs (miRNAs), and multiple transcriptomes and methylomes from individual brains in a wasp (Polistes canadensis) and an ant (Dinoponera quadriceps) that live in simple eusocial societies. In both species, we found few differences between phenotypes at the transcriptional level, with little functional specialization, and no evidence that phenotype-specific gene expression is driven by DNA methylation or miRNAs. Instead, phenotypic differentiation was defined more subtly by nonrandom transcriptional network organization, with roles in these networks for both conserved and taxon-restricted genes. The general lack of highly methylated regions or methylome patterning in both species may be an important mechanism for achieving plasticity among phenotypes during adulthood. These findings define previously unidentified hypotheses on the genomic processes that facilitate plasticity and suggest that the molecular hallmarks of social behavior are likely to differ with the level of social complexity.

SUBMITTER: Patalano S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4653166 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Molecular signatures of plastic phenotypes in two eusocial insect species with simple societies.

Patalano Solenn S Vlasova Anna A Wyatt Chris C Ewels Philip P Camara Francisco F Ferreira Pedro G PG Asher Claire L CL Jurkowski Tomasz P TP Segonds-Pichon Anne A Bachman Martin M González-Navarrete Irene I Minoche André E AE Krueger Felix F Lowy Ernesto E Marcet-Houben Marina M Rodriguez-Ales Jose Luis JL Nascimento Fabio S FS Balasubramanian Shankar S Gabaldon Toni T Tarver James E JE Andrews Simon S Himmelbauer Heinz H Hughes William O H WO Guigó Roderic R Reik Wolf W Sumner Seirian S

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20151019 45

Phenotypic plasticity is important in adaptation and shapes the evolution of organisms. However, we understand little about what aspects of the genome are important in facilitating plasticity. Eusocial insect societies produce plastic phenotypes from the same genome, as reproductives (queens) and nonreproductives (workers). The greatest plasticity is found in the simple eusocial insect societies in which individuals retain the ability to switch between reproductive and nonreproductive phenotypes ...[more]

PMID: 26483466

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Project description:Insects are a highly diverse phylogeny and possess a wide variety of traits, including the presence or absence of wings and metamorphosis. These diverse traits are of great interest for studying genome evolution, and numerous comparative genomic studies have examined a wide phylogenetic range of insects. Here, we analyzed 22 insects belonging to a wide phylogenetic range (Endopterygota, Paraneoptera, Polyneoptera, Palaeoptera, and other insects) by using a batch-learning self-organizing map (BLSOM) for oligonucleotide compositions in their genomic fragments (100-kb or 1-Mb sequences), which is an unsupervised machine learning algorithm that can extract species-specific characteristics of the oligonucleotide compositions (genome signatures). The genome signature is of particular interest in terms of the mechanisms and biological significance that have caused the species-specific difference, and can be used as a powerful search needle to explore the various roles of genome sequences other than protein coding, and can be used to unveil mysteries hidden in the genome sequence. Since BLSOM is an unsupervised clustering method, the clustering of sequences was performed based on the oligonucleotide composition alone, without providing information about the species from which each fragment sequence was derived. Therefore, not only the interspecies separation, but also the intraspecies separation can be achieved. Here, we have revealed the specific genomic regions with oligonucleotide compositions distinct from the usual sequences of each insect genome, e.g., Mb-level structures found for a grasshopper Schistocerca americana. One aim of this study was to compare the genome characteristics of insects with those of vertebrates, especially humans, which are phylogenetically distant from insects. Recently, humans seem to be the "model organism" for which a large amount of information has been accumulated using a variety of cutting-edge and high-throughput technologies. Therefore, it is reasonable to use the abundant information from humans to study insect lineages. The specific regions of Mb length with distinct oligonucleotide compositions have also been previously observed in the human genome. These regions were enriched by transcription factor binding motifs (TFBSs) and hypothesized to be involved in the three-dimensional arrangement of chromosomal DNA in interphase nuclei. The present study characterized the species-specific oligonucleotide compositions (i.e., genome signatures) in insect genomes and identified specific genomic regions with distinct oligonucleotide compositions.

Project description:PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for oculoplastic surgeons worldwide, in terms of care delivery, medical equipment and at-risk patient management. To date, there are no centralized or compiled international COVID-19 guidelines for oculoplastic surgeons.MethodsWe examined COVID-19 guidelines published by oculoplastic societies worldwide. All countries around the world were initially considered in this study, but only 9 oculoplastic societies met the inclusion criteria: (1) publicly available guidelines displayed on the oculoplastic society's website, or (2) guidelines received from the oculoplastic society after contacting them twice using the contact information on their website.ResultsThe 9 oculoplastic societies examined include: the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society, the Canadian Society of Oculoplastic Surgery, the European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Plástica Ocular y Orbitaria, la Asociación Colombiana de Cirugía Plastica Ocular, the Asia Pacific Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the Oculoplastics Association of India, and the Philippine Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. They all agree that urgent procedures should not be delayed, while non-necessary procedures (including all elective clinic services) should be postponed. When adequate protective equipment is available, oculoplastic surgeons must treat urgent cases. Eight out of 9 societies have provided recommendations on personal protective equipment use in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to adequately protect mucous membranes. Other recommendations provided by certain societies are related to shelter in place measures, hand hygiene and surface disinfection protocols, patient triage, and thyroid eye disease management.ConclusionsAll 9 societies with published recommendations have provided valuable recommendations to their members, regarding urgency of care and infection control solutions (personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, telemedicine, and social isolation).

Dataset Information

Molecular signatures of plastic phenotypes in two eusocial insect species with simple societies.

Publications

Molecular signatures of plastic phenotypes in two eusocial insect species with simple societies.

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