Researchers explore the genetic basis of social behavior in ants

Understanding how interactions between genes and the environment influence social behavior is a fundamental research goal. In a new study, researchers at the University of Lausanne and the University of Georgia have shed light on the numbers and types of genes that may control social organization in fire ant colonies.

Published July 18th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, this work suggests that a relatively small number of genes, many of which are predicted to play a role in chemical communication, determine social organization. This research also increases our understanding of how the social environment can indirectly influence the expression of socially relevant traits.

The fire ant Solenopsis invicta displays natural variation in the number of queens per colony. While the colony-level phenotype results from the aggregation of individuals' behavior, it seems to be regulated by one genomic region marked by the gene Gp-9. This genetic factor also determines whether workers tolerate a single fertile queen (monogene social form) or multiple queens (polygene social form) in their colony.

The current study found that 39 genes are differentially expressed between workers with different Gp-9 genotypes, including several genes likely to regulate chemical signaling and response. The chemical communication mediated by these gene products is essential to the regulation of colony queen number and social organization.

The study also identified 91 genes that are indirectly influenced by the social environment, including Gp-9 genotypes of nest mates, a finding that demonstrates how specific social environments can modulate individual gene expression in group members. This research hints at the genetic complexities likely to be found in other social animals, and represents an important step in the detailed genetic analysis of social behavior.

Citation: Wang J, Ross KG, Keller L (2008) Genome-Wide Expression Patterns and the Genetic Architecture of a Fundamental Social Trait. PLoS Genet 4(7): e1000127. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1000127

Source: Public Library of Science

Related stories:

As personalized, genomic medicine takes off, four developing countries show the way for others
Developing countries that want the benefits of cutting-edge health care possibilities based on the genetic variation of individual citizens and sub-populations need to foster the new science at home, says a major new Canadian study published today by Nature Publishing Group.
Genetic profile reveals susceptibility to cleft palate
For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine have identified a series of genetic mutations that appear to be linked to significant risk for cleft palate and other dental abnormalities. These are devastating conditions that cause tremendous social isolation, and also are associated with decreased lifespan, a higher risk of cancer and increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, even after surgical repair.
Tribal war drove human evolution of aggression
Wars are costly in terms of lives and resources – so why have we fought them throughout human history? In modern times, states may fight wars for a number of complex reasons. But in the past, most tribal wars were fought for the most basic resources: goods, territory, and women.
Gene associated with pair-bonding in animals has similar effects in human males
Variation in the gene for one of the receptors for the hormone vasopressin appears to be associated with how human males bond with their partners, according to an international team of researchers.
The first autism disease genes
The autistic disorder was first described, more than sixty years ago, by Dr. Leo Kanner of the Johns Hopkins Hospital (USA), who created the new label 'early infantile autism'. At the same time an Austrian scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that became known as Asperger Syndrome, characterised by higher cognitive abilities and more normal language function. Today, both disorders are classified in the continuum of 'Pervasive Developmental Disorders' (PDD), more often referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
Americans show little tolerance for mental illness despite growing belief in genetic cause
A new study by University of Pennsylvania sociology professor Jason Schnittker shows that, while more Americans believe that mental illness has genetic causes, the nation is no more tolerant of the mentally ill than it was 10 years ago.
Genetic predisposition may play a role in anxiety disorders
Finnish scientists have identified genes that may predispose to anxiety disorders. Research conducted under the supervision of Academy Research Fellow Iiris Hovatta have focused on genes that influence human behaviour, and some of the studied genes show a statistical association with specific anxiety disorders. The work is carried out as part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on Neuroscience (NEURO).
Explaining a genetic disorder's unique shift
Findings reported in this week's PLoS Biology give insight into the unique characteristics of the birth defect known as Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), and at the same time, may help explain the way that a certain type of gene is expressed in all humans.

News discussion:

General Science news