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Social environment affects sensory gene expression in ant larvae
Author(s) -
Pulliainen U.,
Morandin C.,
Bos N.,
Sundström L.,
Schultner E.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/imb.12732
Subject(s) - biology , insect , sensory system , larva , gene , stimulation , gene expression , perception , social relation , ant , genetics , ecology , communication , neuroscience , psychology , social psychology
Abstract Social insects depend on communication to regulate social behaviour. This also applies to their larvae, which are commonly exposed to social interactions and can react to social stimulation. However, how social insect larvae sense their environment is not known. Using RNAseq, we characterized expression of sensory‐related genes in larvae of the ant Formica fusca , upon exposure to two social environments: isolation without contact to other individuals, and stimulation via the presence of other developing individuals. Expression of key sensory‐related genes was higher following social stimulation, and larvae expressed many of the same sensory‐related genes as adult ants and larvae of other insects, including genes belonging to the major insect chemosensory gene families. Our study provides first insights into the molecular changes associated with social information perception in social insect larvae.