| 要旨トップ | 目次 | 日本生態学会第63回全国大会 (2016年3月、仙台) 講演要旨
ESJ63 Abstract


一般講演(口頭発表) E2-22 (Oral presentation)

Caste-specific and sex-specific expression of chemoreceptor genes in a termite

*Mitaka, Y., Kobayashi, K. (Kyoto Univ.), Mikheyev, A., Tin, M.Y.M., Watanabe, Y. (OIST), Matsuura, K. (Kyoto Univ.)

The sophisticated colony organization of eusocial insects is primarily maintained through the utilization of pheromones. The regulation of these complex social interactions requires intricate chemoreception systems. The recent publication of the genome of Zootermopsis nevadensis opened a new avenue to study molecular basis of termite caste systems. Although there has been a growing interest in the termite chemoreception system that regulates their sophisticated caste system, the relationship between division of labor and the expression of chemoreceptor genes remains to be explored. Using RNA-seq, we found chemoreceptor genes that are differentially expressed among castes and between sexes in a subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus. In particular, some chemoreception genes showed king-biased or queen-biased expression patterns. Moreover, many genes showed age-dependent differences in their expression in female and male reproductives. These results provide new insights into the roles of chemoreceptors in the division of labor, and provide a foundation for exploring the mechanism and evolution of chemoreceptor polyphenism in termites.


日本生態学会