TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcriptomic and Functional Analyses of Phenotypic Plasticity in a Higher Termite, Macrotermes barneyi Light
AU - Sun, Pengdong
AU - Li, Ganghua
AU - Jian, Jianbo
AU - Liu, Long
AU - Chen, Junhui
AU - Yu, Shuxin
AU - Xu, Huan
AU - Lei, Chaoliang
AU - Zhou, Xuguo
AU - Huang, Qiuying
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2019 Sun, Li, Jian, Liu, Chen, Yu, Xu, Lei, Zhou and Huang.
PY - 2019/10/4
Y1 - 2019/10/4
N2 - Eusocial termites have a complex caste system, which leads to the division of labor. Previous studies offered some insight into the caste differentiation in lower termites; however, few studies were focusing on the molecular mechanisms of higher termites with sophisticated societies. Comparative transcriptomic analyses of five immature castes of a higher termite, Macrotermes barneyi Light, suggest that phenotypic plasticity is modulated by an array of transcriptional changes, including differentially expressed genes (e.g., caste-biased genes Vtg and TnC), co-expression networks (e.g., genes associated with nymph reproduction), and alternative splicing (e.g., events related to muscle development in presoldiers). Transcriptional (RT-PCR and RT-qPCR) and functional (in vivo RNAi) validation studies reveal multiple molecular mechanisms contributing to the phenotypic plasticity in eusocial termites. Molecular mechanisms governing the phenotypic plasticity in M. barneyi could be a rule rather than an exception in the evolution of sociality.
AB - Eusocial termites have a complex caste system, which leads to the division of labor. Previous studies offered some insight into the caste differentiation in lower termites; however, few studies were focusing on the molecular mechanisms of higher termites with sophisticated societies. Comparative transcriptomic analyses of five immature castes of a higher termite, Macrotermes barneyi Light, suggest that phenotypic plasticity is modulated by an array of transcriptional changes, including differentially expressed genes (e.g., caste-biased genes Vtg and TnC), co-expression networks (e.g., genes associated with nymph reproduction), and alternative splicing (e.g., events related to muscle development in presoldiers). Transcriptional (RT-PCR and RT-qPCR) and functional (in vivo RNAi) validation studies reveal multiple molecular mechanisms contributing to the phenotypic plasticity in eusocial termites. Molecular mechanisms governing the phenotypic plasticity in M. barneyi could be a rule rather than an exception in the evolution of sociality.
KW - eclosion
KW - gene expression
KW - higher termites
KW - mobility
KW - transcriptomic analyses
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U2 - 10.3389/fgene.2019.00964
DO - 10.3389/fgene.2019.00964
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85073669570
SN - 1664-8021
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Genetics
JF - Frontiers in Genetics
M1 - 964
ER -