| Project/Area Number |
19K16205
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
Velasque Mariana 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, ゲノム・遺伝子制御システム科学ユニット, 客員研究員 (10834591)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
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| Keywords | Eusociality / Pheromone / Social evolution / Honey bees / Gene expression / small RNA / regulation / social-immunity / behavioural-immunity / honey bee viruses / honey bee / behaviour / RNA transference / Social immunity / RNAi / Honey Bee Vaccine |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
I will investigate if RNAi mediated immunity is part of individual and social immunity, increasing the honey bee immune response to viruses and being transmitted to all hive members. If successful, my work can be used to develop efficient honey bee vaccines.
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In eusocial animals, pheromones control two distinct aspects of the division of labour: reproduction and division of tasks amongst workers. It has been suggested that eusociality arose on multiple events from pheromone-mediated co-option of pathways present in solitary insects. Using a solitary insect model, I sought to determine if these similar transcriptomic signals resulted from the co-option of similar pathways or varying pathways subject to convergent evolution. I measured the transcriptomic and physiological response of Drosophila melanogaster to pheromones from bumblebees, honey bees, and termites. In each case I observed a strong physiological response - the reduction of ovary size. However, I could not detect any conserved pathway or genes acting as a primer for eusociality. This strongly suggests that pheromone-mediated eusociality is the result of convergent evolution.
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
The study of mechanisms and pathways enable the evolution of social living is important step for a broader understanding of evolution of life.
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