2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Regulatory mechanisms of caste differentiation and seasonal polyphenism via maternal effects in social aphids
| Project/Area Number |
16K07504
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Ecology/Environment
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba (2017-2018)
The University of Tokyo (2016) |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
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| Keywords | 社会性アブラムシ / 階級分化 / 母性効果 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
I examined environmental factors involved in the occurrence of polyphenism (caste/morph differentiation) in the colonies of a social aphid, Tuberaphis styraci, which has a sterile soldier caste in the second instar. It was found that three environmental factors (density, photoperiod, temperature) act in combination, and the combination of specific conditions leads to an effective induction of soldier or winged sexupara (producer of both sexes) differentiation. I also explored the mechanisms for their adaptive caste regulation and seasonal polyphenism, paying attention to the roles of "maternal effects". Laboratory experiments confirmed that maternal perception of photoperiod as well as density cues is involved in regulation over alternative phenotypes (i.e. caste/morph differentiation) of their offspring via maternal effects.
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| Free Research Field |
基礎生物学／生態・環境
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
ハクウンボクハナフシアブラムシの兵隊階級と有翅モルフの分化に関与する環境要因（密度・日長・温度）を特定し、子世代の階級／モルフ分化の制御において、密度や日長情報が「母性効果」で親から子に伝わることを明らかにすることができた。すなわち、アブラムシの社会制御においては、巣仲間の社会的情報（密度）だけでなく、季節特異的な母性効果（日長etc.）も重要であることがわかった。母性効果を考慮することにより、これまで解釈がむずかしかった社会性昆虫の階級制御と季節的多型現象を統合的に説明可能となった。
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