Ecological and physiological factors driving the evolution of longevity in social aphids

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14786
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 45040:Ecology and environment-related
• Research Institution: Keio University (2021); The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (2019-2020); The University of Tokyo (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Uematsu Keigo 慶應義塾大学, 法学部(日吉), 助教 (00793861)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 虫こぶ / アブラムシ / 寿命 / 酸素濃度 / 遺伝子発現 / 進化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined seasonal changes in the population structure and physiology of the gall-forming nipponaphidine aphids in the completely closed gall formed on Distylium racemosum by using field surveys and laboratory experiments. We found that the aged individuals survived while significantly losing their body weight and that the closed space inside the gall was in a hypoxic environment. In addition, by using RNA-seq we identified genes and transposable elements whose expression increased or decreased with aging.

Free Research Field

進化生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

老化を理解することは学術的のみならず、高齢社会を迎えた我々にとって重要な社会的・経済的課題である。ムネアブラムシ族は、アブラムシの中では非常に長寿であり、また繁殖終了後の利他行動が進化した、昆虫において重要なグループである。本研究成果は、虫こぶ内の閉鎖環境という生態に着目し、生態学的・生理学的に解析し、なぜ閉鎖環境化で長寿および利他行動が進化したのかを系統学的に探る上で重要となる基礎データを得た先駆的な研究である。