一個(gè)超級兵蟻與屬超多樣的大頭蟻屬次工蟻通訊
目前，發(fā)表在新一期Science雜志上的新的發(fā)現(xiàn)"Ancestral Developmental Potential Facilitates Parallel Evolution in Ants"提示,，在超多樣化的大頭蟻屬中的所有種類的螞蟻都帶有產(chǎn)生巨大的“超級兵蟻”以及普通工蟻和兵蟻所需的基因原材料,。
超級兵蟻會用它們的超大號的頭堵住它們窩巢的入口并在行軍蟻襲擊時(shí)與入侵的螞蟻?zhàn)鲬?zhàn)。 盡管大頭蟻品種多種多樣,，但超級兵蟻則很少在自然界出現(xiàn),。
Rajendhran Rajakumar及其同事如今證明，所有大頭蟻物種的某個(gè)共同的祖先演化出了與超級兵蟻發(fā)育有關(guān)的遺傳學(xué)工具,，而大頭蟻的現(xiàn)代物種仍保留了產(chǎn)生這些大頭戰(zhàn)士的能力,，盡管只有少數(shù)物種真的付諸實(shí)施過。
研究人員通過給幼蟲涂抹少量的保幼激素而在某一這樣的物種 —— P. morrisi中誘發(fā)了超級兵蟻的發(fā)育,，表明環(huán)境信號可打開產(chǎn)生超級兵蟻的基因系統(tǒng),。 文章的作者提出，繼續(xù)保留祖先的發(fā)育工具箱可能是生物體發(fā)展出新的身體性狀的一種重要的方式,。（生物谷bioon.com）
doi:10.1126/science.1211451
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Ancestral Developmental Potential Facilitates Parallel Evolution in Ants
Rajendhran Rajakumar1, Diego San Mauro1,*, Michiel B. Dijkstra1,†, Ming H. Huang2, Diana E. Wheeler2, Francois Hiou-Tim1, Abderrahman Khila1,‡, Michael Cournoyea1,§, Ehab Abouheif1,||
Complex worker caste systems have contributed to the evolutionary success of advanced ant societies; however, little is known about the developmental processes underlying their origin and evolution. We combined hormonal manipulation, gene expression, and phylogenetic analyses with field observations to understand how novel worker subcastes evolve. We uncovered an ancestral developmental potential to produce a “supersoldier” subcaste that has been actualized at least two times independently in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole. This potential has been retained and can be environmentally induced throughout the genus. Therefore, the retention and induction of this potential have facilitated the parallel evolution of supersoldiers through a process known as genetic accommodation. The recurrent induction of ancestral developmental potential may facilitate the adaptive and parallel evolution of phenotypes.
