TGFβ signaling related genes are involved in hormonal mediation during termite soldier differentiation.

ABSTRACT: A working knowledge of the proximate factors intrinsic to sterile caste differentiation is necessary to understand the evolution of eusocial insects. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses in social hymenopteran insects have resulted in the hypothesis that sterile castes are generated by the novel function of co-opted or recruited universal gene networks found in solitary ancestors. However, transcriptome analysis during caste differentiation has not been tested in termites, and evolutionary processes associated with acquiring the caste are still unknown. Termites possess the soldier caste, which is regarded as the first acquired permanently sterile caste in the taxon. In this study, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis in termite heads during 3 molting processes, i.e., worker, p

SUBMITTER: Masuoka Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5912798 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature