Transcriptome changes reveal the genetic mechanisms of the reproductive plasticity of workers in lower termites.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The reproductive plasticity of termite workers provides colonies with tremendous flexibility to respond to environmental changes, which is the basis for evolutionary and ecological success. Although it is known that all colony members share the same genetic background and that differences in castes are caused by differences in gene expression, the pattern of the specific expression of genes involved in the differentiation of workers into reproductives remains unclear. In this study, the isolated workers of Reticulitermes labralis developed into reproductives, and then comparative transcriptomes were used for the first time to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive plasticity of workers.

Results

We identified 38,070 differentially expressed gen

SUBMITTER: Ye C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6734246 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature