Title: | Intrasexual cuticular hydrocarbon dimorphism in a wasp sheds light on hydrocarbon biosynthesis genes in Hymenoptera |
Author(s): | Moris VC; Podsiadlowski L; Martin S; Oeyen JP; Donath A; Petersen M; Wilbrandt J; Misof B; Liedtke D; Thamm M; Scheiner R; Schmitt T; Niehuis O; |
Address: | "Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. victoria.carla.moris@gmail.com. Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Department of Biology, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1000, Brussels, Belgium. victoria.carla.moris@gmail.com. Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113, Bonn, Germany. Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany. Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway. High Performance Computing & Analytics Lab, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 8, 53115, Bonn, Germany. Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745, Jena, Germany. Institute of Human Genetics, University of Wurzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Wurzburg, Germany. Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, University of Wurzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Wurzburg, Germany. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Biocenter, University of Wurzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Wurzburg, Germany. Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. oliver.niehuis@biologie.uni-freiburg.de" |
DOI: | 10.1038/s42003-022-04370-0 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 2399-3642 (Electronic) 2399-3642 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) cover the cuticle of insects and serve as desiccation barrier and as semiochemicals. While the main enzymatic steps of CHC biosynthesis are well understood, few of the underlying genes have been identified. Here we show how exploitation of intrasexual CHC dimorphism in a mason wasp, Odynerus spinipes, in combination with whole-genome sequencing and comparative transcriptomics facilitated identification of such genes. RNAi-mediated knockdown of twelve candidate gene orthologs in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, confirmed nine genes impacting CHC profile composition. Most of them have predicted functions consistent with current knowledge of CHC metabolism. However, we found first-time evidence for a fatty acid amide hydrolase also influencing CHC profile composition. In situ hybridization experiments furthermore suggest trophocytes participating in CHC biosynthesis. Our results set the base for experimental CHC profile manipulation in Hymenoptera and imply that the evolutionary origin of CHC biosynthesis predates the arthropods' colonization of land" |
Keywords: | Bees/genetics Animals *Wasps/genetics Sex Characteristics Biological Evolution Pheromones Hydrocarbons; |
Notes: | "MedlineMoris, Victoria C Podsiadlowski, Lars Martin, Sebastian Oeyen, Jan Philip Donath, Alexander Petersen, Malte Wilbrandt, Jeanne Misof, Bernhard Liedtke, Daniel Thamm, Markus Scheiner, Ricarda Schmitt, Thomas Niehuis, Oliver eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2023/02/04 Commun Biol. 2023 Feb 3; 6(1):147. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-04370-0" |