Longevity and phenotypic plasticity in ants: a functional genomic approach based on genome sequencing and oligonucleotide microarrays

蚂蚁复杂的种姓制度和社会生活构成了它们在生态上取得巨大成功的基础，但人们对潜在的遗传决定因素知之甚少。目前的功能基因组研究主要集中在驯化蜜蜂，这是一种具有相当特殊生活史的群居昆虫。在蚂蚁中，目前针对几个物种开发了大量的基因组资源，然而，这些物种缺乏理想的模式系统的特性，并且通常不能在可控条件下繁殖。因此，我们建议建立暗心尖蚂蚁作为社会进化的功能基因组研究的模式系统，更广泛地说，研究表型可塑性、生活史进化和衰老。心尖的群体很小，它们的世代时间很短，雄性和雌性很容易在圈养中交配并产生后代，这使得维持近交系成为可能。我们建议对暗色梭子蟹的基因组进行测序，并开发寡核苷酸微阵列。在这些资源的可获得性产生的众多有吸引力的和热门的项目中，我们打算集中在两个特别有前途的项目上：第一，群居昆虫的繁殖和衰老之间的特殊反向权衡，第二，雌性和雄性的表型可塑性。这两项研究不仅对我们理解社会进化具有重要意义，而且对寿命和多面性的进化也具有重要意义。

The complex caste system and social life of ants forms the basis of their tremendous ecological success, but little is known about the underlying genetic determinants. Present functional genomic studies focus on the domesticated honeybee, a social insect with a rather special life history. In ants, extensive genomic resources are currently developed for several species, which, however, lack the properties of ideal model systems and usually cannot be bred under controlled conditions. We therefore propose to establish the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior as a model system in functional genomic research of social evolution, and, more generally, phenotypic plasticity, life history evolution, and senescence. Cardiocondyla colonies are small, their generation time is short, and males and females readily mate and produce offspring in captivity, which allows maintaining inbred lines. We propose to sequence the genome of C. obscurior and to develop oligonucleotide microarrays. Of the multitude of attractive and topical projects arising from the availability of these resources we intend to focus on two particular promising projects: first, the peculiar reversed trade-off between reproduction and aging in social insects, and second, the phenotypic plasticity of both female and male sexuals. Both studies will be of importance not only for our understanding of social evolution but also for the evolution of life spans and polyphenism.