The genetic architecture of reproductive caste determination in ants

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The evolution of sociality is one of life's major transitions, similar to the merging of unicellular organisms to make multicellular life. In the highly social insect societies some individuals, the queens, specialize at reproduction while others, the workers, carry out all of the other tasks necessary for colony survival. This division of labor system is the foundation of social insect societies, which are among the most evolutionary and ecologically successful species on earth. The primary objective of this project is to sequence the genome of an ant in order to identify the genetic mechanisms that drive the morphological and physiological division of labor. The harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, is one of the best studied ant species and is a model for basic ecology; it has been an inspiration for the application of social insect algorithms into aspects of human life (from computing to civil engineering). This project is composed of three complementary approaches designed to identify genes responsible for whether an individual develops as a queen or worker. Results of this project will shed light on the genetic changes that have taken place that transform the lone individual into a cooperating part of a larger society. Additionally, a sequenced ant genome will provide a resource for the larger research community and aid in the exploration of questions related to many major themes in the larger fields of ecology, evolution, development and behavior. This project will involve students from K-12 through all echelons of science education through previously established partnerships, including those in developing countries (Mexico). Training the next generation of scientists in modern biological methods and approaches is essential and only possible with the public funding of genomic projects where all resources are made open and accessible.