蚂蚁生殖分化的神经激素调控机制研究

动物社会组织的出现是生命演化历程中的重大转折性事件。在蚂蚁为代表的社会性昆虫中出现了生殖分化及劳动分工。蚁后负责生殖，而工蚁则失去生殖潜能，专门负责育幼、觅食、防御等工作。在个体发育层面，雌性处女生殖蚁完成交配转变为成熟蚁后过程中其生理、行为及生殖力均会发生剧烈变化。通过比较转录组研究方法，追踪蚁后建立过程中大脑基因表达动态变化，我们鉴定出若干差异表达的，与insulin信号通路互作的神经肽基因，包括：neuroparsin、tachykinin及drosulfakinin等。本项目将着重围绕这3个神经肽开展分子功能实验，检测神经肽基因的大脑空间表达模式；采用基因沉默、基因编辑及直接注射多肽的方法，抑制或促进基因功能，检测蚁后生理、行为、生殖力所受到的影响。通过上述实验解析蚁后建立过程中的神经激素调控机制，从个体发育角度挖掘社会性昆虫生殖分化的核心基因调控网络。

The origin of animal society is a transitional landmark in evolution. Eusocial insects such as ants are organized in colonies composed of different castes with differentiation of reproduction and division of labor. Queen dominates in reproduction while worker involves in brood-caring, foraging and defense. When a virgin gyne (unmated queen) accomplishes mating and develops into a mature queen, its physiology, behavior and reproductive ability have dramatic changes. Previously, we have adopted comparative transcriptomics methods to trace brain gene expression dynamics during queen development and identified several key candidate neuropeptide genes that are differentially expressed during gyne/queen transition which have crosstalk with insulin signaling pathway, including neuroparsin, tachykinin and drosulfakinin. We will focus on dissecting the molecular functions of these key candidate neuropeptide genes. Firstly, we will characterize their spatial expression patterns. Then, by performing RNA interference, gene editing or injecting neuropeptide into ants' hemolymph to inhibit or promote gene functions, the physiological, behavioral and reproductive traits of queens will be assayed. From above experiments, we will reveal neural hormone regulatory mechanisms underlying queen development and the core gene regulatory network responsible for the development of reproductive division of labor in eusocial insects.