Molecular Genetic Characterization of a Gene Controlling Complex Social Behavior

在红火蚁Solenipsis invicta中发现了一个调节社会行为的主要基因。 在这个物种中有两种不同的形式;殖民地与一个单一的女王和殖民地与许多女王。 对Gp-9基因分布的实地研究表明，蜂王之间的遗传差异与它们是否存在于单个或多个蜂王群体中有关。 实验室研究进一步表明，工蜂对蜂王的耐受性也取决于蜂王和工蜂的基因型。 Gp-9变异也与蚁后脂肪储备的积累相关。Ross和Krieger将确定由Gp-9基因编码的蛋白质的氨基酸序列，并将利用这些信息来确定其核苷酸序列。 一旦知道了这个序列，就有可能研究导致社会性差异的级联事件，这些事件似乎是基于这个主要基因。

A major gene regulating social behavior has been discovered in the fire ant Solenipsis invicta. In this species there are two distinct forms; colonies with a single queen and colonies with many queens. Field studies of the distribution of the Gp-9 gene show that genetic differences among queens are correlated with whether or not they are found in single or multiple queen colonies. Laboratory studies have further shown that worker tolerance for a queen is also dependent on the genotype of both the queen and the worker. The Gp-9 variation is also correlated with accumulation of fat reserves in queens. Ross and Krieger will be determining the amino acid sequence for the protein coded by the Gp-9 gene and will be using this information to determine its nucleotide sequence. Once this sequence is know it may be possible to study the cascade of events that lead to differences in sociality that appear to be based on this major gene.