DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Is the role of DNA methylation conserved among social insects?

DNA中的化学变化可以改变决定有机体发育和功能的指令。DNA甲基化是一种重要的化学变化，可能影响发育对环境线索的反应。例如，在蜜蜂中，DNA甲基化能够指定一个个体？社会形态与功能。据推测，DNA甲基化在群居昆虫中广泛存在，并可能在专门的社会行为的进化中发挥普遍作用。本研究旨在比较DNA甲基化在蜜蜂和红火蚁中所起的作用，它们分别进化出平行的社会系统。DNA测序技术和甲基化敏感酶将被用来确定DNA甲基化模式和功能在这两个物种中的差异程度。这项工作将突出在不同的社会谱系中形成DNA甲基化模式的过程，并将有助于更好地理解影响基因活性的分子因素。这反过来又会导致对促进高度组织的社会制度成功的因素有更多的了解。这项研究还将增加对火蚁和蜜蜂的基本生物学知识，前者是一种严重的入侵害虫，后者提供重要的农艺服务。

Chemical changes in DNA can alter the instructions that determine organismal development and function. DNA methylation is one important chemical change that may influence development in response to environmental cues. For example, in honeybees DNA methylation is able to specify an individual?s social form and function. It is hypothesized that DNA methylation is widespread among social insects and may play a general role in the evolution of specialized, social behavior. This research aims to compare the role of DNA methylation in the honeybee and the red imported fire ant, which have separately evolved parallel social systems. DNA sequencing technologies and methylation-sensitive enzymes will be employed to determine the extent to which the patterns and functions of DNA methylation vary in these two species.This work will highlight the processes that shape DNA methylation patterns in distinct social lineages and will contribute to a greater understanding of the molecular factors that affect gene activity. This will in turn lead to greater knowledge of the factors promoting the success of highly organized social systems. This research will also increase knowledge of the basic biology of the fire ant and the honeybee, the first of which is a serious, invasive pest and the second of which provides crucial agronomic services.