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Social complexity, life-history and lineage influence the molecular basis of castes in vespid wasps

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher Douglas Robert Wyatt

    (University College London)

  • Michael Andrew Bentley

    (University College London)

  • Daisy Taylor

    (University of Bristol)

  • Emeline Favreau

    (University College London)

  • Ryan Edward Brock

    (University of Bristol
    Norwich Research Park)

  • Benjamin Aaron Taylor

    (University College London)

  • Emily Bell

    (University of Bristol)

  • Ellouise Leadbeater

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • Seirian Sumner

    (University College London)

Abstract

A key mechanistic hypothesis for the evolution of division of labour in social insects is that a shared set of genes co-opted from a common solitary ancestral ground plan (a genetic toolkit for sociality) regulates caste differentiation across levels of social complexity. Using brain transcriptome data from nine species of vespid wasps, we test for overlap in differentially expressed caste genes and use machine learning models to predict castes using different gene sets. We find evidence of a shared genetic toolkit across species representing different levels of social complexity. We also find evidence of additional fine-scale differences in predictive gene sets, functional enrichment and rates of gene evolution that are related to level of social complexity, lineage and of colony founding. These results suggest that the concept of a shared genetic toolkit for sociality may be too simplistic to fully describe the process of the major transition to sociality.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Douglas Robert Wyatt & Michael Andrew Bentley & Daisy Taylor & Emeline Favreau & Ryan Edward Brock & Benjamin Aaron Taylor & Emily Bell & Ellouise Leadbeater & Seirian Sumner, 2023. "Social complexity, life-history and lineage influence the molecular basis of castes in vespid wasps," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36456-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36456-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael R. Warner & Lijun Qiu & Michael J. Holmes & Alexander S. Mikheyev & Timothy A. Linksvayer, 2019. "Convergent eusocial evolution is based on a shared reproductive groundplan plus lineage-specific plastic genes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Sarah D. Kocher & Ricardo Mallarino & Benjamin E. R. Rubin & Douglas W. Yu & Hopi E. Hoekstra & Naomi E. Pierce, 2018. "The genetic basis of a social polymorphism in halictid bees," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    3. Benjamin A. Taylor & Alessandro Cini & Christopher D. R. Wyatt & Max Reuter & Seirian Sumner, 2021. "The molecular basis of socially mediated phenotypic plasticity in a eusocial paper wasp," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
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