Researchers link transposon activity to ant diversity — ScienceDaily

An international group of scientists led by Lukas Schrader, a researcher at the University of Münster in Germany, has identified a connection between the activity of mobile DNA segments and the subsequent diversity of ants. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, examined the genomes of 163 species of these insects.

As ScienceDaily reports, the scientists compared the genomes of representatives of 12 of the 16 modern ant subfamilies and reconstructed changes in transposon activity over the past 100 million years. Transposons, or so-called jumping genes, can move through the genome and create their own copies.

Surges before diversification

The researchers found that ant lineages with more of these mobile genetic elements generally have more species today. In several major ant lineages, surges in transposon activity occurred at the beginning of the Paleogene, about 66 million years ago.

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These genetic changes preceded a significant increase in the number of species in the corresponding ant lineages. The authors of the study suggest that transposons may have been one of the factors contributing to their rapid diversification after major environmental changes.

Connection to chemical communication

Separately, the scientists identified a link between transposons and the expansion of gene families associated with chemical communication. In particular, this concerns olfactory receptor genes that enable ants to perceive smells. Chemical signals are necessary for them to navigate, recognize colony members, and coordinate joint actions.

The scientists believe that transposon activity may have contributed to the development of these sensory systems. More than 15,000 ant species are known today, making them the largest family of social insects.