Evolution of the gene network underlying wing polyphenism in ants
Ehab Abouheif & Gregory A Wray / Science / 2002
Abstract
Wing polyphenism in ants evolved once, 125 million years ago, and has been a key to their amazing evolutionary success. We characterized the expression of several genes within the network underlying the wing primordia of reproductive (winged) and sterile (wingless) ant castes. We show that the expression of several genes within the network is conserved in the winged castes of four ant species, whereas points of interruption within the network in the wingless castes are evolutionarily labile. The simultaneous evolutionary lability and conservation of the network underlying wing development in ants may have played an important role in the morphological diversification of this group and may be a general feature of polyphenic development and evolution in plants and animals.
About the Abouheif Lab
The Abouheif Lab combines ecology, evolution, and developmental biology to explore how living systems become more complex — and what happens when those systems break down. By studying these connections in nature, the lab aims to develop innovative ideas that can help address challenges ranging from cancer to climate change.