Objective "The attine fungus-growing ants are prime models for understanding phenotypic adaptations in social evolution and symbiosis. The mutualism has many hallmarks of advanced cooperation in its mating system commitments and functional complementarity between multiple symbiont partners, but potential conflicts between sexes and castes over reproductive priorities, and between hosts and symbionts over symbiont mixing have also been documented. With collaborators at BGI-Shenzhen and the Smithsonian Institution my group has obtained six reference genomes representing all genus-level branches of the higher attine ants and a lower attine outgroup. With collaborators in Denmark and Australia we have pioneered proteomic approaches to understand the preservation of sperm viability in spite of sperm competition and the enzymatic decomposition of plant substrates that the ants use to make their fungus gardens grow.Here, I propose an integrated study focusing on four major areas of attine ant biology that are particularly inviting for in depth molecular approaches: 1. The protein-level networks that secure life-time (up to 20 years) sperm storage in specialized ant-queen organs and the genetic mechanisms that shape and adjust these “sexual symbiome” networks. 2. The ant-fungal symbiome, i.e. the dynamics of fungal enzyme production for plant substrate degradation and the redistribution of these enzymes in fungus gardens through fecal deposition after they are ingested but not digested by the ants. 3. The microbial symbiome of ant guts and other tissues with obligate bacterial mutualists, of which we have identified some and will characterize a wider collection across the different branches of the attine ant phylogeny. 4. The genome-wide frequency of genomic imprinting and the significance of these imprints for the expression of caste phenotypes and the regulation of potential reproductive conflicts." Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological morphologycomparative morphologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactionsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-AG-LS8 - ERC Advanced Grant - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology Call for proposal ERC-2012-ADG_20120314 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Host institution KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET EU contribution € 2 290 102,00 Address NORREGADE 10 1165 Kobenhavn Denmark See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Ivan Kristoffersen (Mr.) Principal investigator Jacobus Jan Boomsma (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET Denmark EU contribution € 2 290 102,00 Address NORREGADE 10 1165 Kobenhavn See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Ivan Kristoffersen (Mr.) Principal investigator Jacobus Jan Boomsma (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data