Tracing the origin of a social chromosome in the red fire ant

Projektinformationen

SOCIAL CHROMOSOME

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 623713

Abgeschlossenes Projekt

Startdatum 18 Februar 2015

Enddatum 17 Februar 2017

Finanziert unter

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Gesamtkosten € 221 606,40

EU-Beitrag € 221 606,40

Koordiniert durch

QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
United Kingdom

Ziel

Intraspecific phenotypic variation offers unique opportunities to understand the contexts in which traits evolve and how they affect fitness. However, relatively little is known concerning the molecular-genetic changes underpinning such processes in ecologically relevant contexts.
The host recently sequenced the genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta and subsequently discovered that two distinct forms of social colony organisation in this species are under control of a pair of social chromosomes, SB and Sb, that evolve similarly to X and Y sex chromosomes. Recombination ceased between SB and Sb less than 500,000 generations ago, ie. >10x more recently than the divergence of other extensively-studied supergenes such as sex chromosomes or butterfly wing coloration genes. Furthermore, both variants of the social chromosome are found in multiple closely related species. The fire ant social chromosome thus offers a unique opportunity to gain novel insights on supergene evolution, evolution of heteromorphic chromosomes and the evolutionary transitions in social organisation.

We propose a detailed study of this newly discovered pair of social chromosomes in several closely related socially polymorphic fire ants, using an integrative examination of the social chromosomes combining modern sequencing methods, genetic mapping, structural analyses, population genomics and comparative genomics methods. This will shed light on a major transition in social evolution and have wide-reaching implications on the evolution of supergenes and the spread of novel traits.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet

• Naturwissenschaften › Biowissenschaften › Genetik › Chromosom
• Naturwissenschaften › Biowissenschaften › Genetik › Genom

Programm/Programme

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Thema/Themen

• FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development"

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigen

Finanzierungsplan

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Koordinator

QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Kontakt Verwaltung

Yannick Wurm (Dr.)

• Adresse: 327 mile end road ; E1 4NS London ; Vereinigtes Königreich
• Region: London › Inner London — East › Tower Hamlets
• Aktivitätstyp: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• EU-Beitrag: Keine Daten