Project description
Solitary wasp genomics could shed light on the origins of sociality
The concept of sociality explains the evolution of many forms of biological complexity: cells cooperate as multicelluar organisms; insects cooperate in colonies. The EU-funded WASSUP project will study the evolution of wasp sociality by tracing the ancestral origins of pre-social behaviour and identifying its importance at the very early stages of sociality. Specifically, it will compare genomic traits of mass and progressive provisioning behaviours and test whether progressive provisioning is a precursor to maternal care. WASSUP will also determine if molecular processes specific to progressive provisioning play an important role in regulating foraging behaviour in eusocial species. This will shed light on the ancestral origins of pre-social behaviour and division of labour in the evolution of sociality.
Objective
Social insects exemplify a major transition in evolution and show how cooperative organisms can reach higher levels of social organization. To gain a deeper understanding of the molecular regulation that drives the behavioural transitions in wasps, I will perform WASSUP. This project will integrate proximate mechanisms to the evolution of wasp sociality, by studying the ancestral origins of pre-social behaviour, and its importance at the very early stages of sociality. The molecular mechanisms underpinning the nest cycles in solitary species provide mechanistic basis for the evolution of division of labour in social wasps and progressive provisioning as a preadaptation to maternal care. WASSUP will focus in Ammophila solitary wasps to explore this molecular basis of behavioural and evolutionary transitions. Based on the genome, transcriptome, and chemosensory machinery basis of key species, I will compare genomic traits of mass and progressive provisioning and test the hypothesis that progressive provisioning is a precursor to maternal care. Specifically, I predict that the molecular processes specific to progressive provisioning (as opposed to mass provisioning) will also be important in regulating foraging behaviour in eusocial species, especially those that represent the first stages of social evolution (e.g. Polistes). I will test functionality of any key genes regulating the provisioning behaviours using RNAi. WASSUP will help to understand the ancestral origins of pre-social behaviour and how division of labour evolved and how is regulated. Prof. Sumner’s lab provides expertise and training in the model species, molecular biology methods and bioinformatics; I bring to this my expertise in chemical, behavioural ecology, and evolution of wasps. With MSCA fellowship, I will benefit from the complementary expertise from the lab. This fellowship will be instrumental in equipping me to be a world-class scientist and develop my own independent line of research.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology entomology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.