刺芹侧耳不同发育时期的转录组差异分析

为了探讨刺芹侧耳子实体生长发育时期的基因表达变化,本文利用高通量测序技术对刺芹侧耳不同发育时期（菌丝期、原基期、子实体时期）进行RNA-Seq分析,在转录水平上解析差异表达基因在刺芹侧耳生长发育过程中的作用和功能。KEGG功能富集显示,菌丝期差异表达基因主要富集在碳代谢和氨基酸代谢中,其中三羧酸循环中编码柠檬酸合酶、乌头酸水合酶、异柠檬酸脱氢酶、琥珀酰辅酶A合成酶、琥珀酸脱氢酶、苹果酸脱氢酶的基因表达量均上调,说明碳代谢和氨基酸代谢是菌丝时期的主要能量来源;原基期上调的差异表达基因主要富集在脂肪酸代谢,其中RT-PCR定量结果显示原基期编码脂肪酸合酶的基因和编码脂酰辅酶A合成酶的基因下调,编码超氧化物酶的基因和编码过氧化氢酶的基因上调,表明脂肪酸代谢和抗氧化酶对刺芹侧耳原基期维持机体的稳定和生物应激方面起着重要作用。子实体时期上调的差异表达基因主要富集在剪接体、类固醇的生物合成以及AMPK信号通路中,说明环境因子对子实体时期有一定的影响。     

Caste-specific gene expression in the stingless bee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melipona quadrifasciata</Emphasis> – Are there common patterns in highly eusocial bees?

Summary. Caste polyphenism is a multifaceted phenomenon, most evident in the marked differences in reproductive capacity and longevity between queens and workers. The mechanisms underlying caste differentiation and division of labor are mainly addressed in the honey bee, and recently have been studied at the molecular level. Yet, generalizations drawn from studies on this model organism require validation by comparative studies. We choose Melipona quadrifasciata, a sister-group species to honey bees, to investigate differences in gene expression between newly emerged adult queens and workers. RNA extracts were subjected to a differential display protocol (DDRT-PCR). The putative differentially expressed genes, for which annotation was available, were validated by RT-PCR and hybridization. Differential expression was observed for myosin, projectin, kettin, cytochrome P450, Rab11 and Sas10. Except for kettin, all of these were overexpressed in the worker caste. Projectin and kettin could play roles in caste-specific flight muscle organization. The putative Rab11 and Sas10 homolog genes could be involved in fertility-related cell signaling and in longevity-related gene silencing, respectively. Cytochrome P450 overexpression in Melipona workers corroborates similar findings in the honey bee, thus indicating a common function in the social insect caste syndrome.Received 9 January 2003; revised 10 March 2004; accepted 2 April 2004.     

Gyne development in the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis: role of overwintering and queen control

Abstract A possible stimulatory effect of overwintering on gyne development in Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr) was investigated. Although gyne-potent larvae are present in the nest throughout the year, small queenless colony fragments composed of freshly overwintered ants (collected in late winter or early spring) produced 3–8 times more gynes than comparable fragments made up of non-freshly overwintered ants (collected at other times of the year). Apparently, this stimulatory effect of overwintering acts on both the developmental potential of larvae and the tendency of workers to rear sexually competent larvae as gynes; queenless colony fragments in which either the brood or workers were freshly overwintered produced more gynes than fragments composed of non-freshly overwintered workers or brood but fewer than fragments containing both brood and workers freshly overwintered. This increased sexualization potential of larvae due to overwintering is enough to overcome weak pheromonal inhibition of queens associated with low queen number; a single queen in a large freshly overwintered colony fragment is insufficient to inhibit gyne development, whereas ten queens are totally inhibitory. In non-freshly overwintered colony fragments one queen is completely inhibitory. Variability in egg developmental potential according to queen age does not appear to play a major role in the seasonal production of gynes, because at least some eggs of very young queens (less than 3 weeks old) are capable of gyne development. In the field this stimulatory effect of overwintering is superimposed on a seasonal fluctuation in the combined strength of pheromonal queen control. In southern France, gynes are produced only in spring where they arise primarily from overwintered larvae just after a sharp drop in queen number, and presumably the total level of inhibitory queen pheromone, due to the massive execution of queens by workers.