Honey bee neurogenomic responses to affiliative and agonistic social interactions

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147835/1/gbb12509-sup-0003-FigureS3.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147835/2/gbb12509-sup-0002-FigureS2.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147835/3/gbb12509-sup-0001-FigureS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147835/4/gbb12509.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147835/5/gbb12509_am.pd

Cross‐species systems analysis of evolutionary toolkits of neurogenomic response to social challenge

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147855/1/gbb12502.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147855/2/gbb12502-sup-0002-TableS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147855/3/gbb12502_am.pd

The genetic basis of a social polymorphism in halictid bees

The emergence of eusociality represents a major evolutionary transition from solitary to group reproduction. The most commonly studied eusocial species, honey bees and ants, represent the behavioral extremes of social evolution but lack close relatives that are non-social. Unlike these species, the halictid bee Lasioglossum albipes produces both solitary and eusocial nests and this intraspecific variation has a genetic basis. Here, we identify genetic variants associated with this polymorphism, including one located in the intron of syntaxin 1a (syx1a), a gene that mediates synaptic vesicle release. We show that this variant can alter gene expression in a pattern consistent with differences between social and solitary bees. Surprisingly, syx1a and several other genes associated with sociality in L. albipes have also been implicated in autism spectrum disorder in humans. Thus, genes underlying behavioral variation in L. albipes may also shape social behaviors across a wide range of taxa, including humans

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Nutrient Sensing by Histone Marks: Reading the Metabolic Histone Code Using Tracing, Omics, and Modeling

Several metabolites serve as substrates for histone modifications and communicate changes in the metabolic environment to the epigenome. Technologies such as metabolomics and proteomics have allowed us to reconstruct the interactions between metabolic pathways and histones. These technologies have shed light on how nutrient availability can have a dramatic effect on various histone modifications. This metabolism–epigenome cross talk plays a fundamental role in development, immune function, and diseases like cancer. Yet, major challenges remain in understanding the interactions between cellular metabolism and the epigenome. How the levels and fluxes of various metabolites impact epigenetic marks is still unclear. Discussed herein are recent applications and the potential of systems biology methods such as flux tracing and metabolic modeling to address these challenges and to uncover new metabolic–epigenetic interactions. These systems approaches can ultimately help elucidate how nutrients shape the epigenome of microbes and mammalian cells.Histone post‐translational modifications (PTMs) sense cellular metabolic state and regulate gene expression, thereby influencing normal physiology and disease progression. While histone PTMs rely on metabolic substrates, how nutrients impact the histone PTM code is unclear. Here, systems biology technologies that can be used to study metabolic–epigenetic interactions are reviewed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156428/2/bies202000083_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156428/1/bies202000083.pd