Evolution of the gene network underlying wing polyphenism in ants.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Wing polyphenism in ants evolved once, 125 million years ago, and has been a key to their amazing evolutionary success. We characterized the expression of several genes within the network underlying the wing primordia of reproductive (winged) and sterile (wingless) ant castes. We show that the expression of several genes within the network is conserved in the winged castes of four ant species, whereas points of interruption within the network in the wingless castes are evolutionarily labile. The simultaneous evolutionary lability and conservation of the network underlying wing development in ants may have played an important role in the morphological diversification of this group and may be a general feature of polyphenic development and evolution in plants and animals.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Abouheif, E; Wray, GA
Published Date
- July 2002
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 297 / 5579
Start / End Page
- 249 - 252
PubMed ID
- 12114626
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1095-9203
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0036-8075
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1126/science.1071468
Language
- eng