Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Academic and non-academic scientists, pest control operators and pest control associations, growers and grower associations, students Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Santiago Ramirez, post-doctoral researcher, research on the history, genetics, and diseases of honey bees. Virginia Emery, PhD student, research on the chemical ecology, genetics and behavior of Argentine ants and parabiotic ants. Kaitlyn Mathis, PhD student, research on the interactions between ants, parasitoid flies, and predatory beetles in coffee plantations. Rebecca Sandidge, PhD student, research on the spread of the invasive tropical fire ant , Solenopsis geminata. Tara Madsen-Steigmeyer, PhD student, research on the population genomics of the introduced Colorado potato beetle. Judy Chung, undergraduate, performed analysis of ant pheromones Christian Cabuslay, undergraduate, studied ant biodiversity of Indonesia So Mi Cho, undergraduate, studied thermal tolerance of the winter ant. Kimberly Chen, undergraduate, studied ant chemical ecology and behavior. Shelley Pneh, undergraduate, studied ant chemical ecology and behavior. Blake Caracci, undergraduate, studied ant chemical ecology and behavior. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Invited speaker – California Structural Pest Control Board, Sacramento, CA. January. Invited speaker – Entomology Society of America, Pacific Branch, Lake Tahoe, NV. April. Invited seminar speaker – Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, April. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the past year, we significantly advanced understanding of the fundamental biology of invasive and non-invasive ants. Objective 1. We performed manipulative experiments in the lab to clarify the processes of learning and memory in Argentine ants. This is still a work in progress. Objective 2. We continued to study behavioral variation among individuals within the same colony. We published a paper in PLoS One (Tsutsui and Emery 2013) that described the genetic and chemical (pheromonal) regulation of social behavior in a non-invasive ant species. Similarly, we have another paper in press (Tillberg et al. in press) in which we analyze the social structure of a primitive ant species. Objective 3. We have tested the role of cuticular hydrocarbons as the pheromone cues that control several different behaviors in the invasive Argentine ant. We have completed an experiment showing that we can control queen production in ant colonies by regulating the presence or absence of queen-specific cuticular hydrocarbons. We have also conducted an experiment quantifying the behavior of workers ants toward substrates treated with larvae-specific pheromones. We expect to write up these results for publication during the upcoming year. Objective 4. During the past year, we have made substantial progress in developing functional genetic tools for studying the behavior and sensory systems of Argentine ants. We have successfully developed a treatment technique using RNA interference (RNAi), which allows us to silence the expression of candidate genes in living ants. I anticipate that this advance will produce a number of high profile publications during the coming years. Objective 5. We have continued to advance our research project on the chemical ecology of social insects. We previously published a paper describing, for the first time, the trail pheromones of Argentine ants, and we are now planning tests to determine the efficacy of these pheromones in Argentine ant control. We have completed several studies identifying the specific pheromones that label queens and larvae in the colony, and we will be pursuing manipulative experiments with synthetic versions of these pheromones in the coming years.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Tsutsui, N. D. 2013. Dissecting ant recognition systems in the age of genomics. BIOLOGY LETTERS 9:20130416.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Lewis V., Moore, S., Tabuchi, R., Sutherland, A., Choe, D.-H. and N. D. Tsutsui 2013. Researchers combat the resurgence of bed bug in behavioral studies and monitor trials. CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE 67:172-178.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Simola, D. F., Wissler, L., Donahue, G., Waterhouse, R.M., Helmkampf, M., Roux, J., Nygaard, S., Glastad, K.M., Hagen, D.E., Viljakainen, L., Reese, J.T., Hunt, B.G., Graur, D., Elhaik, E., Kriventseva, E.V., Wen, J., Parker, B.J., Cash, E., Privman, E., Childers, C.P., Mu�oz-Torres, M.C., Boomsma, J.J., Bornberg-Bauer, E., Currie, C., Elsik, C.G., Suen, G., Goodisman, M.A.D., Keller, L., Liebig, J., Rawls, A., Reinberg, D., Smith, C.D., Smith, C.R., Tsutsui, N., Wurm, Y., Zdobnov, E.M., Berger, S.L. and J. Gadau. 2013. Social insect genomes exhibit dramatic evolution in gene composition and regulation while preserving regulatory features linked to sociality. GENOME RESEARCH 23:1235-1247.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Emery, V. J. and N. D. Tsutsui. 2013. Recognition in a social symbiosis: Chemical phenotypes and nestmate recognition behaviors of Neotropical parabiotic ants. PLOS ONE 8(2): e56492.
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Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have conducted numerous activities oriented around the exploration and investigation of insect behavior and chemical communication. We have completed studies that identified the trail pheromones of the Argentine ant (for the first time) and we tested synthetic versions of these chemicals in behavioral assays, demonstrating that Argentine ant worker prefer to follow these trails relative to controls. We performed theoretical analyses of nestmate recognition in ants and bees, showing how this fundamental property of social insect colonies has evolved. We also developed a new method for extracting cuticular hydrocarbons from insects, which will be useful for a wide range of future insect studies. This research has resulted in three peer reviewed publications (in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Journal of Chemical Ecology, and PLoS One). These publications include the first whole-genome sequence of several ant species, including the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). During the review period, the results of this research were also disseminated via a talk and a poster at scientific meetings, and a presentation to the California Structural Pest Control Board. PARTICIPANTS: Neil D. Tsutsui (PI) - organized experimental setup, oversaw experimental design and execution of chemical research, analyzed data from all experiments, wrote manuscripts. Brain Johnson (UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow) - Performed theoretical modeling of social insect interactions. Initiated studies of honeybee chemical ecology and ant genomics. Ellen van Wilgenburg (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Performed experiments on nestmate recognition in ants, analyzed chemical data, and contributed to manuscript writing. Dong-hwan Choe (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Performed laboratory experiments on chemical ecology of Argentine ant trail pheromones and developed new methods for analyzing insect cuticular hydrocarbons. Contributed to manuscript writing. Santiago Ramirez (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Assisted with laboratory experiments, analyses, and manuscript writing on studies of new methods for analyzing insect cuticular hydrocarbons. David Villafuerte (Undergraduate Researcher) - Assisted with laboratory experiments identifying trail pheromones of Argentine ants. TARGET AUDIENCES: I have disseminated the results of this research in several venues (below). The target audiences include professors, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students, federal employees, and pest control professionals. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Our research has resulted in a number of changes in knowledge during the past year. Our discovery of the Argentine ant trail pheromones has revealed, for the first time, the chemical basis for foraging behavior and nest relocation in this agriculturally important insect. Our development of a new silica gel-based cuticular hydrocarbon extraction protocol has provided a new tool for chemical ecologists in a variety of fields. Finally, our analysis of nestmate recognition systems in ants and bees has provided an important theoretical foundation for understanding how social insect colony operate.
Publications
- Choe, D.-H., D. B. Villafuerte and N. D. Tsutsui. 2012. Trail pheromones of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLOS ONE 7(9):e45016.
- Johnson, B. R., E. van Wilgenburg, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2012. Nestmate recognition in social insects is sometimes more complex than an individual based decision to accept or reject. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 66:343-346.
- Choe, D.-H., S. R. Ramirez and N. D. Tsutsui. 2012. A silica gel-based method for extracting insect surface hydrocarbons. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY. 38: 176-187.
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have conducted numerous activities oriented around the exploration and investigation of insect genetics, behavior, and chemical communication. We have completed studies of the behavior, social structure, and evolution of ants and bees using genetic, genomic, experimental and chemical approaches, and this research has results in nine publications in some of the top peer-reviewed journals (e.g. Science, PNAS, PLoS Biology). These publications include the first whole-genome sequence of several ant species, including the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). We have also published a series of papers on insect chemical communication, behavior and evolution, using honey bees, orchid bees and various ant species as model systems. During the review period, the results of this research were also disseminated via three talks at scientific meetings and departmental symposia. PARTICIPANTS: Neil D. Tsutsui (PI) - organized experimental setup, oversaw experimental design and execution of genomics research, analyzed data from all experiments, wrote manuscripts. Brain Johnson (UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow) - Performed theoretical modeling of social insect interactions. Initiated studies of honeybee chemical ecology and ant genomics. Santiago Ramirez (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Performed fieldwork and laboratory experiments on chemoreception by ants and bees. Has developed neurophysiological techniques that are now being used to determine which types of chemical cues can be detected by particular sensory sensilla and sensory neurons. Dong-hwan Choe (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Has initiated new studies exploring how social experiences, mediated by chemical communication among ants, affect their behavior as adults. TARGET AUDIENCES: I have disseminated the results of this research in several venues (below). The target audiences include professors, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students, federal employees, and pest control professionals. Invited speaker - Plant and Animal Genomes, San Diego, CA. Jan. Invited speaker - Science@Cal, Dept. of Astronomy, UC Berkeley, CA. May. Invited speaker - ESPM Colloquium, UC Berkeley, CA. November. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Our research has results in a number of changes in knowledge during the past year. Our sequencing of the complete Argentine ant genome revealed a number of novel findings, including the vast expansion of sensory genes (olfactory and gustatory receptors), many genes that are potentially involved in detoxification of dietary items and/or insecticides, and hundreds of thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) that we are currently analysing for signals of selection. We have illuminated the important role of learning and memory in the formation of insect social groups, and have continued to identify and characterize the pheromones that control social interactions. These changes in knowledge have produced many associated changes in condition. Notably, the complete Argentine ant genome has been assembled, annotated and made freely available to the public via GenBank. Similarly, the genome sequences from the other two ant genome projects that we worked on (red harvester ant and leafcutter ant) have been made publicly available on GenBank. We have publicized the identity of the chemicals that Argentine ants use for colonymate recognition, and published chemical synthesis strategies so that others may study them, as well.
Publications
- Ramirez, S. R., T. Eltz, M. K. Fujiwara, G. Gerlach, B. Goldman-Huertas, N. D. Tsutsui and N. E. Pierce. 2011. Asynchronous diversification in a specialized plant-pollinator mutualism. SCIENCE. 333: 1742-1746.
- van Wilgenburg, E., A. Felden, D.-H. Choe, R. Sulc, J. Luo, K. J. Shea, M. A. Elgar and N. D. Tsutsui. 2011. Learning and discrimination of cuticular hydrocarbons in a social insect. BIOLOGY LETTERS.
- Smith, C. R., A. V. Suarez, N. D. Tsutsui, S. E. Wittman, B. Edmonds, A. Freauff, and C. V. Tillberg. 2011. Nutritional asymmetries are related to division of labor in a queen-less ant. PLOS ONE 6:e24011.
- Johnson, B. R. and N. D. Tsutsui. 2011. Taxonomically restricted genes are associated with the evolution of sociality in the honey bee. BMC GENETICS 12:164.
- Abbot, P. et al. 2011. Inclusive fitness theory and eusociality. NATURE 466:1057-1062. (Brief communications arising).
- Suen, G., et al. 2011. The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant, Atta cephalotes, reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. PLOS GENETICS 7:e1002007.
- Smith, C. R., et al. 2011. A draft genome of the red harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus: a model for reproductive division of labor and social complexity. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, USA 108:5667-5672.
- Smith, C. D., et al. 2011. The draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, USA 108:5673-5678.
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have conducted numerous activities oriented around the exploration and investigation of insect genetics, behavior, and chemical communication. We have completed studies of the behavior, social structure, and evolution of ants and bees using genetic, genomic, experimental and chemical approaches, and this research has results in eight peer-reviewed publications in some of the top journals in ecology and evolutionary biology. Although most of our research has continued to focus in the invasive and damaging Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), we have also made significant progress using several other species of ants and bees as model systems for evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology. During the review period, the results of this research were also disseminated via five talks and two poster presentations at scientific meetings and departmental symposia. PARTICIPANTS: Neil D. Tsutsui (PI) - organized experimental setup, oversaw experimental design and execution of genomics research, analyzed data from all experiments, wrote manuscripts. Brain Johnson (UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow) - Performed theoretical modeling of social insect interactions. Initiated studies of honeybee chemical ecology and ant genomics. Ellen van Wilgenburg (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Oversaw day-to-day operations of lab and fieldwork, performed behavioral data collection and analysis, performed chemical ecology data collection and analysis, assisted with writing of manuscripts. Santiago Ramirez (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Performed fieldwork and laboratory experiments on chemoreception by ants and bees. Has developed neurophysiological techniques that are now being used to determine which types of chemical cues can be detected by particular sensory sensilla and sensory neurons. Dong-hwan Choe (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Has initiated new studies exploring how social experiences, mediated by chemical communication among ants, affect their behavior as adults. TARGET AUDIENCES: I have disseminated the results of this research in several venues(below). The target audiences include professors, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students, federal employees, and pest control professionals. Poster presentation - U.S. Department of Agriculture, Project Directors workshop. Washington, D.C. March. Invited seminar speaker -Department of Entomology, UC-Riverside. May. Invited speaker - Defining Wisdom Symposium, John Templeton Foundation/University of Chicago, IL. June. Invited speaker - Pest Control Operators of California, combined district meeting. July. Invited seminar speaker - Collaborative Learning at the Interface of Mathematics & Biology (CLIMB) program, UC-Davis. Sept. Invited speaker - Meeting of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA. Nov. Poster presentation - U.S. Department of Agriculture, Project Directors workshop. San Diego, CA. Dec. Invited symposium speaker - American Associate for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), San Francisco, CA. Symposium on "The Evolution of Cooperation", August. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Our research has results in a number of changes in knowledge during the past year. Our sequencing of the complete Argentine ant genome revealed a number of novel findings, including the vast expansion of sensory genes (olfactory and gustatory receptors), many genes that are potentially involved in detoxification of dietary items and/or insecticides, and hundreds of thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) that we are currently analysing for signals of selection. We have identified and tested the pheromones that Argentine ants use to recognize each other, and we have conducted experiments showing how social interactions among ants alter their later social behaviors. We have used a variety of approaches (population genetic, chemical, behavioral) to reconstruct the history of Argentine ant introductions around the world, and to quantify the similarities and differences among them. These changes in knowledge have produced many associated changes in condition. Notably, the complete Argentine ant genome has been assembled, annotated and made freely available to the public via GenBank. Similarly, the genome sequences from the other two ant genome projects that we worked on (red harvester ant and leafcutter ant) have been made publicly available on GenBank. We have publicized the identity of the chemicals that Argentine ants use for colonymate recognition, and published chemical synthesis strategies so that others may study them, as well.
Publications
- Johnson, B. R., E. van Wilgenburg, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010. Nestmate recognition in social insects: overcoming physiological constraints with collective decision making. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY.
- Franks, S. J., P. D. Pratt, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010. The genetic consequences of a demographic bottleneck in an introduced biological control insect. CONSERVATION GENETICS 12:201-211.
- Ramirez, S. R., T. Eltz,, F. Fritzsch, R. Pemberton, E. G. Pringle, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010. Intraspecific geographic variation of fragrances acquired by orchid bees in native and introduced populations. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY 36:873-884.
- van Wilgenburg, E., R. Sulc, K. J. Shea, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010a. Deciphering the chemical basis of nestmate recognition. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY 36:751-758.
- Marsico, T. D., J. W. Burt, E. K. Espeland, G. Gilchrist, M. A. Jamieson, L. Lindstrom, S. Swope, G. Roderick, M. Szucs and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010. Underutilized resources for studying the evolution of invasive species during their introduction, establishment and lag phases. EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS 3:203-219.
- Vanderhoeven, S., C. Brown, C. Tepolt, N. D. Tsutsui, V. Vanparys, S. Atkinson, G. Mahy and A. Monty. 2010. Linking concepts in invasion biology: Network analysis shows what has been studied most and helps identification of knowledge gaps. EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS 3:193-202.
- van Wilgenburg, E., C. W. Torres and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010b. The global expansion of a single ant supercolony. EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS 3:136-143.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the past year, we have made great progress on our research projects. We have continued to apply approaches from genetics, genomics, and chemistry to questions regarding the behavior, social structure, and evolution of Argentine ants. We have complemented these studies with comparative analysis of the structure and function of nestmate recognition systems in non-invasive ants. Overall, we have made significant progress on several of our objectives: (1) The first ant genome. We are completing the whole-genome sequencing of the Argentine ant. During the past year, we performed whole-genome 454 shotgun sequencing, and established collaborations to assemble the genome, construct online databases, and perform annotation. We anticipate publication of this research in a high-profile publication during 2010. (2) Adult ants learn from and remember social interactions. During the past year we completed a study showing that individual work ants can remember a single aggressive encounter with an ant from a foreign colony. This experience is remembered by worker ants, and affects their future behaviors - in later encounters with non-colonymates, experienced ants are more like to be aggressive than are naive ants. (3) Within-colony behavioral variation. We have experimentally tested hypotheses for behavioral variation among nestmate Argentine ant workers, and shown that distinct populations of workers within the same colony display different propensities for intraspecific aggression. (4) The chemical basis of nestmate recognition in ants. We have continued to identify, synthesize and test cuticular hydrocarbons that are used by Argentine ants to distinguish nestmates from non-nestmates. The first paper from this research is also currently in review. I have disseminated the results of this research in several venues: Invited speaker - California Structural Pest Control Board, Napa, CA. January. Invited speaker - The Past, Present and Future of Ant Genomics workshop and meeting, Tempe, AZ. January. Invited speaker - Synthesis of the Ecology and Evolution of Invasive Species workshop and meeting, Lake Tahoe, CA. March. Invited speaker - Defining Wisdom Symposium, John Templeton Foundation/University of Chicago, IL. June. Invited symposium speaker - American Associate for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), San Francisco, CA. Symposium on "The Evolution of Cooperation", August. PARTICIPANTS: Neil D. Tsutsui (PI) - organized experimental setup, oversaw experimental design and execution of genomics research, analyzed data from all experiments, wrote manuscripts. Brain Johnson (UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow) - Performed theoretical modeling of social insect interactions. Initiated studies of honeybee chemical ecology and ant genomics. Ellen van Wilgenburg (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Oversaw day-to-day operations of lab and fieldwork, performed behavioral data collection and analysis, performed chemical ecology data collection and analysis, assisted with writing of manuscripts. Santiago Ramirez (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Performed fieldwork and laboratory experiments on chemoreception by ants and bees. Has developed neurophysiological techniques that are now being used to determine which types of chemical cues can be detected by particular sensory sensilla and sensory neurons. Dong-hwan Choe (Postdoctoral Researcher) - Has initiated new studies exploring how social experiences, mediated by chemical communication among ants, affect their behavior as adults. Training: Postdoctoral research Santiago Ramirez was provided the opportunity to attend the "Neural Systems" course at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole, MA during summer 2009. This training provided him with an array of sophisticated skills in neurophysiology, which he has begun to use in his research and pass on by training other members of the lab. Collaborations: My leadership of the Argentine ant Genome Project has led me to establish numerous collaborations with experts at many different institutions. Most notable among these are: Dr. Christopher D. Smith (San Francisco State University), Dr. Juergen Gadau (Arizona State University), Dr. Hugh Robertson (University of Illinois), and Dr. Mark Yandell (University of Utah). TARGET AUDIENCES: I taught two courses during 2009: Insect Behavior (undergraduate), Fall 2009. Genetics and Genomics of Insect Behavior (graduate), Spring 2009. I also spoke at a number of meetings and departmental seminars: Invited speaker - California Structural Pest Control Board, Napa, CA. January. Invited speaker - The Past, Present and Future of Ant Genomics workshop and meeting, Tempe, AZ. January. Invited speaker - Synthesis of the Ecology and Evolution of Invasive Species workshop and meeting, Lake Tahoe, CA. March. Invited speaker - Defining Wisdom Symposium, John Templeton Foundation/University of Chicago, IL. June. Invited symposium speaker - American Associate for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), San Francisco, CA. Symposium on "The Evolution of Cooperation", August. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Our research has revealed important new biological processes that contribute to the success of a agriculturally damaging species, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). The widespread success of this invasive species arises from its social behavior and unusual colony structure. We have shown how experiences during the development of workers contribute to this social structure. We have also decoded the chemical cues that allow Argentine ant colonies to function as cohesive, cooperative groups. Finally, we have developed an enormous array of genetic and genomic tools that will allow us and other researchers to dissect the genetic basis of numerous traits, phenotypes, behaviors and population processes.
Publications
- Brandt, M., E. van Wilgenburg, and N. D. Tsutsui. 2009. Global-scale analyses of chemical ecology and population genetics in the invasive Argentine ant. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 18:997-1005.
- van Wilgenburg, E., J. Clemencet and N. D. Tsutsui. 2009. Experience influences aggressive behaviour in the Argentine ant. BIOLOGY LETTERS 6:152-155.
- Brandt, M., E. van Wilgenburg, R. Sulc, K. J. Shea and N. D. Tsutsui. 2009. The scent of supercolonies: The discovery, synthesis and behavioral verification of ant colony recognition cues. BMC BIOLOGY 7:71.
- Suarez, A. V., T. McGlynn and N. D. Tsutsui. 2010. Biogeographic patterns of invasive species. In: Lach, L., C. Parr, and K. Abbott, eds., ANT ECOLOGY, pp. 233-244 (Peer-reviewed book chapter).
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have made good progress during the past year of this project. We have continued to apply approaches from genetics, genomics, and chemistry to questions regarding the behavior, social structure, and evolution of Argentine ants. Morever, we have complemented these studies with comparative analysis of the structure and function of nestmate recognition systems in non-invasive ants. Overall, we have made significant progress on several of our objectives: (1) We have conducted large-scale "454" sequencing of Argentine ant cDNA to develop genomic resources. Thus far, we have sequenced nearly 130 million bases of expressed genes (ESTs) and, in collaboration with a bioinformatician, we have annotated these sequences using functional information from Drosophila and the honeybee (Apis). We have also identified >1000 single nucleotide polymorphisms in this dataset, which will be a powerful tool for exploring population genetic history and functional genetics. (2) We have conducted experiments showing how learning and memory contribute to the formation of the colony identity in individual Argentine ant workers. The first paper from this work is currently in review. (3) We have experimentally tested hypotheses for behavioral variation among nestmate Argentine ant workers, and shown that distinct populations of workers within the same colony display different propensities for intraspecific aggression. (4) We have continued to identify, synthesize and test cuticular hydrocarbons that are used by Argentine ants to distinguish nestmates from non-nestmates. The first paper from this research is also currently in review. PARTICIPANTS: Neil D. Tsutsui (PI) - organized experimental setup, oversaw experimental design and execution of genomics research, analyzed data from all experiments, wrote manuscripts. Margaret (Amy) Smith (staff research associate II) - extracted, purified and reverse transcribed RNA for 454 sequencing, oversaw purchasing and budgetary matters, performed behavioral assays and analyses, maintained laboratory colonies. Ellen van Wilgenburg (post-doctoral researcher) - oversaw day-to-day operations of lab and fieldwork, performed behavioral data collection and analysis, performed chemical ecology data collection and analysis, assisted with writing of manuscripts. TARGET AUDIENCES: Dissseminated results of research in several venues: Invited speaker - Entomology Society of America, Pacific Branch, Napa, CA. April. Student-Invited speaker - Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. April. Invited speaker - Defining Wisdom Symposium, John Templeton Foundation/University of Chicago, IL. August. Invited seminar speaker - ESPM Colloquium, Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, UC-Berkeley. September. Invited seminar speaker - Department of Entomology, UC-Davis. November. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Our research is revealing the fundamental biological processes underlying the altered social behavior of this widespread and damaging species. Thus, these data will create opportunities for the development of novel control strategies for Argentine ants and, potentially, other invasive ants. Our research is also applying cutting edge technologies from the fields of genomics and chemical ecology to clarify some of the fundamental biological processes involved in sociality, aggression, learning and memory.
Publications
- Tsutsui, N. D., A. V. Suarez, Spagna, J. C. and J. S. Johnston. 2008. The evolution of genome size in ants. BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 8:64.
- Suarez, A. V., D. A. Holway and N. D. Tsutsui. 2008. Genetics of colonizing species: The invasive Argentine ant. AMERICAN NATURALIST 172:S72-S84.
- Cooper, M. L., K. M. Daane, E. H. Nelson, L. G. Varela, M. C. Battany, N. D. Tsutsui, and M. K. Rust. 2008. Liquid baits manage Argentine ants in coastal vineyards. CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE 62:177-183.
- Suarez, A. V. and N. D. Tsutsui. 2008. The evolutionary consequences of biological invasions. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 17:351-360.
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