Biology subjects

Arias, M. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Arias, M. C..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Investigating the molecular basis of cleptobiosis in eusocial stingless bees (Apidae: Hymenoptera)

Cleptobiosis, the act of raiding other species to obtain food or resources, is widespread among animals but rarely obligatory. The eusocial stingless bee Lestrimelitta limao is one of the few species that depend entirely on cleptobiosis, raiding other stingless bee colonies for survival. To investigate the molecular basis and evolutionary adaptations associated with this specialized lifestyle, we compared the transcriptomes of foraging workers of L. limao and three non-robber stingless bees - Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, and Tetragonisca angustula. Our analysis revealed that differentially expressed orthologs were predominantly downregulated in L. limao workers, suggesting reduced transcriptional activity during foraging in this species. These downregulated genes fall into three major functional categories potentially linked to cleptobiotic adaptations: (1) detoxification and chemoreception genes, including cytochrome P450s and odorant receptors, indicating decreased exposure to phytochemicals; (2) neuronal and synaptic genes, such as para and Dys, possibly reflecting neurophysiological modifications; and (3) mitochondrial and carbohydrate metabolism genes, suggesting lower energetic demands. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms shaping cleptobiotic behavior in eusocial bees.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2023

Insights from Melipona bicolor hybrid genome assembly: A stingless bee genome with chromosome-level scaffold

BackgroundThe highly eusocial stingless bees are crucial pollinators of native and agricultural ecosystems. Nevertheless, genomic studies within this bee tribe remain scarce. We present the genome assembly of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor. This bee is a remarkable exception to the typical single-queen colony structure, since in this species, multiple queens may coexist and share reproductive duties, resulting in genetically diverse colonies with weak kinship connections. As the only known genuinely polygynous bee, M. bicolors genome provides a valuable resource for investigating sociality beyond kin selection. ResultsThe genome was assembled employing a hybrid approach combining short and long reads, resulting in 241 contigs spanning 259 Mb (N50 of 6.2 Mb and 97.5% complete BUSCOs). Comparative analyses shed light on some evolutionary aspects of stingless bee genomics, including multiple chromosomal rearrangements in Melipona. Additionally, we explored the evolution of venom genes in M. bicolor and other stingless bees, revealing that, apart from two genes, the conserved repertoire of venom components remains under purifying selection in this clade. ConclusionThis study advances our understanding of stingless bee genomics, contributing to the conservation efforts of these vital pollinators and offering insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving their unique adaptations.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2021

Recurring adaptive introgression of a supergene that determines social organization

Introgression has been proposed as an essential source of adaptive genetic variation. However, a key barrier to adaptive introgression is that recombination can break down combinations of alleles that underpin many traits. This barrier might be overcome in supergene regions, where suppressed recombination leads to joint inheritance across many loci. Here, we study the evolution of a large supergene region that determines a major social and ecological trait in Solenopsis fire ants: whether colonies have one queen or multiple queens. Using coalescent-based phylogenies built from the genomes of 365 haploid fire ant males, we show that the supergene variant responsible for multiple-queen colonies evolved in one species and repeatedly spread to other species through introgressive hybridization. This finding highlights how supergene architecture can enable a complex adaptive phenotype to recurrently permeate species boundaries.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Multiple lineages, same molecular basis: task specialization is commonly regulated across all eusocial bee groups

A striking feature of advanced insect societies is the existence of workers that forgo reproduction. Two broad types of workers exist in eusocial bees: nurses which care for their young siblings and the queen, and foragers who guard the nest and forage for food. Comparisons between this two worker subcastes have been performed in honeybees, but data from other bees are scarce. To understand whether similar molecular mechanisms are involved in nurse-forager differences across distinct species, we compared gene expression and DNA methylation profiles between nurses and foragers of the buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris and of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula. These datasets were then discussed comparatively to previous findings on honeybees. Our analyses revealed that although the expression pattern of genes is often species-specific, many of the biological processes and molecular pathways involved are common. Moreover, DNA methylation and gene expression correlation were dependent on the nucleotide context.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Loss of developmental diapause as a prerequisite for social evolution in bees

Diapause is a physiological arrest of development ahead of adverse environmental conditions and is a critical phase of the life cycle of many insects. In bees, diapause has been reported in species from all seven taxonomic families. However, they exhibit a variety of diapause strategies. These different strategies are of particular interest since shifts in the phase of the insect life cycle in which diapause occurs has been hypothesized to promote the evolution of sociality. Here we provide a comprehensive evaluation of this hypothesis with phylogenetic analysis and ancestral state reconstruction of the ecological and evolutionary factors associated with diapause phase. We find that social lifestyle, latitude, and voltinism are significant predictors of the life stage in which diapause occurs. Ancestral state reconstruction revealed that the most recent common ancestor of all bees likely exhibited developmental diapause and shifts to adult or reproductive diapause have occurred in the ancestors of lineages in which social behavior has evolved. These results provide fresh insight regarding the role of diapause as a prerequisite for the evolution of sociality in bees.

evolutionary biology↗