Epigenetics: the making of ant castes.
Social insects represent a unique model for how the same genome can give rise to entirely different phenotypes - soldiers, common labourers, and queens. New research on ants and honeybees points to DNA methylation as a crucial factor in determining the caste of a developing individual.
Anglia Ruskin University, Department of Life Sciences, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK. l.chittka@qmul.ac.uk
Alexandra
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Chittka
Yannick
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Wurm
Lars
L
Chittka
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D049750:Genome, Insect