title: Caste-specific RNA editomes in the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior.
abstract: Eusocial insects have evolved the capacity to generate adults with distinct morphological, reproductive and behavioural phenotypes from the same genome. Recent studies suggest that RNA editing might enhance the diversity of gene products at the post-transcriptional level, particularly to induce functional changes in the nervous system. Using head samples from the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior, we compare RNA editomes across eusocial castes, identifying ca. 11,000 RNA editing sites in gynes, large workers and small workers. Those editing sites map to 800 genes functionally enriched for neurotransmission, circadian rhythm, temperature response, RNA splicing and carboxylic acid biosynthesis. Most A. echinatior editing sites are species specific, but 8-23% are conserved across ant subfamilies and likely to have been important for the evolution of eusociality in ants. The level of editing varies for the same site between castes, suggesting that RNA editing might be a general mechanism that shapes caste behaviour in ants.
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China [2] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Qiye
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China [2] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Zongji
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Jinmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiøtt
authors.affiliation: China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.affiliation: BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China [2] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
authors.forename: Wenwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jacobus J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Boomsma
authors.affiliation: 1] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Building No. 11, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen 518083, China [2] Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Guojie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017393:RNA Editing; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012313:RNA