title: Antennal RNA-sequencing analysis reveals evolutionary aspects of chemosensory proteins in the carpenter ant, Camponotus japonicus.
abstract: Chemical communication is essential for the coordination of complex organisation in ant societies. Recent comparative genomic approaches have revealed that chemosensory genes are diversified in ant lineages, and suggest that this diversification is crucial for social organisation. However, how such diversified genes shape the peripheral chemosensory systems remains unknown. In this study, we annotated and analysed the gene expression profiles of chemosensory proteins (CSPs), which transport lipophilic compounds toward chemosensory receptors in the carpenter ant, Camponotus japonicus. Transcriptome analysis revealed 12 CSP genes and phylogenetic analysis showed that 3 of these are lineage-specifically expanded in the clade of ants. RNA sequencing and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that, among the ant specific CSP genes, two of them (CjapCSP12 and CjapCSP13) were specifically expressed in the chemosensory organs and differentially expressed amongst ant castes. Furthermore, CjapCSP12 and CjapCSP13 had a ratio of divergence at non-synonymous and synonymous sites (dN/dS) greater than 1, and they were co-expressed with CjapCSP1, which is known to bind cuticular hydrocarbons. Our results suggested that CjapCSP12 and CjapCSP13 were functionally differentiated for ant-specific chemosensory events, and that CjapCSP1, CjapCSP12, and CjapCSP13 work cooperatively in the antennal chemosensilla of worker ants.
authors: Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors: Masaru K
authors: MK
authors: Hojo
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Ishii
authors: Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors: Midori
authors: M
authors: Sakura
authors: NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.
authors: Katsushi
authors: K
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.|Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Okazaki, Japan.
authors: Shuji
authors: S
authors: Shigenobu
authors: Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors: Mamiko
authors: M
authors: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000235:genetics*; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000378:metabolism*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods*; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger