title: Queen pheromones modulate DNA methyltransferase activity in bee and ant workers.
abstract: DNA methylation is emerging as an important regulator of polyphenism in the social insects. Research has concentrated on differences in methylation between queens and workers, though we hypothesized that methylation is involved in mediating other flexible phenotypes, including pheromone-dependent changes in worker behaviour and physiology. Here, we find that exposure to queen pheromone affects the expression of two DNA methyltransferase genes in Apis mellifera honeybees and in two species of Lasius ants, but not in Bombus terrestris bumblebees. These results suggest that queen pheromones influence the worker methylome, pointing to a novel proximate mechanism for these key social signals.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ecology, Evolution & Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia luke.holman@anu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Division of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
authors.forename: Kalevi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trontti
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland Tvärminne Zoological Station, J. A. Palménin tie 260, Hanko 10900, Finland.
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helanterä
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D010641:Phenotype; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases
keywords: caste; epigenetics; eusociality; fertility signal; methylome
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