Ant Genetics

What is it about?

This review article discusses recent progress in our understanding of the genetics of ants. Within the past decade, a handful of ant species have had their genomes sequenced, which has allowed comparative insights among ants, as well as between ants and other groups. And even more recently, gene expression analysis has begun to shine light on the ways in which epigenetic processes contribute to behavioral variation in ants.

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Why is it important?

Ant species differ in their ecological niche usage, morphology, and behavior. Thus interspecies comparisons among ants can reveal how genomic changes are involved in these processes. Additional, since ants can often display wide behavioral variation within their life (called temporal polyethism), studying how gene expression changes are involved in behavioral changes.