Data from: Queen pheromones modulate DNA methyltransferase activity in bee and ant workers

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.

DNA甲基化（DNA methylation）正逐渐成为社会昆虫多型性的重要调控因子。过往研究多聚焦于蜂王与工蜂之间的甲基化差异，不过我们提出假说：甲基化还参与介导其他可塑性表型，包括依赖信息素的工蜂行为与生理变化。本研究发现，暴露于蜂王信息素环境会影响西方蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）以及两种毛蚁属（Lasius）昆虫体内两种DNA甲基转移酶基因的表达，但对地熊蜂（Bombus terrestris）并无此调控效果。上述结果表明，蜂王信息素可调控工蜂的甲基化组，为这类关键社会信号的近缘调控机制提供了全新的研究路径。