科学家揭秘蚂蚁在恐龙时代的组织架构

Core Insights - A research team composed of scientists from Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, University of Münster, Nanchang University, and BGI Life Science Research Institute published findings in the journal "Cell" regarding the genetic basis of adaptive radiation and social evolution in ants [1] - The study integrated whole-genome data from 163 different ant species, reconstructing the phylogenetic tree of the Formicidae family, covering 12 of the 16 extant subfamilies and 97 of the 343 genera [1] - The research traced the common ancestor of ants back to approximately 157 million years ago during the Late Jurassic, revealing insights into their organizational structure during the age of dinosaurs [1] Genetic Mechanisms - The study found significant expansion of gene families related to olfactory perception in the genome of the common ancestor of ants, indicating that social communication mechanisms were already present [1] - Different ant species exhibit variations in the signaling pathways that regulate roles such as "who becomes the queen and who becomes the worker," reflecting adaptive evolution under natural selection [1] - The research highlighted the importance of conserved pathways centered around juvenile hormone and insulin signaling in the social evolution of ants, showing significant correlations among various social traits that shape the diversity of ant phenotypes [2]