Effects of Soldier-Derived Terpenes on Soldier Caste Differentiation in the Termite Reticulitermes flavipes

Differential Impacts of Juvenile Hormone, Soldier Head Extract and Alternate Caste Phenotypes on Host and Symbiont Gene Expression in the Gut of the Termite Reticulitermes flavipes

Background: Termites are highly eusocial insects and show a division of labor whereby morphologically distinct individuals specialize in distinct tasks. In the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Rhinotermitidae), non-reproducing individuals form the worker and soldier castes, which specialize in helping (e.g., brood care, cleaning, foraging) and defense behaviors, respectively. Workers are ...

Community Analysis of Hindgut Methanogens in Worker versus Soldier Cast Members of the Lower Termite Species, Reticulitermes flavipes

Characterization of the Core and Caste-Specific Microbiota in the Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes

The hindgut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes harbors a complex symbiotic community consisting of protists, bacteria, and archaea. These symbionts aid in the digestion of lignocellulose from the termite's wood meal. Termite hindguts were sampled and the V4 hyper-variable region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced and analyzed from individual termites. The core microbiota of worker termites ...

Regulation of polyphenic caste differentiation in the termite Reticulitermes flavipes by interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Polyphenism is a key strategy used by solitary insects to adapt to changing environmental conditions and by eusocial insects for existing collaboratively in a social environment. In social insects, the morphogenetic juvenile hormone (JH) is often involved in directing the differentiation of polyphenic behavioral castes. The present study examines the effects of JH, environment and feeding on ca...

Comparison of the gut microbiota from soldier and worker castes of the termite Reticulitermes grassei.

The bacterial microbiota from the whole gut of soldier and worker castes of the termite Reticulitermes grassei was isolated and studied. In addition, the 16S rDNA bacterial genes from gut DNA were PCR-amplified using Bacteria-selective primers, and the 16S rDNA amplicons subsequently cloned into Escherichia coli. Sequences of the cloned inserts were then used to determine closest relatives by c...