Transcriptomics on Social Interactions in Termites: Effects of Soldier Presence

The organization of social insect colonies requires sophisticated mechanisms to regulate caste composition according colony demands. In termites, the soldier is responsible for inhibition differentiation, but mechanism underlying regulation differentiation still unclear. this study, we performed transcriptome analyses identify genes expressed in workers that fluctuated presence soldiers subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus . First, was artificially induced via juvenile hormone (JH) application, and inhibitory effects on were evaluated. Second, transcriptomes prepared from with or without under JH treatment, expression differentially (DEGs) each treatment. levels several DEGs verified by quantitative real-time PCR. results indicated only a small number upregulated soldiers. A homology search gene ontology (GO) analysis showed some levels, interaction, response xenobiotic substances, suggesting they could be involved developmental arrest pheromonal workers. Moreover, GO many genes, including those metabolic processes, application. Suppression accomplished large required differentiation.