Ant genomics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): challenges to overcome and opportunities to seize
نویسندگان
چکیده
Myrmecologists have long studied the systematics, behavior, ecology, and evolution of ants. This first involved fundamental approaches including morphological description or behavioral observation, perhaps with the help of microscopes or marking ants with paint or wire. Many discoveries over the past 20 years have been accomplished with the help of more molecular approaches including allozymes, microsatellites, and chemical analyses, and more recently microarrays. The recent 10,000-fold drop in the cost of DNA sequencing has created new possibilities for myrmecological research. At least ten ant genomes have now been sequenced, with more on the way. Here, we aim to provide an introduction to genomics to the curious myrmecologist. For this, we discuss the genomics analyses possible without a full genome sequence, the motivations, approach and outcomes of a genome-sequencing project, and provide starting points for myrmecologists interested in using genomics data and approaches.
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The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant species.
Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) represent one of the most successful eusocial taxa in terms of both their geographic distribution and species number. The publication of seven ant genomes within the past year was a quantum leap for socio- and ant genomics. The diversity of social organization in ants makes them excellent model organisms to study the evolution of social systems. Comparing the ant ...
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Ants are among the most remarkable and successful of animal taxa. The success of ants stems from their complex social systems, which originate, in part, from the genetic composition of individual society members. In this review, we evaluate progress in understanding how genetic information influences complex phenotypes in ants. We find that research on the structure of ant genomes has been stro...
متن کاملCorrection: First Record of the Myrmicine Ant Genus Meranoplus Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Arabian Peninsula with Description of a New Species and Notes on the Zoogeography of Southwestern Kingdom Saudi Arabia
There is a word missing in the article title. The correct title is: First Record of the Myrmicine Ant GenusMeranoplus Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Arabian Peninsula with Description of a New Species and Notes on the Zoogeography of Southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The correct citation is: Sharaf MR, Al Dhafer HM, Aldawood AS (2014) First Record of the Myrmicine Ant GenusM...
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