Genetic caste determination in termites: out of the shade but not from Mars
Crozier, Ross H., and Schluns, Helge (2008) Genetic caste determination in termites: out of the shade but not from Mars. BioEssays, 30 (4). pp. 299-302.
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Abstract
Several ant species are known with genetic effects on caste determination but, for termites, the role of environment has been assumed to be omnipotent. Now Hayashi et al. report that commitment to the nymph and worker pathways in Reticulitermes speratus follows a simple model involving two alleles at a sex-linked locus.[1] The spread of this system of genetic caste determination seems best explained by selection at the colony level. This remarkable system may be widely applicable throughout termites, although it cannot be universal, and may provide a window into causal aspects of the molecular biology of caste determination.
| Item ID: | 9091 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1521-1878 |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Mar 2010 23:46 |
| FoR Codes: | 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0604 Genetics > 060403 Developmental Genetics (incl Sex Determination) @ 50% 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0608 Zoology > 060803 Animal Developmental and Reproductive Biology @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100% |
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