The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have helped ants conquer the world
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have set the stage for ants to conquer the planet, with a surprising boost from “jumping genes” hidden in their DNA. Scientists discovered that bursts of activity from these mobile genetic elements coincided with the rise of major ant groups and may have helped sharpen their extraordinary ability to communicate through smell.
Key points
- Ant lineages with more jumping genes tend to have more species today, a study found.
- Surges in jumping gene activity occurred around 66 million years ago in several major ant lineages.
- Jumping genes may have expanded ants' odorant receptor genes, aiding chemical communication.
New research published in Science Advances suggests that transposable elements, or "jumping genes," may have contributed to the evolutionary success of ants. The international study was led by Dr. Lukas Schrader of the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster in Germany.
The scientists compared genomes of 163 ant species representing twelve of the 16 surviving ant subfamilies. They found that ant lineages with the most jumping genes tend to have the most species today, and that several major lineages experienced separate surges in jumping gene activity during the early Paleogene, about 66 million years ago.
Link to sensory genes
The researchers also found a connection between jumping genes and the expansion of gene families that allow ants to communicate through chemical signals. Genes for odorant receptors, which enable ants to detect smells, were of particular importance.
These receptors are essential to nearly every aspect of ant social behavior, helping ants navigate, identify colony members and coordinate activities. The findings suggest jumping genes may have contributed to the expansion of these sensory systems.
The asteroid impact had dramatic consequences for the environment. We have now found the genomic mechanism that connects these ecological upheavals to the subsequent rapid diversification of the ants: transposable elements
— Lukas Schrader
What the lead author said
Schrader said the asteroid impact had dramatic consequences for the environment. He explained that the team found the genomic mechanism connecting these ecological upheavals to the ants' later rapid diversification: transposable elements.
Similar patterns have been identified in other animals, including primates and bats, according to the article.
