Changes in gene expression align with behavioural differences in reproductive choices in a social beetle.

Changes in gene expression align with behavioural differences in reproductive choices in a social beetle. | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Changes in gene expression align with behavioural differences in reproductive choices in a social beetle. Preetom Regon, Christian Schudoma, Aviad Moncaz, Ally R Harari, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4116788/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in Insectes Sociaux → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Social animals often share their colony with individuals of different relatedness levels and life stages. In most social insects, the society structure consists of only one or a few reproducing females in the colony. When no reproductive depression is in place, a fertile female must, therefore, choose whether to stay with its natal group and limit her reproductive potential or leave to establish a new colony. The factors governing and following this reproductive decision are still largely unknown. The date stone beetle, Coccotrypes dactyliperda (Curculiondae), resides in intricate galleries carved inside date seeds. Sib mating is common in this species, and the inbreeding coefficient is high. While most females in a natal group stay and raise their offspring with their sisters, some females leave the group to start a colony of their own, regardless of the resources available within the natal group. In this study, we hypothesized that dispersing females should present physiological changes consistent with the anticipated challenges, including finding a host and egg laying, while the physiology of females that stay in the natal seed should demonstrate adaptation related to cohabiting in an existing nest. To test our hypothesis, we examined the development of ovaries in females that left the natal seed and their sisters that remained in the seed. In addition, we sequenced and analysed the transcriptome of pooled groups of females that left the natal seed and their sisters that stayed. Our physiological and transcriptomic results indicate that females that left the natal seed exhibit greater ovarian development compared to females that remained in the seed. Our transcriptomic data revealed further differences between the two groups, including genes related to nest-mate recognition and other physiological adaptations. Our study is the first to link behaviour, physiological changes and transcriptomic analyses with decision-making in relation to reproductive strategies in a social beetle. Bark beetle RNA-seq sociality sib mating oviposition dispersal decision-making Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in Insectes Sociaux → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major Revisions Needed 21 Apr, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Mar, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Mar, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 18 Mar, 2024 First submitted to journal 17 Mar, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4116788","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":284304454,"identity":"6e2c103c-8334-4fb3-b4bf-161bff728ff3","order_by":0,"name":"Preetom Regon","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Agricultural Research Organization Volcani Center Information Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Preetom","middleName":"","lastName":"Regon","suffix":""},{"id":284304455,"identity":"84257fb8-997f-48e6-bf08-5a2cec82928c","order_by":1,"name":"Christian 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