Levels of JHbp expression and its relationship to behavioral plasticity in workers of the little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata

Behavior may be specified by genes through the encoding of molecular products, such as hormones, that can produce biochemical effects on organisms. Hormones have the important role of regulating physiological and biochemical process as a response to environmental stimuli. In social insects, Juvenile Hormone-III (JH-III) is linked to age related division of labor between different castes. The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, exhibits reproductive division of labor, were queens lay eggs and have the highest JH-III levels and sterile young workers perform brood care and have relatively higher levels of JH-III compared to older workers who perform foraging duties. Under atypical conditions, older workers have been observed performing behavioral plasticity. Our objective is to determine a relationship between behavioral plasticity and JH-III titers in the workers of W. auropunctata. We will remove foragers and nurses from experimental nests, where we will sample individuals performing atypical tasks for further RNA extraction. Levels of JH-III will be analyzed by measuring expression of the Juvenile Hormone Binding Protein (JHbp) through Real Time-PCR analysis, measuring Actin and GAPDH expression levels as controls. In nests were nurses were removed, we expect foragers to be performing brood care and expressing higher JHbp compared to typical foragers. In nests were foragers were removed, nurses are expected to show little to no plasticity and typical JHbp levels. The results of this experiment could help us further understand behavior based on gene-environment interactions through physiological and molecular mechanisms.