Extended Data Fig. 7: Freja’s functional role in canalizing gyne phenotypes.
From: Canalized gene expression during development mediates caste differentiation in ants
a, Predicted functional domains of the protein encoded by Freja (LOC10587931), annotated with InterPro (see Methods). Freja contains a signal peptide domain at the N terminus, indicating secretion or membrane insertion. In addition, Freja contains a leucine-rich-repeat domain, suggesting its role in protein binding. b, Freja is the most strongly canalized gene in M. pharaonis, showing an increasing between-caste expression difference and a decreasing within-caste expression variance as development proceeds (ngyne = 168 and nworker = 161). The caste identities in 1st instar larvae are based on BPA prediction. c, Tissue-specific RT-PCR quantification of Freja transcript abundance in adult gynes, showing Freja’s expression is restricted to the abdomen and especially highly abundant in the ovaries. d, RT-PCR quantification of the efficiency of Freja-RNAi in 3rd instar larvae (left) and adult gynes (right). Compared to the GFP-RNAi control group, Freja-RNAi significantly reduced the expression level of Freja (p < 1e-3 in one-way ANOVAs in each age group). e, Compared with the control group, Freja-RNAi significantly reduced the number of yolky oocytes in adult gynes (p = 0.004 in one-way ANOVA). For Extended Data Figure 7b–e, box plots show the median (centre line), 25% and 75% quartiles (boxes), outermost values (whiskers) and data points (overlapping with box and whiskers).
