Genetic Systems and Reproductive Ecology in Social Insects
Summary
Social insects exhibit a remarkable array of genetic systems that underpin their complex reproductive ecologies and eusocial organisation. Among these, haplodiploidy and paternal genome elimination define asymmetric modes of inheritance in which males transmit only a subset of parental chromosomes. Such systems influence kin structure, conflict and cooperation within colonies and shape caste determination, with profound effects on colony fitness and resilience. Reproductive ecology in social Hymenoptera and related taxa is further modulated by queen mating frequency, worker reproduction and hybridisation, which together govern colony genetic diversity and adaptive potential. Intrageneric conflicts—arising when genes favour alternative transmission routes—drive the evolution of genomic imprinting and sex-biased gene expression. Meanwhile, ecological factors such as resource availability, climate variation and habitat fragmentation interact with genetic architecture to determine patterns of dispersal, mating and colony founding. Understanding these interconnections has global significance, from optimising pollinator health and biological control strategies to predicting responses of social insect communities to environmental change.
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Genetic Systems and Reproductive Ecology in Social Insects publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic systems and reproductive ecology in social insects across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Haplodiploidy: A genetic system in which males develop from unfertilised eggs (haploid) and females from fertilised eggs (diploid).
Paternal genome elimination (PGE): An inheritance mode in which males inherit but do not transmit the paternal set of chromosomes.
Intragenomic conflict: Evolutionary conflict between genes or genomic regions that differ in their transmission interests.
Genomic imprinting: Parent-of-origin-specific gene expression, often resulting in the silencing of one parental allele.
References
- Are asymmetric inheritance systems an evolutionary trap? Transitions in the mechanism of paternal genome loss in the scale insect family Eriococcidae. Genetics (2023).
- Paternal genome elimination: patterns and mechanisms of drive and silencing. Current Opinion in Genetics & Development (2023).
- Gene-rich X chromosomes implicate intragenomic conflict in the evolution of bizarre genetic systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2022).
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