Overview
The development of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout in two ant species opens a new window into exploring how social insects use olfactory cues to organize their collective behavior. In this issue of Cell, Trible et al. (2017) and Yan et al. (2017) advance the field of ant genetics by performing CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the Orco olfactory co-receptor gene in two ant species separated by 100+ million years of evolution: the clonal raider ant (Ooceraea biroi) and Jerdon's jumping ant (Har
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Methods and contributions
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Findings and contributions
- Homozygous Orco loss-of-function ants of both species showed similar altered behavior and reduced reproductive performance, supporting Orco's central role in ant olfaction.
- Both studies unexpectedly found gross antennal lobe defects in Orco mutants; the commentary argues the reduced glomerular number implies a novel neurodevelopmental role for Orco, perhaps tied to ants' expanded glomerular number.
- The commentary frames the two studies together as a watershed moment for eusocial insect genetics, moving beyond purely correlative evidence.
Methods
- Side-by-side preview of two companion Cell ant CRISPR/Cas9 studies — Compares Trible et al. (2017) and Yan et al. (2017), which knocked out the Orco olfactory co-receptor in O. biroi and H. saltator.
- Contrast of reproductive biology enabling mutant lines in each species — Explains how clonal parthenogenesis in O. biroi and the gamergate transition in H. saltator were each used to propagate Orco mutants.
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