Evolution von Geruchsrezeptorgenen bei Duftstoff-sammelnden Prachtbienen
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
Chemical signals are important for mate attraction and recognition in many insects. Usually these signals underly strong stabilizing selection, being an important reproductive barrier constraining the formation of new species. The genetic mechanisms that facilitate the divergence of sexual signals remain elusive. In the project we investigated olfactory genes that are linked to the rapid evolution of a signaling trait in a pair of nascent neotropical orchid bee lineages, Euglossa dilemma and E. viridissima. Male orchid bees acquire chemical compounds from their environment to concoct species-specific perfumes to later expose during courtship. We found that the two lineages acquire chemically distinct perfumes and are reproductively isolated despite low levels of genome-wide differentiation. Remarkably, variation in perfume chemistry coincides with rapid divergence in few odorant receptor (OR) genes. Using functional assays, we demonstrate that the derived variant of Or41 in E. dilemma is specific towards its speciesspecific major perfume compound, whereas the ancestral variant in E. viridissima is broadly tuned to multiple odorants. Our results show that OR evolution likely played a role in the divergence of sexual communication in natural populations. Further, we finally revealed the behavioral function of perfume signals in orchid bees (Euglossini), showing in mate choice experiments that perfume of male Euglossa dilemma lures females for mating and increases male mating success.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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6-(4-Methylpent-3-en-1-yl)naphthalene-1,4-dione, a behaviorally active semivolatile in tibial perfumes of orchid bees. Chemoecology, 28(4-5), 131-135.
Hedenström, Erik; Andersson, Fredrik; Sjöberg, Natalia & Eltz, Thomas
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Correlates of display activity and perch residency of male orchid bees in cage experiments. Acta Zoo Bot Austria 156, 159- 169.
Pokorny, T.; Millahn, E.; Schlütting, P.; Ramírez, S.R. & Eltz, T.
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Stored perfume dynamics and consequences for signal development in male orchid bees. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 205(3), 311-320.
Eltz, T.; Josten, S. & Mende, T.
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The evolution of sexual signaling is linked to odorant receptor tuning in perfume-collecting orchid bees. Nature Communications, 11(1).
Brand, Philipp; Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael A.; Ayala, Ricardo; Daigle, Michael; Yurrita, Obiols Carmen L.; Eltz, Thomas & Ramírez, Santiago R.
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Social Behavior, Ovary Size, and Population of Origin Influence Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the Orchid Bee Euglossa dilemma. The American Naturalist, 198(5), E136–E151.
Saleh, Nicholas W.; Hodgson, Kirsten; Pokorny, Tamara; Mullins, Aaron; Chouvenc, Thomas; Eltz, Thomas & Ramírez, Santiago R.
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Function of environment-derived male perfumes in orchid bees. Current Biology, 33(10), 2075-2080.e3.
Henske, Jonas; Saleh, Nicholas W.; Chouvenc, Thomas; Ramírez, Santiago R. & Eltz, Thomas
