Relaxed selection underlies genome erosion in socially parasitic ant species

oleh: Lukas Schrader, Hailin Pan, Martin Bollazzi, Morten Schiøtt, Fredrick J. Larabee, Xupeng Bi, Yuan Deng, Guojie Zhang, Jacobus J. Boomsma, Christian Rabeling

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Nature Portfolio 2021-05-01

Deskripsi

Many obligate symbionts, including parasites, have reduced genomes. A comparison of leaf-cutter ant genomes reveals parallel gene losses, particularly in olfactory receptors, in socially parasitic species compared to their closely-related hosts, consistent with relaxed selection for cooperative colony life in the parasites.