Presentation Details
| A single-cell atlas of paper wasp brains highlights Kenyon cells as drivers of social behavior Colby Behrens, Michael J.Sheehan. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA |
Abstract
Eusocial insect castes are behaviorally and physiologically diverse and provide a powerful opportunity to examine how social evolution shapes behavior. Behavioral specialization among castes is well-described, but the proximate machinery underlying their divergence is poorly understood. We performed single-cell sequencing to compare the transcriptomics of four paper wasp groups: foundress, worker, gyne, and male, to determine how social state and social interactions are encoded in the brain. We characterized the diversity of the Polistes brain and demonstrate that a substantial portion of the brain is composed of Kenyon cell neurons, which differ in composition and expression profiles across groups. In addition, social interactions, and the observation of social interactions, induced significant transcriptomic shifts across populations of Kenyon cells and non-neural cells. Finally, we used the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) to identify Kenyon cells that preferentially activate following social interactions. Together, these results provide insights into insect social processing and implicate subpopulations of Kenyon cells that mediate social interactions in the brain.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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