An international research team reports that, given the same genetic makeup, individual behavior alone determines whether or not an individual in a social group will contract a disease. Clonal raider ants of the species Ooceraea biroi that forage outside the nest are more likely to be infected by parasitic nematodes than conspecifics in the nest. The research team also observed that diseases in the colony altered the behavior of all ants: sick and healthy ants alike remained in the nest and the division of labor was reduced, affecting the overall social organization in the ant colony.
, an international research team including scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology reports that, given the same genetic makeup, individual behavior alone determines whether or not an individual in a social group will contract a disease. Clonal raider ants of the speciesthat forage outside the nest are more likely to be infected by parasitic nematodes than conspecifics in the nest.
The COVID 19 pandemic made it quite obvious that not all people were equally at risk of catching the new virus. The elderly, the sick, and people with health problems needed special protection because the risk of contracting a life-threatening illness or dying from the virus was greatly increased. Apart from this, the risks of contracting the virus were also unequally distributed due to our occupational activities.
"Division of labor, the fact that different members of a social group perform different tasks, has long been thought to result in different disease exposure. A frequent assumption is that the division of labor can lead to an unequal exposure of group members to pathogens or parasites," explains study leader Yuko Ulrich of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. She heads the Lise Meitner Group Social Behavior.
As the research team found out, infection with the parasites significantly reduces the survival rate of the ants. Genetic analyses showed that infected ants exhibited altered gene expression patterns. In addition, the scientists used gas chromatography analyses and found that the odor profile of infected ants had changed. The ants' cuticle is covered by a waxy layer of various hydrocarbons.
Another explanation would be that the parasites cause these behavioral changes in order to be able to reproduce further. This is because parasite infection causes healthy and sick ants to come together more frequently in the nest, which should increase the likelihood of transmission. The altered odor profile of infected ants, which the researchers identified, may also play a role."This study has raised many questions that we hope to answer in follow-up studies.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Division of labor found to affect the risk of infection in clonal ant coloniesIn a new study in Nature Communications, an international research team including scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology reports that, given the same genetic makeup, individual behavior alone determines whether or not an individual in a social group will contract a disease.
Read more »
Aussie lender NAB to cut 10% jobs in markets divisionAussie lender NAB to cut 10% jobs in markets division - AFR
Read more »
Bears could tap undrafted Division II star as backup QB after cutting PJ WalkerP.J. Walker was only a few months into a two-year contract that he signed with the Chicago Bears when it came out that they had decided to cut him.
Read more »
Management Firm Elevate Entertainment Launches Podcast DivisionEXCLUSIVE: Elevate Entertainment, a management firm whose clients include Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan, is adding a podcast division. The new unit, called Highwire, is set to launch with …
Read more »
The Worst State in the Country for Voting Rights Just Got Even WorseLast month, the state Elections Division brought its voter suppression to another level.
Read more »