Organization and chromosomal evolution of repetitive elements in genomes of social wasps

• Grant number: 15/02432-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: May 07, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida
• Grantee: Rodolpho Santos Telles de Menezes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/21098-7 - Bridging chromosomal evolution and diversification in neotropical swarm-founding wasps through phylogenomics, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The existence of repetitive DNA sequences is a remarkable characteristic in genomes of eukaryotes. Several studies have been conducted to investigate chromosomal distribution of these elements in genomes of multiple organisms, thus contributing to the knowledge of their evolutionary dynamics. Social wasps show interesting social characteristics and therefore have been the aim of several studies on their biology, evolution and behavior. On the other hand, there is a paucity of cytogenetic studies in the group and detailed analyses regarding the distribution patterns and evolutionary dynamics of repetitive sequences have not yet been conducted. Despite the relative lack of information about the karyotype of social wasps, the group shows high karyotypic diversity represented by chromosomal variation in the chromosome haploid number from n = 5-34, and an intense evolutionary dynamics of rich segments in GC base pairs exists. This suggests a strong genomic reorganization dynamic in the group. This research project aims to investigate the structural and evolutionary dynamic organization of repetitive elements using social wasps as model organisms. Classic chromosome analysis and chromosomal physical mapping of repetitive DNA sequences such as 18S rDNA, 5S and histones will be performed wtih these insects. In addition, this data will be analyzed in the light of the evolutionary history of the taxon, under the framework of a phylogenetic hypotheses with divergence times estimates for the lineages. The integration of cytogenetic data, phylogenetic relationships, and diversification are promising in elucidating the evolutionary pattern of repetitive elements in the group. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOMAVILLA, ALEXANDRE; BARROSO, PAULO C. S.; ARAGAO, MARCOS; MATEUS, SIDNEI; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.. An integrative taxonomic and phylogenetic approach reveals a new Neotropical swarm-founding social wasp, Pseudopolybia cryptica sp. n. (Vespidae: Polistinae: Epiponini). ARTHROPOD SYSTEMATICS & PHYLOGENY, v. 79, p. 25-35, 2021. (15/02432-0)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; BRADY, SEAN G.; CARVALHO, ANTONIO F.; DEL LAMA, MARCO A.; COSTA, MARCO A.. The roles of barriers, refugia, and chromosomal clines underlying diversification in Atlantic Forest social wasps. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, AUG 9 2017. (15/02432-0)

CUNHA, D. A. S.; MENEZES, R. S. T.; COSTA, M. A.; LIMA, S. M.; ANDRADE, L. H. C.; ANTONIALLI, JR., W. F.. Integrated Analyses of Cuticular Hydrocarbons, Chromosome and mtDNA in the Neotropical Social Wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikan (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Neotropical Entomology, v. 46, n. 6, p. 642-648, DEC 2017. (15/02432-0)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.; LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. Are the TTAGG and TTAGGG telomeric repeats phylogenetically conserved in aculeate Hymenoptera?. NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, v. 104, n. 9-10, OCT 2017. (16/21098-7, 15/02432-0, 15/12326-3, 11/09477-9)

PASSOS, JOSEANE F.; NASCIMENTO, DANILO B.; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; ADAIME, RICARDO; ARAUJO, ELTON L.; LIMA, KATIA M.; ZUCCHI, ROBERTO A.; TELES, BEATRIZ RONCHI; NASCIMENTO, RUTH R.; ARCE, RAUL RUIZ; et al. Genetic structure and diversity in Brazilian populations of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae). PLoS One, v. 13, n. 12, DEC 20 2018. (15/02432-0)

KOCH, E. B. A.; CORREIA, J. P. S. O.; MENEZES, R. S. T.; SILVESTRINI, R. A.; DELABIE, J. H. C.; VASCONCELOS, H. L.. New Records and Potential Distribution of the Ant Gracilidris pombero Wild & Cuezzo (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology, v. 65, n. 3, p. 375-382, SEP 2018. (15/02432-0, 16/21098-7)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; GAZONI, THIAGO; COSTA, MARCO A.. Cytogenetics of warrior wasps (Vespidae: Synoeca) reveals intense evolutionary dynamics of ribosomal DNA clusters and an unprecedented number of microchromosomes in Hymenoptera. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 126, n. 4, p. 925-935, APR 2019. (15/02432-0, 16/21098-7, 11/09477-9)

SALGADO BARROSO, PAULO CEZAR; TELLES MENEZES, RODOLPHO SANTOS; DE OLIVEIRA, MARCIO LUIZ; SOMAVILLA, ALEXANDRE. A systematic review of the Neotropical social wasp genus Angiopolybia Araujo, 1946 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): species delimitation, morphological diagnosis, and geographical distribution. ARTHROPOD SYSTEMATICS & PHYLOGENY, v. 80, p. 23-pg., 2022-03-02. (15/02432-0)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.; MILANI, DIOGO; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. The relevance of chromosome fissions for major ribosomal DNA dispersion in hymenopteran insects. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, v. 34, n. 9, AUG 2021. (16/21098-7, 19/19069-7, 15/02432-0, 18/09666-5, 14/11763-8)

CARVALHO, ANTONIO F.; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; MIRANDA, ELDER A.; COSTA, MARCO A.; DEL LAMA, MARCO A.. Comparative phylogeography and palaeomodelling reveal idiosyncratic responses to climate changes in Neotropical paper wasps. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 132, n. 4, p. 955-969, APR 2021. (15/02432-0, 11/21501-2, 12/23342-1, 11/13391-2, 13/04317-9)

LOPES, ROGERIO B.; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.. Synoeca ilheensis sp nov., a new social wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) from Brazilian lowland Atlantic Forest. Zootaxa, v. 4300, n. 3, p. 445-450, AUG 3 2017. (16/21098-7, 15/02432-0, 11/09477-9)

DA SILVA CUNHA, DAYANA ALVES; TELLES MENEZES, RODOLPHO SANTOS; LIMA CARDOSO, CLAUDIA ANDREA; ANTONIALLI JUNIOR, WILLIAM FERNANDO. Is It Possible to Obtain the Chemical Profile From Ethanol-Preserved Specimens? The Hydrocarbon and Fatty Acid Composition of the Social Wasp Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Epiponini). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY, v. 50, n. 3, p. 580-588, JUN 2021. (16/21098-7, 15/02432-0)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; LLOYD, MICHAEL W.; BRADY, SEAN G.. Phylogenomics indicates Amazonia as the major source of Neotropical swarm-founding social wasp diversity. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, v. 287, n. 1928, JUN 10 2020. (16/21098-7, 15/02432-0)