白蚁品级分化研究进展

白蚁作为具有品级多型和精致行为的高度社会化昆虫,品级分化是白蚁社会化生活的基础,也是生命科学的重要议题。从品级分化的类型及其影响因子、个体识别、信息传递、激素调控机理等方面,对白蚁品级分化的研究现状进行综述,为白蚁群体结构的深入理解及有效防治提供参考。白蚁品级分化主要分为生殖个体分化和非生殖个体分化两类,包括群体成员对环境的感知、相关信息的传递、个体对外部信息的生理响应、激素调控途径等环节。个体类型和生理状态信息主要以表皮碳氢化合物和挥发性信息素为媒介。品级主要受脑激素(BH)、蜕皮激素(MH)和保幼激素(JH)调节,其中JH水平对品级决定有重要影响。MH和JH的上游信号包括脑激素、胰岛素、生物胺、生长因子等信号,下游信号包括基因组、凋亡决定、储存蛋白和表观遗传等信号。在未来研究中,对营养因子信号、蜕皮激素的作用和表观遗传学途径应给予更多关注。

Research progress of termite caste differentiation

Termites are highly socialized insects with multiple castes and exquisite behavior. Caste differentiation is the basis of termites’ socialized life and is a critical question in the life sciences. Termite caste differentiation can be mainly divided into two types: the differentiation of reproductive individuals and that of non-reproductive individuals, which includes the group members’ perception of the environment, the transmission of related information, the physiological response of individuals to external information, and hormone regulatory pathways. The information on the individual type and physiological state is mainly mediated by cuticular hydrocarbon and volatile compounds (pheromones). Termite caste differentiation is mainly regulated by brain hormones(BH), molting hormone (MH) and juvenile hormone (JH). Among these hormones, JH plays an important role in the regulation of caste differentiation. Upstream signals of MH and JH, for example, brain hormones, insulin, biogenic amines, growth factors, and genomes, apoptotic decisions, storage proteins, and epigenetic pathways may be related to downstream signals. Further research should investigate the signaling of nutritional factors, the role of molting hormones and epigenetic pathways.