DOI: 10.5061/dryad.4h56c
title: Data from: Comparative genomics and transcriptomics in ants provide new insights into the evolution and function of odorant binding and chemosensory proteins

description: Background: The complex societies of ants and other social insects rely on
 sophisticated chemical communication. Two families of small soluble
 proteins, the odorant binding and chemosensory proteins (OBPs and CSPs),
 are believed to be important in insect chemosensation. To better
 understand the role of these proteins in ant olfaction, we examined their
 evolution and expression across the ants using phylogenetics and sex- and
 tissue-specific RNA-seq. Results: We find that subsets of both OBPs and
 CSPs are expressed in the antennae, contradicting the previous hypothesis
 that CSPs have replaced OBPs in ant olfaction. Both protein families have
 several highly conserved clades with a single ortholog in all eusocial
 hymenopterans, as well as clades with more dynamic evolution and many
 taxon-specific radiations. The dynamically evolving OBPs and CSPs have
 been hypothesized to function in chemical communication. Intriguingly, we
 find that seven members of the conserved clades are expressed specifically
 in the antennae of the clonal raider ant Cerapachys biroi, whereas only
 one dynamically evolving CSP is antenna specific. The orthologs of the
 conserved, antenna-specific C. biroi genes are also expressed in antennae
 of the ants Camponotus floridanus and Harpegnathos saltator, indicating
 that antenna-specific expression of these OBPs and CSPs is conserved
 across ants. Most members of the dynamically evolving clades in both
 protein families are expressed primarily in non-chemosensory tissues and
 thus likely do not fulfill chemosensory functions. Conclusions: Our
 results identify candidate OBPs and CSPs that are likely involved in
 conserved aspects of ant olfaction, and suggest that OBPs and CSPs may not
 rapidly evolve to recognize species-specific signals.
description: ABySS_transcriptome_denovo_assemblyABySS denovo assembly of RNAseq data from pooled adults, larvae, and eggs of Cerapachys biroi, as described in the "The genome of the clonal raider ant Cerapachys biroi", Current Biology 2014CSPs.bali-phy_consensusConsensus of bali-phy runs for ant CSPsCSPs.bali-phy_trees_run1.treesTrees from bali-phy chain 1 for ant CSPsCSPs.bali-phy_trees_run2.treesTrees from bali-phy chain 2 for ant CSPsCSPS.MAFFTv7.149.ginsi.ep0.123.aoiMAFFT alignment of ant CSPs using the ginsi algorithm and an ep value of 0.123CSPs.MAFFTv7.149.ginsi.ep0.123.RAxML.bootstrapRAxML bootstraps of ant CSPs aligned with MAFFT.CSPs.MAFFTv7.149.ginsi.ep0.123.RAxML.bsdrawMaximum likelihood tree as calculated with RAxML, with bootstrap bipartitions drawn, for ant CSPs aligned with MAFFT.CSPs.signalPv4.1.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.ep0.123.bootstrapsRAxML bootstraps of MAFFT aligned ant CSPs with signal peptides trimmed using signalPCSPs.signalPv4.1.MAFFTv7.149.ginsi.ep0.123Ant CSPs with signal peptides trimmed using signalP, aligned using the MAFFT ginsi algorithm with an ep value of 0.123CSPs.signalPv4.1.MAFFTv7.149.ginsi.ep0.123.RAxML.bsdrawRAxML maximum likelihood tree of MAFFT aligned, signalP trimmed ant CSPs with bootstrap bipartitions drawn.OBPs.bali-phy_consensusConsensus tree of bali-phy runs for ant OBPsOBPs.bali-phy_trees_run1.treesTrees from bali-phy chain 1 for ant OBPsOBPs.bali-phy_trees_run2.treesTrees from bali-phy chain 2 for ant OBPsOBPs.MAFFTv1.749.einsi.aoi.RAxML.bootstrapRAxML bootstrap trees for MAFFT alignment of ant OBPsOBPs.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.aoiMAFFT alignment of ant OBPs using the einsi algorithmOBPs.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.aoi.RAxML.bootstrap_drawRAxML maximum likelihood tree of MAFFT aligned ant OBPs with bootstrap bipartitions drawnOBPs.signalP4.1.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.aoiMAFFT alignment of ant OBPs with signal peptides cleaved using signal POBPs.SignalP4.1.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.aoi.RAxML.bootstrapRAxML bootstrap trees for MAFFT aligned, signal P trimmed ant OBPsOBPs.SignalP4.1.MAFFTv7.149.einsi.aoi.RAxML.bsdrawRAxML maximum likelihood tree for ant CSPs with signal peptides trimmed with signal P and then aligned with MAFFT with bootstrap bipartitions drawn