JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2021, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5): 1-9.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202009002

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Research progress of termite caste differentiation

JI Baozhong1(), ZHANG Lei1(), LIU Shuwen2,*(), JIANG Hongjian1, JIN Mingxia1   

  1. 1. Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Foresty, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
    2. The Administration Bureau of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, Nanjing 210014, China
  • Received:2020-09-02 Accepted:2021-04-13 Online:2021-09-30 Published:2021-09-30
  • Contact: LIU Shuwen E-mail:jbz9885@njfu.edu.cn;283729092@qq.com;liushuwen2006@163.com

Abstract:

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.

Key words: termite, caste differentiation, information transfer, hormonal regulation, signal pathway

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