该研究组测序了8个八个蜚蠊目新物种，显示出逐步收缩的基因组木蟑螂育幼行为受限于氧化磷酸化与过氧化物酶体相关基因的失活，这与幼体生长缓慢的表现一致。白蚁则丢失了调控精子运动的关键基因，证实其生殖劳动分工需以一夫一妻制建群为基础。他们还从基本的营养敏感的少年激素、胰岛素、EGFR和Dpp信号通路中选择了许多基因。其中，大多数幼虫早期通过高能量代谢发育为工蚁，而生殖若虫在发育后期高度表达能量代谢基因。这些通路与白蚁必须依赖特化工蚁供养、以及通过反馈循环形成大型稳态群体的演化机制相契合。
据了解，木蠊双亲抚育与白蚁同胞利他行为源自独居蜚蠊祖先在营养贫乏朽木上特化后的演化，但其伴随的基因组变化尚未明晰。
附：英文原文
Title: Nutritional specialization and social evolution in woodroaches and termites
Author: Yingying Cui, Fangfang Liu, Dongwei Yuan, Mingtao Liao, Zhaoxin Li, Yun-Xia Luan, Shuxin Yu, Kesen Zhu, Qian Gao, Yunlong Cheng, Gangqi Fang, Zongqing Wang, Shiming Zhu, Jinlan Xu, Shuai Wang, Melissa Sánchez Herrera, Qiuying Huang, Xiaohong Su, Zhang Wang, Hui Xiang, Nathan Lo, Jacobus J. Boomsma, Shuai Zhan, Sheng Li
Issue&Volume: 2026-01-29
Abstract: Woodroach biparental-care and termite sibling-altruism evolved from solitary cockroach ancestors following nutritional specialization on nutrient-deficient dead-wood, but the accompanying genomic changes remained unclear. We sequenced eight new Blattodea species showing stepwise contracted genomes. Woodroach brood-rearing remained constrained by deactivated oxidative phosphorylation and peroxisome genes, consistent with slow immature growth. Termites lost key genes mediating sperm motility, corroborating that reproductive division of labor required monogamous colony-founding. They also co-opted many genes from fundamental nutrition-sensitive juvenile hormone, insulin, EGFR and Dpp signaling pathways. Thus, most larvae develop as workers via high energy metabolism early on, while reproductive nymphs highly express energy metabolism genes late in development. These pathways are consistent with obligate dependence on provisioning by specialized workers and feedback loops allowing large homeostatic colonies to evolve.
DOI: adt2178
Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt2178