A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of paper wasp brains highlights Kenyon cells' role in social behavior
Social insects provide unique opportunities for studying social interactions, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these behaviors are poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell sequencing to profile the transcriptomes of 96,310 cells across four phenotypes of Polistes fuscatus paper wasps: foundresses, workers, gynes, and males, to determine how social states and social…
A groundbreaking study has unveiled the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind social behaviors in paper wasps, focusing on the crucial role of Kenyon cells in the brain. Researchers conducted a single-cell sequencing analysis on 96,310 cells from four types of Polistes fuscatus wasps: foundresses, workers, gynes, and males. The study revealed that a significant portion of the Polistes brain consists of diverse Kenyon cell populations.
These Kenyon cells exhibited varying gene-expression profiles and were influenced by factors such as sex, caste, and season. The authors also demonstrated that merely observing a social interaction triggered substantial transcriptomic responses in Kenyon cells, with some signatures overlapping with those induced by direct social interaction.
This suggests that a shared neural program underlies both direct social interactions and social observation in these complex insects.
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