{
  "id": 13207226,
  "title": "Gene flux drives functional changes in an ancient supergene in Formica lemani",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/gene-flux-drives-functional-changes-in-an-ancient-supergene-in",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-09T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756876v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers have uncovered the genetic basis for changes in colony queen number and body size in the ant species Formica lemani. In the Formica genus, single-queen colonies generally possess M haplotypes, whereas multi-queen colonies carry P haplotypes. However, in F. lemani, certain P haplotypes, similar to those found in the closely related F. cinerea, are prevalent in both single- and multi-queen colonies, suggesting that these P1 haplotypes may carry novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) combinations enabling compatibility with single queen colonies.\n\nBy comparing the haplotypes within F. lemani and comparing them with the F. cinerea, the researchers sought out candidate genes responsible for monogyny variations, which could result from gene flux from the M haplotype to the P1 haplotype or P1-specific mutations. Out of 82 genes identified with candidate variants, two of them were among the previously suggested fourteen candidates in other species, indicating that multiple genes might contribute to queen number differences across the genus.\n\nMoreover, the researchers discovered a supergene associated with smaller queen and male sizes, which is shared with F. cinerea. This supergene is also in interchromosomal linkage disequilibrium with the queen-number supergene. These findings provide a rare instance of how an ancient supergene can alter its function and represent a step towards identifying the genes within a supergene that are responsible for its various functions.",
  "summary": "Pinpointing the genetic elements underlying a phenotype within a supergene can be difficult because hundreds of linked genes can show similar associations with phenotype. Rare recombination between supergene haplotypes can help identify those genetic elements by changing haplotype-phenotype combinations. Here we investigate the genetic underpinnings of colony queen number and body size in the ant…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}