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The TUNEL assay suggests mandibular regression by programmed cell death during presoldier differentiation in the nasute termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis

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Abstract

Termite soldiers are the most specialized caste of social insects in terms of their morphology and function. Soldier development requires increased juvenile hormone (JH) titer and the two molts via a presoldier stage. These molts are accompanied by dramatic morphological changes, including the exaggeration and regression of certain organs. Soldiers of the most apical termitid subfamily Nasutitermitinae possess not only a horn-like frontal tube, called the nasus, for the projection of defensive chemicals from the frontal gland reservoir but also regressed mandibles. Although candidate genes regulating soldier mandibular growth were reported in a relatively basal termite species, the regulatory mechanisms of mandibular regression remain unknown. To clarify these mechanisms, we performed morphological and histological examinations of the mandibles during soldier differentiation in Nasutitermes takasagoensis. Mandibular size reduced dramatically during soldier differentiation, and mandibular regression occurred just prior to the presoldier molt. Spotted TUNEL signals were observed in regressing mandibles of presoldiers, suggesting that the regression involved programmed cell death. Because soldiers of N. takasagoensis possess exaggerated organs (nasus and frontal gland), the present results suggest that JH-dependent regressive mechanisms exist in the mandibles without interfering with the formation of the exaggerated organs.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Toru Miura for helpful discussions. This study was supported in part by Grant-in Aids for Young Scientists (Nos. 19770012 and 21770079 to KM), and for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (No. 20200059 to KM) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

    Kouhei Toga & Kiyoto Maekawa

  2. Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan

    Shinichi Yoda

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  1. Kouhei Toga
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  2. Shinichi Yoda
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  3. Kiyoto Maekawa
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Correspondence to Kiyoto Maekawa.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

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Toga, K., Yoda, S. & Maekawa, K. The TUNEL assay suggests mandibular regression by programmed cell death during presoldier differentiation in the nasute termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis . Naturwissenschaften 98, 801 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-011-0825-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-011-0825-9

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