All articles tagged with #supergenes
Researchers discovered that inverted DNA segments, or supergenes, in cichlid fish accelerate evolution by preserving beneficial gene combinations, helping species adapt quickly and maintain biodiversity, especially in environments with closely living species. This mechanism may be a key factor in the rapid speciation observed in Lake Malawi cichlids and could have broader implications for understanding evolution across many animals, including humans.
Researchers at UC Riverside have discovered that the presence of tiny queens in ant colonies is controlled by supergenes, which determine the number and size of queens in the colony. These supergenes, found in the ant species Formica cinerea, play a crucial role in the social dynamics of ant colonies, potentially leading to reproductive conflicts among workers. The study suggests that the combined supergenes may help the colony expand and survive, shedding light on the evolution of social parasitism in ants.