A joint study by Tel Aviv University and the University of Mainz found that the tendency to rescue an ant in distress is related to differences in gene activity in the nervous system – and not to body size, structure or energy reserves.
why Ants Some come to the aid of a nestmate in distress, while others approach her but do not help? A joint study by researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz andTel Aviv University points to a possible answer: The difference is not due to the size of the body, its structure, or the amount of energy the ant has accumulated, but is related to patterns of gene activity inNervous System its.
Luisa Maria Jaimes-Nino and Prof. Susana Pojcic from the University ofUniversity of Mainz, next to Adi Bar and Prof. Resin ionization from the School of Zoology in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University. The research was also supported by the National Science Foundation and published in the journal Journal of Experimental Biology.
"Our study shows that in ants, willingness to help is linked to measurable differences in gene activity," says Pojcic. She says the finding is particularly interesting becauseRescue behavior For years it was attributed mainly to mammals, although it also evolved separately in ants.
Which of the ants will try to rescue a mate for the nest?
To test what distinguishes helpful and non-helpful ants, the researchers recreated a distress situation in the laboratory. An ant from the species Cataglyphis nigra was placed on the bottom of an experimental chamber lined with sand, and then a different worker from the same colony was introduced into the chamber each time.
The researchers recorded the behavior of the ants for 15 minutes. An ant was considered a rescuer if it approached the trapped member, pulled on it, or dug around it in an attempt to free it. Similar behavior is also observed in nature when workers try to rescue nestmates buried in the sand. In contrast, ants that approached the ant in distress but did not attempt to free it were classified as unhelpful.
The use of the term "rescue" does not attribute human moral consideration to ants. In behavioral research, it describes an action aimed at helping an individual of the same species that is in immediate danger, involves a cost or risk to the rescuer, and does not provide it with a direct and immediate benefit.
The difference was discovered in the processing centers of the insect brain
After the behavioral test, the researchers examined whether the differences between the two groups were also reflected at a biological level. They examined the antennae and several areas of the ants' brains, including the visual lobes, central brain regions, and the "mushroom bodies" - processing centers in the insect's brain that integrate sensory information and are involved in learning and behavioral control.
The researchers isolated RNA molecules from the tissues, indicating which genes are active in the cells, and compared, using RNA sequencing, the gene activity of the rescuing ants to that of the ants that did not try to help.
The most striking differences were found in the mushroom bodies. In the rescue ants, 15 genes were more active in this region, including genes related to odor perception, hormonal regulation, metabolic processes and immune system function. Nine genes were found to be more active in the rescuers in all tissues tested.
The scientific article points to pathways related to polyamine production, youth hormone signaling, and the immune system, among other things. The researchers suggest that these pathways may influence the processing of distress signals and the ant's willingness to respond to them.
Not more power or larger energy reserves
The researchers found no evidence that the rescue ants were simply bigger or stronger, or that they had greater energy reserves. Morphological measures and fat content also did not explain the difference between the groups. The findings instead point to differences in sensory processing and molecular signaling pathways in the nervous system.
One of the surprising findings concerned immune system genes. In insects, these genes are not just involved in protecting against pathogens; previous studies have also linked them to activity levels, sleep, and the tendency to grapple. The new study raises the possibility that they may also be involved in regulating social responses. Another possibility is that ants that rescue nest mates are more vulnerable to injury or infection, so increased activity of immune genes may be beneficial to them.
However, the study does not identify a single "rescue gene" and does not prove that a particular genetic pattern is the direct cause of the behavior. The researchers believe that the response is created by a combination of receiving distress signals, processing them in the nervous system, and molecular pathways that influence the willingness to act. Further experiments will be needed to determine which of the genetic changes cause the behavior and which are its consequence or an accompanying characteristic.
"Ants are a particularly good model for studying the biological foundations of social behaviour "It's complex," concludes Powicz. "Our study shows that individuals from the same colony not only respond differently, but that these differences are also linked to measurable molecular processes."
Questions and Answers
How did the researchers determine which ants they were saving?
An ant was defined as a rescuer if, within 15 minutes, it approached its nest mate, pulled it, or dug around it in an attempt to free it. Ants that approached but did not attempt to rescue it were classified as non-helpers.
What differences were found between the rescuers and the ants that did not help?
The most striking differences were found in gene activity in the nervous system, especially in the mushroom bodies in the insect brain. No differences were found that explain the behavior in body size, structure, or energy reserves.
Has a single gene been found that causes rescue behavior?
No. The study found a link between the behavior and the activity of several genes and molecular pathways, but does not prove that a single gene drives it. It is likely a combination of signal reception, sensory processing, and molecular control.
What is Tel Aviv University's role in the research?
Adi Bar and Prof. Yinon Sharf from the School of Zoology at Tel Aviv University are co-authors of the article and participated in the design of the study, the execution of the experiments, and the formulation of the methods. Prof. Sharf also participated in the management and supervision of the study, and the research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation.
The scientific article
More on the subject on the science website
- Ants vs. Humans: The Maze Challenge
- The wisdom of crowds of ants
- Ants that have acquired knowledge randomly take temporary command
- The social network of the ants
For the original publication: [Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, via Phys.org](
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