Immune challenges increase network centrality in a queenless ant
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Immune challenges increase network centrality in a queenless ant. / Alciatore, Giacomo; Ugelvig, Line V.; Frank, Erik; Bidaux, Jérémie; Gal, Asaf; Schmitt, Thomas; Kronauer, Daniel J. C.; Ulrich, Yuko.
I: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Bind 288, Nr. 1958, 20211456, 2021.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Immune challenges increase network centrality in a queenless ant
AU - Alciatore, Giacomo
AU - Ugelvig, Line V.
AU - Frank, Erik
AU - Bidaux, Jérémie
AU - Gal, Asaf
AU - Schmitt, Thomas
AU - Kronauer, Daniel J. C.
AU - Ulrich, Yuko
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Social animals display a wide range of behavioural defences against infectious diseases, some of which increase social contacts with infectious individuals (e.g. mutual grooming), while others decrease them (e.g. social exclusion). These defences often rely on the detection of infectious individuals, but this can be achieved in several ways that are difficult to differentiate. Here, we combine non-pathogenic immune challenges with automated tracking in colonies of the clonal raider ant to ask whether ants can detect the immune status of their social partners and to quantify their behavioural responses to this perceived infection risk. We first show that a key behavioural response elicited by live pathogens (allogrooming) can be qualitatively recapitulated by immune challenges alone. Automated scoring of interactions between all colony members reveals that this behavioural response increases the network centrality of immune-challenged individuals through a general increase in physical contacts. These results show that ants can detect the immune status of their nest-mates and respond with a general 'caring' strategy, rather than avoidance, towards social partners that are perceived to be infectious. Finally, we find no evidence that changes in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles drive these behavioural effects.
AB - Social animals display a wide range of behavioural defences against infectious diseases, some of which increase social contacts with infectious individuals (e.g. mutual grooming), while others decrease them (e.g. social exclusion). These defences often rely on the detection of infectious individuals, but this can be achieved in several ways that are difficult to differentiate. Here, we combine non-pathogenic immune challenges with automated tracking in colonies of the clonal raider ant to ask whether ants can detect the immune status of their social partners and to quantify their behavioural responses to this perceived infection risk. We first show that a key behavioural response elicited by live pathogens (allogrooming) can be qualitatively recapitulated by immune challenges alone. Automated scoring of interactions between all colony members reveals that this behavioural response increases the network centrality of immune-challenged individuals through a general increase in physical contacts. These results show that ants can detect the immune status of their nest-mates and respond with a general 'caring' strategy, rather than avoidance, towards social partners that are perceived to be infectious. Finally, we find no evidence that changes in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles drive these behavioural effects.
KW - social immunity
KW - clonal raider ant
KW - automated tracking
KW - interaction network
KW - social behaviour
KW - DISEASE RESISTANCE
KW - TRANSMISSION
KW - RECOGNITION
KW - HYMENOPTERA
KW - FORMICIDAE
KW - MANAGEMENT
KW - EVOLUTION
KW - HEMOLYMPH
KW - PATHOGEN
KW - PATTERNS
U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2021.1456
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2021.1456
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34493081
VL - 288
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
SN - 0962-8452
IS - 1958
M1 - 20211456
ER -
ID: 280607289