An international team of scientists has identified a potential genetic mechanism behind ants’ evolutionary success in the aftermath of the mass extinction event that ended the dinosaur age. The research, published in Science Advances and led by Dr. Lukas Schrader of the University of Münster’s Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, examined genomic data from 163 ant species representing twelve of the sixteen surviving ant subfamilies.
The study focused on transposable elements, commonly referred to as jumping genes, which are segments of DNA capable of relocating within a genome and replicating themselves. While traditionally viewed as genomic parasites with no benefit to host organisms, scientists increasingly recognize that these mobile genetic elements can facilitate evolutionary innovation. The researchers discovered that ant lineages containing the highest quantities of jumping genes correspond to those with the greatest species diversity today.
Critically, the researchers found temporal correlations between genetic activity and evolutionary expansion. Several major ant lineages experienced distinct surges in transposable element activity during the early Paleogene period, approximately 66 million years ago, shortly before undergoing rapid diversification into thousands of contemporary species. Dr. Schrader noted that the asteroid impact fundamentally altered environmental conditions, and that transposable elements represent the genomic mechanism connecting these ecological disruptions to subsequent ant diversification.
The analysis revealed an additional connection between jumping genes and the expansion of gene families governing chemical communication in ants. Genes encoding odorant receptors, which allow ants to detect and respond to chemical signals, showed notable expansion linked to transposable element activity. These receptors prove essential to ant social organization, enabling colony navigation, individual recognition, and coordinated group activities.
This evolutionary pattern is not unique to ants; previous research has documented similar correlations between periods of increased transposable element activity and species emergence in other animal groups, including primates and bats.
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