Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41077914›Full record

ArticleMolecular biology and evolution2025

A Novel Supergene Controls Queen Size and Colony Social Organization in the Ant Myrmica ruginodis.

Hanna Sigeman, Perttu Seppä, Philip A Downing, Matthew T Webster, Heikki Helanterä, Lumi Viljakainen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular biology and evolution, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Genome Evolution in Social Insects.Genome biology and evolution · 2026
    Review
  2. Multiple Origins of a Sex Ratio Supergene in Formica Ants.Molecular biology and evolution · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hanna SigemanEcology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-1457-4174
Perttu SeppäOrganismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-5393-6943
Philip A DowningEcology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-5286-3153
Matthew T WebsterDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 582, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-1141-2863
Heikki HelanteräEcology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-6468-5956
Lumi ViljakainenEcology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-6587-6156

Funding

Finnish Research Council 24303855Swedish Research Council 2023-00403
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Large independently evolved supergenes control colony social organization and queen reproductive strategies in several ant lineages. Their independent origins, as well as the similarities of the associated phenotypes, make ant supergenes a promising system for studying the parallel evolution of genome organization and adaptability. However, the genetic basis of differences in social organization and queen phenotypes remains unknown in many ant species, limiting the potential power of this system for comparative studies. We investigated the genetic basis of colony social organization in the queen-size dimorphic ant Myrmica ruginodis by sampling 95 queens from 31 colonies in southern Finland. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a novel 9 Mb supergene associated with both queen size and social organization. Queens homozygous for the AA haplotype were larger and found only in single-queen colonies, while queens in multiple-queen colonies were smaller and carried only AB and BB genotypes. This supergene is not homologous to previously identified supergenes in ants, suggesting it arose through a distinct evolutionary pathway.

Indexed as

AntsAnimalsFemaleGenes, InsectSocial BehaviorantMyrmica ruginodispolygynysupergene

Identifiers

PMID41077914
PMCPMC12572780

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.