Scientists reprogram ant behavior using brain molecules

Penn 's Shelley Berger and colleagues explored the genetic basis of labor distribution in communal-dwelling species.

By manipulating just two neuropeptides, scientists can turn defenders into nurses or gardeners into leaf harvesters.

These same molecular signals echo in naked mole-rats, revealing a deep evolutionary link in how complex societies function, even across species.

Study also teases out a possible connection to insulin and longevity, hinting at new frontiers in understanding human behavior.

Penn researchers find similarities in molecular regulation of foraging and caretaking castes between the brains of naked mole-rats and leafcutter ants.

The findings also reveal intriguing connections to insulin regulation pathways, known for their important role in sugar metabolism.

"This connection launches new avenues for research into how insulin might regulate caregiving behaviors in mammals, potentially even humans," researcher says.

Neuropeptides specify and reprogram division of labor in the leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (F32GM120933 and F31AG072777-03) and the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Post-Doctoral Program .