Identification of biogenic amines involved in photoperiod-dependent caste-fate determination during the adult stage in a temperate paper wasp

Abstract

In the temperate paper wasp Polistes jokahamae, caste is influenced by photoperiod during the adult stage, but the mechanisms underlying the caste-fate determination system have been unclear. We measured the brain levels of monoamines and related substances in females kept isolated for two weeks under different photoperiods. Except for in the first-emerging group, the females developed ovaries under long-day conditions, whereas they stored lipids under short-day conditions. The levels of tyramine in the brain were significantly higher under long-day than under short-day conditions and positively correlated with maximum oocyte lengths. These results suggest that tyramine was produced in response to long daylength during the adult stage and associated with ovarian development, which is the principal characteristic of reproductive workers. There was also a significant positive correlation between dopamine levels in the brain and maximum oocyte length, independent of photoperiod, suggesting that dopamine is involved in reproductive function with tyramine resulting in the induction of reproductive workers. Meanwhile, higher levels of tryptophan in the brain were found in short-day conditions and positively correlated with lipid stores. However, serotonin synthesized from tryptophan and N-acetylserotonin were not associated with lipid stores without photoperiodic responses, suggesting that tryptophan is involved in the physiological changes toward gyne under short daylength, independently of serotonin signaling. In conclusion, tyramine and tryptophan are candidates for mediating photoperiod-dependent caste-fate determination in P. jokahamae: the former is involved in generating the worker caste while the latter is involved in generating the gyne caste.