Ants’ sense of smell crucial to their survival and social interaction: Study

Ants, despite their tiny size, possess an impressive olfactory system equipped with around 400 smell receptors. This extensive array of receptors is key to their ability to communicate through pheromones in large societies.

A recent study by researchers from New York University and the University of Florida has highlighted the crucial role of a protein named Orco in the survival and function of olfactory neurons in ants.

In their research, the scientists focused on Harpegnathos saltator, or jumping ants, and found that altering the orco gene led to a major reduction in the number of olfactory neurons.

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This suggestedthat Orco is essential for both the development and the maintenance of these cells.

Study’s first author Bogdan Sieriebriennikov said,“Understanding how the nervous system develops is among the most pressing challenges in modern neuroscience."

“Ants, like humans, are highly social and display cooperative social behavior, and thus provide an ideal system to study sensory-mediated social behaviour,” said Hua Yan, the study’s senior author.

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“Loss of function of odorant receptor neurons leads to deficits in olfactory sensing and is often associated with social isolation, neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, and social disorders such as autism,” added Yan.

What did the study entail?

The researchers used CRISPR technology to create genetically modified ants by mutating the orco gene. These modified ants exhibited changes in their olfactory organs and had trouble interacting with their peers.

“We found that the antennae—which are the ‘nose’ of the ant—had very few cells. They were almost empty, suggesting that the cells that sense smell were absent from the mutant ants,” noted Yan.

According to the study, the researchers found out that mutant ants lacking Orco lost most of their olfactory neurons. The reduction in the neurons took place even before these ants reached their adulthood.

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“The cells appear to be made normally, and they start developing—growing, changing shape, and switching on certain genes they will need later, such as odorant receptors,” said Sieriebriennikov. “Once the developing cells turn on the odorant receptors, very soon they start dying in massive amounts.”

Caused by the inability of odorant receptors to form Orco, this premature neuronal death could be due to stress.

Interestingly, some neurons did survive without Orco. This indicates that other factors might also play a role in their development. “Some neurons must periodically ‘fire’ to develop properly. Without Orco, smell cells did not ‘fire’ and complete their development, leading to their death,” Sieriebriennikov added.

The study has been published in Science Advances.

(With inputs from agencies)