N 6 -methyladenosine modification of RNA controls dopamine synthesis to influence labour division in ants

The N -methyladenosine (m A) modification of RNA has been reported to remodel gene expression in response to environmental conditions; however, the biological role of m A in social insects remains largely unknown. In this study, we explored the role of m A in the division of labour by worker ants (Solenopsis invicta). We first determined the presence of m A in RNAs from the brains of worker ants and found that m A methylation dynamics differed between foragers and nurses. Depletion of m A methyltransferase or chemical suppression of m A methylation in foragers resulted in a shift to 'nurse-like' behaviours. Specifically, mRNAs of dopamine receptor 1 (Dop1) and dopamine transporter (DAT) were modified by m A, and their expression increased dopamine levels to promote the behavioural transition from foragers to nurses. The abundance of Dop1 and DAT mRNAs and their stability were reduced by the inhibition of m A modification caused by the silencing of Mettl3, suggesting that m A modification in worker ants modulates dopamine synthesis, which regulates labour division. Collectively, our results provide the first example of the epitranscriptomic regulation of labour division in social insects and implicate m A regulatory mechanism as a potential novel target for controlling red imported fire ants.