A new study links the rapid diversification and current diversity of ants to bursts of transposable elements, or “jumping genes,” in ant genomes following the Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago.

Researchers from Germany, China, and Denmark analyzed 163 ant genomes across multiple subfamilies to construct a 100-million-year evolutionary timeline and identify TE-driven bursts that increased odorant and gustatory receptor evolution, aiding chemical communication and environmental perception in ants.

Genome-wide analysis of 163 ant species across twelve subfamilies revealed that ancient bursts of jumping gene activity correlated with later ant diversification over the past 100 million years.

The study emphasizes that similar patterns of jumping gene activity have been observed in other groups (e.g., primates, bats), indicating a broader role for these elements in evolution.

The study concludes that TEs likely supplied raw genetic material for diversification, while post-extinction ecological opportunities determined how this variation influenced evolutionary outcomes.

Historically, transposable elements were viewed as genomic parasites, but growing evidence suggests they can provide adaptive benefits, such as insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes and enhanced diversification in ants and other lineages.

Schrader and colleagues emphasize that more work is needed to understand TE activity patterns in extinct ant lineages and to determine whether unknown TE bursts occurred earlier than the analyzed 100-million-year window.

The findings suggest transposable elements may have facilitated the development of complex ant societies by boosting sensory and communication systems, contributing to ants becoming the most diverse social insects.

The study, led by Dr. Lukas Schrader at the University of Münster, shows that ant lineages with more jumping genes tend to have more species, and bursts of jumping gene activity occurred in early Paleogene times just before rapid diversification.

Jumping genes can move within genomes and copy themselves, traditionally viewed as parasites, but now recognized as catalysts for evolutionary change.

The asteroid-driven environmental upheavals created ecological opportunities that allowed TE-fueled genetic variation to translate into rapid diversification and later, broader resilience, with ants today comprising over 15,000 species globally.

The researchers found a connection between jumping genes and expansion of odorant receptor gene families, which enhance chemical communication crucial for ant social behavior.