Team

Mohammed “Simo” Errbii (PhD student) → Population genomics and genome evolution in ants.
As a researcher, I am mainly interested in describing genetic diversity, and exploring how it is generated and its consequences on organisms. For this, I use various approaches including, but not exclusively, population genomics, comparative genomics and linkage mapping. Most of my current work focuses on the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, which is characterized by its unique genome architecture, offering an unprecedented opportunity to study the genome dynamics and its consequences in this species. Additionally, I am working with the ant Pogonomyrmex californicus, which is characterized by a social polymorphism similar to the one described for Solenopsis and Formica, offering the opportunity to study the evolutionary dynamics of supergenes and their regulated elaborate phenotypes. I am also involved in many collaborative projects that our lab has with other groups working on non ants species (e.g. the red flower beetle Tribolium castaneum and the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei). In the past, I have also worked with a semiaquatic insect (Microvelia longipes) which is an excellent system to study the evolution of exaggerated sexual traits. I am a huge fan of Japanese anime and I can talk about it for days. In my free time, I enjoy cooking together and eating with friends. I also like to keep my eyes open for new adventures.

Esther van den Boes (PhD student) → Rapid evolution and TE-induced genetic variation in invasive ants.
The constant need to adapt is met differently by each individual, population, or species. In some cases, the success at adapting is obvious, e.g. the behavioral adaptation in humans, in other instances though it can be quite puzzling. Our model organism, the invasive ant species Cardiocondyla obscurior, successfully colonizes new habitats even though genetic variation is low. With my project, we aim to uncover how phenotypic plasticity, cryptic variation and transposable elements (TEs) interplay during this rapid evolution and how especially TEs function as genetic innovators during adaptation.

Janina Rinke (PhD student) → The impact of horizontal gene transfers in ants.
I am interested in the evolution of social insects and particularly in understanding the genetic basis of social insect evolution and their endosymbionts. In the past, I have been investigating the mechanisms of worker policing and worker reproduction in Camponotus ants. My current research project focuses on horizontally transferred genes in ants deriving from bacteria and possible new, interesting functions of these HGTs within ants. I am using large-scale sequencing data from the Global Ant Genomics Alliance to find high-quality HGT candidates with bioinformatic methods and genomic approaches. My research tackles the question whether HGTs play a significant role in ants leading to evolutionary advances. For this, I am using RNAseq data to quantify expression of HGTs as well as molecular methods to determine the existence of high-quality HGTs.

Joshua Grebe (MSc student) → Canalization and phenotypic robustness of superorganisms.

Nanda Vo (MSc student) → Transcriptomic signatures of host specialization in Aphidius ervii

Lukas Schrader (PI)
My goal as a researcher is understanding the interplay between “hard-wired” genomic traits, environmental cues, “soft-wired” regulatory mechanisms, and the phenotype.

Former Members: - Sandra Tretter: Micromorphology in ants, with an emphasis on social parasites. - Lena Wiegert: Canalization and phenotypic diversification in Cardiocondyla obscurior - Svenja Kieckhäfer: The role of cuticular hydrocarbons in desiccation resistance in ants - Eyleen Wiese: The genetic basis of CHC biosynthesis in ants - Miles Winter: HSP90/HSP70 in Cardiocondyla obscurior - Maja Drakula: The role of CHCs in aggressive interactions in Cardiocondyla obscurior - Rebecca Rothering: The evolutionary significance of TEs in ants - Nic Schröder: Ant virus evolution