Bugs and Babies: Endosymbiotic Embryogenesis in Carpenter Ants

Bugs and Babies:  Endosymbiotic Embryogenesis in Carpenter Ants

Endosymbiosis is deeply embedded (pun intended) in the history of life on earth, from the origin of eukaryotic cells to light-producing organs in squid.  This is the story of how some bacteria inserted themselves into the developmental pathway of carpenter ants to wind up both in the gut, where they help with digestion, and in the gametes, where they ensure their transmission to the next generation.

By Dr. Mary Anne Clark