Figure 6

Diagrams summarizing the influence of socio-environmental and semiochemical factors on caste differentiation. A) Semiochemical and socio-environmental factors tested and their effects on worker-to-soldier differentiation. JH III and JH+SHE caused an increase in soldier formation, while SHE had no effect on presoldier/soldier formation. Past research [[15, 16], personal observations] indicates that soldiers inhibit worker differentiation. B) Diagram representing how socio-environmental and semiochemicals factors might modulate the expression patterns of multiple genes and caste differentiation. Networks including the following gene categories showed significant changes among treatments: chemical production/degradation, hemolymph protein coding, and developmental genes. Dotted lines represent the possible feedback loop when colony worker termites molt into soldiers, the increase in the soldier number consequently inhibits the formation of additional soldiers.