Jacobus J. Boomsma

A Hymenoptera-restricted gene mediating ant castes co-opts deeply conserved machinery to control organ size

The paper identifies a Hymenoptera-specific gene, torch, that controls caste-specific organ size by co-opting conserved Hippo signaling machinery across species.

Population genomics of the inquiline social parasite Acromyrmex insinuator and its leaf-cutting ant hosts A. echinatior and A. octospinosus reveals cryptic differentiation and reduced efficiency of selection in the parasite

The paper uses population genomic analyses to study the social parasite Acromyrmex insinuator and its hosts, finding reduced genetic diversity, eroded adaptive potential, and cryptic population structure in the parasite.

High-throughput phenomics of global ant biodiversity

Antscan provides 2,193 standardized whole-body 3D synchrotron micro-CT datasets across 792 ant species (212 genera), pairing morphological volumes with automated deep-learning segmentation and genome sequencing projects.

Vertical transmission of fungus-growing ant microbiota is species-specific and constrained by queens

The paper investigates vertical transmission of bacteria in fungus-growing ants, finding mixed evidence for garden bacteria transmission but supporting maternal transmission of gut-associated symbionts.