The evolution of biological complexity is associated with the emergence of bespoke immune systems that maintain and protect organism integrity. Unlike the well-studied immune systems of cells and individuals, little is known about the origins of immunity during the transition to eusociality, a major evolutionary transition comparable to the evolution of multicellular organisms from single-celled ancestors. We aimed to tackle this by characterizing the immune gene repertoire of 18 cockroach and termite species, spanning the spectrum of solitary, subsocial and eusocial lifestyles. We find that key transitions in termite sociality are correlated with immune gene family contractions. In cross-species comparisons of immune gene expression, we find evidence for a caste-specific social defence system in termites, which appears to operate at the expense of individual immune protection. Our study indicates that a major transition in organismal complexity may have entailed a fundamental reshaping of the immune system optimized for group over individual defence.

Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research Königin Luise Str 6 8 14195 Berlin Germany

College of Plant Protection Southwest University Tiansheng 2 400715 Chongqing People's Republic of China

Department for Materials and Environment BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany

Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science Czech University of Life Science Prague Kamýcká 129 16500 Prague Czech Republic

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Czech University of Life Science Prague Kamýcká 129 16500 Prague Czech Republic

Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity University of Münster Münster Germany

Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Schwendenerstr 1 14195 Berlin Germany

Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Müggelseedamm 310 12587 Berlin Germany

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Evidence for reduced immune gene diversity and activity during the evolution of termites

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Dryad
10.5061/dryad.nzs7h44qp

figshare
10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5301210