2026年10月27日发表于《科学进展》的一项新研究发现，被称为“跳跃基因”的转座子可能在约6600万年前小行星撞击导致恐龙灭绝后的早古近纪时期，帮助蚂蚁迅速多样化并占据全球生态位 1。由德国明斯特大学Lukas Schrader领导的国际研究团队指出，这一时期跳跃基因的活跃爆发与主要蚂蚁谱系的扩张及嗅觉受体基因家族的扩大存在时间关联 1。
该研究分析了163种蚂蚁的基因组，样本涵盖现存16个亚科中的12个 1。结果显示，跳跃基因可能扩大了嗅觉受体基因家族，从而增强了蚂蚁的化学通讯能力 1。相关论文题为《Transposable elements as evolutionary catalysts of ant macrodiversity》，DOI号为10.1126/sciadv.aee0306 1。
A new study published in Science Advances on October 27, 2026, suggests that transposable elements, commonly known as "jumping genes," played a pivotal role in the rapid diversification of ants following the extinction of the dinosaurs 1. Led by an international team from the University of Münster, researchers analyzed the genomes of 163 ant species, covering 12 of the 16 existing subfamilies, to uncover this evolutionary link 1.
The analysis revealed a temporal correlation between an active burst of jumping genes approximately 66 million years ago and the expansion of major ant lineages 1. This period coincides with the asteroid impact that led to the dinosaur extinction during the early Paleogene era 1. The surge in genetic activity appears to have facilitated the enlargement of olfactory receptor gene families, thereby enhancing the chemical communication capabilities of ants and aiding their global ecological dominance 1.
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