Christophe Lucas

37
Documents
Identifiants chercheurs

Présentation

Academic

Full CV (PDF in French)

Oct. 2010- CNRS Research Scientist (section 29)
University of Tours, France

2010 FNS Senio researcher
University of Lausanne, Suisse
Behavioral genetics in the ant Solenopsis invicta

2007-09 First assistant
University of Lausanne, Suisse (Supervisor: Laurent Keller)
Social structure and genetic expression in the ant Solenopsis invicta

2003-06 Post-doctoral researcher
University of Toronto, Canada (Supervisor: Marla B. Sokolowski)
Molecular mecanisms of the plasticity of social behaviors in the ant Pheidole pallidula

1998-2002 Doctorat ès sciences
University of Paris-Sud (Directors: Jean-Marc Jallon & Dominique Fresneau)
Chemical and behavioral bases of the recognition system in the ponerine ants (Pachycondyla)

Research keywords

Research fields: Chemical ecology, behavioral ecology, behavioral genetics, adaptation

Keywords: Chemical communication, genetic expression, behavior, polyethism, polyphenism, foraging gene, social conflict, reproduction, insect societies, invasive species.

Biological models: Social insects (termite, ant, wasp), earwig, drosophila, nasonia.

Research projects

My main research projects are to understand complex behaviors of insects and particularly of social insects. How environmental factors are pursued, analyzed and which behavioral responses are influenced? But also, how intra- and interspecific interactions could modify behaviors by changing gene expression? By using tools from chemical ecology and behavioral genetics, my own researches focus on social interactions and their adaptive impacts. So, my studies are based on insect behaviors (recognition, aggressiveness, foraging, parental care, sexual courtship) through the study of chemical communications and gene expression.

Pheidole pallidula hunting

Behaviors and genes expression are under several abiotic and biotic environmental factors which also include social environment. Chemical communication plays an important role in inter-individual interaction in insects and codifies part of the environmental and social information. To unravel communication mechanisms of insects and their evolutions, it is of primary importance to decrypt such chemical information. In more details, I explore questions on behavioral plasticity of insects and in particular in social insects: What are the chemical signals and the genes involved? How environmental factors play a role? What are the consequences of the different reproductives/castes on social organization in insect societies? How such systems are maintained and evolved?

In social insects, the caste system allow the main factor influencing behavioral plasticity is the caste system which is linked to social organization and raised several questions

R. flavipes in woods

Species studied

To answers such questions, I study several insect models like termites, ants, earwigs, wasps (solitary and social) and drosophila. They all presents specificity and possess different advantages for my researches. Social insects like termites and ants are organized in complex societies with several social interactions. Nevertheless, eusociality (true sociality) appeared independently in Isopteran (termites) and Hymenopteran (ants, bees and wasps) which gives to termites unique specificities. Concerning drosophila, it is the most studied insect model and its genome is known since a long time, which allow to dissect in details the genetic pathways of its communication system.

Pheidole pallidula soldiers and workers

Main methods

- Chemical analyze and identification: gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (GC-MS/GC-TQ), thin layer chromatography (TLC), liquid chromatography (HPLC), chemical extraction (SPME, SBSE, SHS, DHS, DMDS)
- Genetic expression: quantitative RT-PCR, in situ, RNA interference
- Experimental behavior: video-tracking, cross-linked reproduction, cross-fostering

Termite biblio

Liens

Union Internationale pour l'Etude des Insectes Sociaux - Section Française
GDR d'écologie chimique
Canadian TV news on "foraging behaviour of Pheidole pallidula"

Publications

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Publications

Image document

We are not the same: a chemical heterogeneity between workers in the Yellow-legged hornet

Mélissa Haouzi , Florian Bastin , Marie-Charlotte Cheutin , Christophe Lucas , Elfie Perdereau et al.
Article dans une revue hal-04797440 v1
Image document

Chemical profiles of venom glands in queens, foundresses, pre-wintering gynes, and workers in the hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax

Laurence Berville , Christophe Lucas , Mélissa Haouzi , Ali Khalil , Jérémy Gévar et al.
Comptes Rendus. Chimie, 2023, pp.1-16. ⟨10.5802/crchim.228⟩
Article dans une revue hal-04018659 v1
Image document

Callows have their own odour but not for long: Fast acquisition of the chemical signature in the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax

Mélissa Haouzi , Yanan Cheng , Laurence Berville , Christophe Lucas , Ken Tan et al.
Entomologia Generalis, In press, ⟨10.1127/entomologia/2023/2133⟩
Article dans une revue hal-04291686 v1
Image document

Reproductives signature revealed by protein profiling and behavioral bioassays in termite

Fanny Ruhland , Guillaume Gabant , Timothée Toussaint , Matej Nemcic , Martine Cadène et al.
Scientific Reports, 2023, 13 (1), pp.7070. ⟨10.1038/s41598-023-33252-6⟩
Article dans une revue hal-04090025 v1
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Defensive behavior is linked to altered surface chemistry following infection in a termite society

M. Alejandra Esparza-Mora , Tilottama Mazumdar , Shixiong Jiang , Renate Radek , Julian N. Thiem et al.
Scientific Reports, In press, 13, pp.20606. ⟨10.1038/s41598-023-42947-9⟩
Article dans une revue hal-04288294 v1
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High exploration behavior of termite propagules can enhance invasiveness

Louis Pailler , Arthur Matte , Alexis Groseiller , Pierre-André Eyer , Fanny Ruhland et al.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2022, 10, ⟨10.3389/fevo.2022.840105⟩
Article dans une revue hal-03641830 v1
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Synomones in necrophagous larvae of the blow flies <i>Lucilia sericata</i> and <i>Calliphora vomitoria</i>

Quentin Fouché , Damien Charabidzé , Christophe Lucas
Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2022, ⟨10.1111/mve.12614⟩
Article dans une revue hal-03799160 v1
Image document

The foraging gene as a modulator of division of labour in social insects

Christophe Lucas , Yehuda Ben-Shahar
Journal of Neurogenetics, 2021, pp.1-11. ⟨10.1080/01677063.2021.1940173⟩
Article dans une revue hal-03266302 v1
Image document

Vibratory behaviour produces different vibration patterns in presence of reproductives in a subterranean termite species

Louis Pailler , Samuel Desvignes , Fanny Ruhland , Miguel Pineirua , Christophe Lucas
Scientific Reports, 2021, 11 (1), ⟨10.1038/s41598-021-88292-7⟩
Article dans une revue hal-03250610 v1
Image document

Worker ants promote outbreeding by transporting young queens to alien nests

Mathilde Vidal , Florian Königseder , Julia Giehr , Alexandra Schrempf , Christophe Lucas et al.
Communications Biology, 2021, 4 (1), ⟨10.1038/s42003-021-02016-1⟩
Article dans une revue hal-03250609 v1
Image document

Reproductives and eggs trigger worker vibration in a subterranean termite

Fanny Ruhland , Marion Moulin , Marina Choppin , Joël Meunier , Christophe Lucas
Ecology and Evolution, 2020, 10 (12), pp.5892-5898. ⟨10.1002/ece3.6325⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02982089 v1
Image document

Unbalanced biparental care during colony foundation in two subterranean termites

Lou Brossette , Joël Meunier , Simon Dupont , Anne-Geneviève Bagnères , Christophe Lucas
Ecology and Evolution, 2019, 9, pp.192 - 200. ⟨10.1002/ece3.4710⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02996395 v1

When predator odour makes groups stronger: effects on behavioural and chemical adaptations in two termite species

Christophe Lucas , Lou Brossette , Lauriane Lefloch , Simon Dupont , Jean-Philippe Christides et al.
Ecological Entomology, 2018, 43 (4), pp.513-524. ⟨10.1111/een.12529⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266508 v1

Les termites s'invitent en région Centre-Val de Loire

Christophe Lucas , Fanny Ruhland
Microscoop : Un regard sur les laboratoires en Centre Limousin Poitou-Charentes (CNRS), 2018, pp.16-17
Article dans une revue hal-02266571 v1
Image document

Nest signature changes throughout colony cycle and after social parasite invasion in social wasps

Marta Elia , Giuliano Blancato , Laura Picchi , Christophe Lucas , Anne-Geneviève Bagnères et al.
PLoS ONE, 2017, 12 (12), pp.e0190018. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0190018⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266534 v1

Termite’s royal cradle: does colony foundation success differ between two subterranean species?

L. Brossette , A.-G. Bagnères , A. Millot , S. Blanchard , Samuel Dupont et al.
Insectes Sociaux, 2017, 64 (4), pp.515-523. ⟨10.1007/s00040-017-0571-x⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266527 v1
Image document

A Combined Approach to Heat Stress Effect on Male Fertility in Nasonia vitripennis: From the Physiological Consequences on Spermatogenesis to the Reproductive Adjustment of Females Mated with Stressed Males

Marlène Chirault , Christophe Lucas , Marlène Goubault , Claude Chevrier , Christophe Bressac et al.
PLoS ONE, 2015, 10 (3), pp.e0120656. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0120656⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02146269 v1

Paternal signature in kin recognition cues of a social insect: concealed in juveniles, revealed in adults

Janine Wong , Joël Meunier , Christophe Lucas , Mathias Kölliker
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2014, 281 (1793), pp.20141236. ⟨10.1098/rspb.2014.1236⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266540 v1

Expression of foraging and Gp-9 are associated with social organization in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Christophe Lucas , M. Nicolas , L. Keller
Insect Molecular Biology, 2014, 24 (1), pp.93-104. ⟨10.1111/imb.12137⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266536 v1

Les termites, un monde de castes

Éric Darrouzet , Christophe Lucas
Microscoop : Un regard sur les laboratoires en Centre Limousin Poitou-Charentes (CNRS), 2011, pp.14-15
Article dans une revue hal-02266572 v1

Recognition in ants: social origin matters

Joël Meunier , Olivier Delémont , Christophe Lucas
PLoS ONE, 2011, 6 (5), pp.e19347. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0019347⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266543 v1

The locust foraging gene

Christophe Lucas , R. Kornfein , M. Chakaborty-Chatterjee , J. Schönfeld , N. Geva et al.
Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 2010, 74 (1), pp.52-66. ⟨10.1002/arch.20363⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266545 v1

Job switching in ants: role of a kinase

Christophe Lucas , Bryon Hughson , Marla Sokolowski
Communicative and Integrative Biology, 2010, 3 (1), pp.6-8. ⟨10.4161/cib.3.1.9723⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266547 v1

Molecular basis for changes in behavioral state in ant social behaviors

Christophe Lucas , Marla B. Sokolowski
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009, 106 (15), pp.6351-6356. ⟨10.1073/pnas.0809463106⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266551 v1

Social Experience Modifies Pheromone Expression and Mating Behavior in Male Drosophila melanogaster

Joshua Krupp , Clement Kent , Jean-Christophe Billeter , Reza Azanchi , Anthony K.-C. So et al.
Current Biology, 2008, 18 (18), pp.1373-1383. ⟨10.1016/j.cub.2008.07.089⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266553 v1

Generalization of Courtship Learning in Drosophila Is Mediated by cis-Vaccenyl Acetate

Aki Ejima , Benjamin P.C. Smith , Christophe Lucas , Wynand van Der Goes van Naters , Carson J. Miller et al.
Current Biology, 2007, 17 (7), pp.599-605. ⟨10.1016/j.cub.2007.01.053⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266555 v1

Sequential Learning of Pheromonal Cues Modulates Memory Consolidation in Trainer-Specific Associative Courtship Conditioning

Aki Ejima , Benjamin P.C. Smith , Christophe Lucas , Joel D. Levine , Leslie C. Griffith
Current Biology, 2005, 15 (3), pp.194-206. ⟨10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.035⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266559 v1

Role of cuticular hydrocarbons in the chemical recognition between ant species in the Pachycondyla villosa species complex

Christophe Lucas , D.B. Pho , Jean-Marc Jallon , D. Fresneau
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2005, 51 (10), pp.1148-1157. ⟨10.1016/j.jinsphys.2005.06.003⟩
Article dans une revue istex hal-02266557 v1

Hydrocarbon circulation and colonial signature in Pachycondyla villosa

Christophe Lucas , Dang B Pho , D. Fresneau , Jean-Marc Jallon
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2004, 50 (7), pp.595-607. ⟨10.1016/j.jinsphys.2004.04.006⟩
Article dans une revue istex hal-02266561 v1

Hydrocarbon distribution and colony odour homogenisation in Pachycondyla apicalis

V. Soroker , Christophe Lucas , T. Simon , D. Fresneau , J. Durand et al.
Insectes Sociaux, 2003, 50 (3), pp.212-217. ⟨10.1007/s00040-003-0669-1⟩
Article dans une revue istex hal-02266562 v1

A multidisciplinary approach to discriminating different taxa in the species complex Pachycondyla villosa (Formicidae)

Christophe Lucas , Dominique Fresneau , Kerstin Kolmer , Jürgen Heinze , Jacques H.C. Delabie et al.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 75 (2), pp.249-259. ⟨10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00017.x⟩
Article dans une revue hal-02266564 v1

Update on the distribution of termites and other wood-boring insects in Europe

Magdalena Kutnik , Ivan Paulmier , David Ansard , Mathilde Montibus , Christophe Lucas
International Research Group on Wood Protection, Jun 2020, Bled, Slovenia. pp.IRG/WP 20-10960
Communication dans un congrès hal-02798137 v1

Les Omiques en écologie chimique

Sylvie Baudino , Christophe Lucas , Carole Smadja
ISTE. Ecologie Chimique, , 2017, 978-1-78405-186-0
Chapitre d'ouvrage hal-02266567 v1

Omics in Chemical Ecology

Sylvie Baudino , Christophe Lucas , Carole Smadja
Chemical Ecology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp.117-137, 2016, 978-1-84821-924-3
Chapitre d'ouvrage hal-02266566 v1

Odeurs en sociétés

Christophe Lucas , Marie Charpentier
Ecologie Chimique - Le Langage de la Nature, , 2012, 978-2-7491-2772-9
Chapitre d'ouvrage hal-02266573 v1

Les Cahiers Prospectives - Prospective Ecologie Chimique

Carole Smadja , Christophe Lucas , Jean Claude Caissard
[Rapport de recherche] INEE-CNRS. 2012, pp.16-23
Rapport (rapport de recherche) hal-02266576 v1
Image document

Communication chez les insectes : signaux, adaptation, spécialisation

Christophe Lucas
Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]. Université de Tours / Région Centre, CR pays de la Loire, 2019
HDR tel-02383504 v1