The behavioural plasticity and adaptability of some insects, allowing them to adapt to diverse habitats, is strongly associated with foraging genes (for). The role of the foraging gene is closely related to insect polyphenism and some abiotic and biotic factors. The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has successfully expanded its global range and is considered as a model insect because of its adaptability to a range of environmental factors. We use a quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction to study levels of S. invicta foraging (Sifor) gene expression in foragers after changes in temperature and food availability. Sifor expression levels are down‐regulated in colonies kept at 18 °C and up‐regulated in colonies kept at 35 °C after transferring individuals from a colony kept at 26 °C. Moreover, Sifor expression levels decrease when food is deprived and increase when food is restored in comparison with the control. This shows that Sifor is linked to temperature to a great extent and to food transformations to some extent, and suggests that Sifor may explain the ability of fire ant foragers to acclimatize to daily temperature fluctuations. Further research on for gene functions will generate more data with respect to eliciting its role in ecological adaptation to environmental change.

中文翻译：

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红色进口火蚁 Solenopsis invicta Buren（膜翅目：蚁科）觅食者的温度和食物依赖性觅食基因表达

一些昆虫的行为可塑性和适应性，使它们能够适应不同的栖息地，与觅食基因（for）密切相关。觅食基因的作用与昆虫多态性和一些非生物和生物因素密切相关。红色进口火蚁 Solenopsis invicta Buren（膜翅目：蚁科）已成功扩大其全球范围，并因其对一系列环境因素的适应性而被认为是一种模式昆虫。我们使用定量逆转录酶-聚合酶链反应来研究温度和食物供应发生变化后觅食者觅食 (Sifor) 基因表达的水平。Sifor 表达水平在保持在 18 °C 的菌落中下调，在从保持在 26 °C 的菌落中转移个体后，在保持在 35 °C 的菌落中上调。此外，与对照相比，当食物被剥夺时 Sifor 表达水平降低，而在食物恢复时增加。这表明 Sifor 在很大程度上与温度有关，在某种程度上与食物转化有关，并表明 Sifor 可以解释火蚁觅食者适应日常温度波动的能力。对基因功能的进一步研究将产生更多关于引出其在生态适应环境变化中的作用的数据。