More on the power of RNAi to drastically alter gene expression:

Knocking out the critical exon in a series of RNAi experiments
resulted in rapid worker ovary activation -- one of the traits characteristic
of the social parasites. This genetic switch may be controlled
by a short intronic splice enhancer motif of nine nucleotides
attached to the alternative splice site. The lack of this motif in
parasitic Cape honeybee clones suggests that the removal of nine
nucleotides from the altruistic worker genome may be sufficient
to turn a honeybee from an altruistic worker into a parasite.

Alternative splicing of a single transcription
factor drives selfish reproductive behavior
in honeybee workers (Apis mellifera)
Antje Jarosch, et al

PNAS | September 13, 2011 | vol. 108 | no. 37

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