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Chapman NC, Dos Santos Cocenza R, Blanchard B, Nguyen LM, Lim J, Buchmann G, Oldroyd BP. Genetic Diversity in the Progeny of Commercial Australian Queen Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Produced in Autumn and Early Spring. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:33-39. [PMID: 30285107 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toy308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Honey bee [Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)] queens are polyandrous, mating with an average 12 males (drones). Polyandry has been shown to confer benefits to queens and the colonies they head, including avoidance of inviable brood that can arise via sex locus homozygosity, increased resilience to pests and pathogens, and increased survival and productivity, leading to improved colony-level fitness. Queens with an effective mating frequency (ke) greater than 7 are considered adequately mated, whereas queens that fall below this threshold head colonies that have increased likelihood of failure and may be less productive for beekeepers. We determined ke in queens produced in early Spring and Autumn by five Australian commercial queen producers to determine whether the queens they produced were suitably mated. Drone populations are low at these times of year, and therefore, there is an increased risk that queens would fall below the ke > 7 threshold. We found that 33.8% of Autumn-produced queens did not meet the threshold, whereas 93.8% of Spring queens were adequately mated. The number of colonies contributing drones to the mating pool was similarly high in both seasons, suggesting that although many colonies have drones, their numbers may be decreased in Autumn and management strategies may be required to boost drone numbers at this time. Finally, queens had similar levels of homozygosity to workers, and inbreeding coefficients were very low, suggesting that inbreeding is not a problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine C Chapman
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Rani Dos Santos Cocenza
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Benjamin Blanchard
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Lucy M Nguyen
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Julianne Lim
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Gabriele Buchmann
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
| | - Benjamin P Oldroyd
- Ecology, Evolution and Environment, Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building, Sydney, NSW
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52
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Putative Drone Copulation Factors Regulating Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera) Queen Reproduction and Health: A Review. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10010008. [PMID: 30626022 PMCID: PMC6358756 DOI: 10.3390/insects10010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees are major pollinators of agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes. In recent years, honey bee colonies have exhibited high annual losses and commercial beekeepers frequently report poor queen quality and queen failure as the primary causes. Honey bee colonies are highly vulnerable to compromised queen fertility, as each hive is headed by one reproductive queen. Queens mate with multiple drones (male bees) during a single mating period early in life in which they obtain enough spermatozoa to fertilize their eggs for the rest of their reproductive life span. The process of mating initiates numerous behavioral, physiological, and molecular changes that shape the fertility of the queen and her influence on the colony. For example, receipt of drone semen can modulate queen ovary activation, pheromone production, and subsequent worker retinue behavior. In addition, seminal fluid is a major component of semen that is primarily derived from drone accessory glands. It also contains a complex mixture of proteins such as proteases, antioxidants, and antimicrobial proteins. Seminal fluid proteins are essential for inducing post-mating changes in other insects such as Drosophila and thus they may also impact honey bee queen fertility and health. However, the specific molecules in semen and seminal fluid that initiate post-mating changes in queens are still unidentified. Herein, we summarize the mating biology of honey bees, the changes queens undergo during and after copulation, and the role of drone semen and seminal fluid in post-mating changes in queens. We then review the effects of seminal fluid proteins in insect reproduction and potential roles for honey bee drone seminal fluid proteins in queen reproduction and health. We finish by proposing future avenues of research. Further elucidating the role of drone fertility in queen reproductive health may contribute towards reducing colony losses and advancing honey bee stock development.
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53
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Systematic investigation of circular RNAs in Ascosphaera apis, a fungal pathogen of honeybee larvae. Gene 2018; 678:17-22. [PMID: 30077766 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.07.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Ascosphaera apis is a widespread fungal pathogen of honeybee larvae, which causes heavy losses in apiculture. To date, knowledge about non-coding RNA (ncRNA) including circular RNA (circRNA) in A. apis is lacking. In this study, A. apis mycelia and spores were sequenced using RNA-seq technology. A total of 551 circRNAs were predicted on the basis of bioinformatic analyses, and most of the circRNAs were 200-600 bp in length, which were different from animal and plant circRNAs. In addition, the expression of six circRNAs in A. apis were confirmed using divergent and convergent PCR. Moreover, circRNA-microRNA regulation networks in A. apis were constructed, and further investigation showed that A. apis circRNAs could regulate gene expression by competitively binding miRNAs. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the miRNAs target genes of circRNAs demonstrated that these A. apis circRNAs are likely to play key roles in metabolism, environmental response and gene expression.
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54
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Haney BR, Fewell JH. Ecological drivers and reproductive consequences of non-kin cooperation by ant queens. Oecologia 2018; 187:643-655. [PMID: 29691647 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4148-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The fitness consequences of joining a group are highly dependent on ecological context, especially for non-kin. To assess the relationships between cooperation and environment, we examined variation in colony reproductive success for a harvester ant species that nests either solitarily or with multiple, unrelated queens, a social strategy known as primary polygyny. We measured the reproductive investment of colonies of solitary versus social nesting types at two sites, one with primarily single-queen colonies, and the other with a majority of polygynous nests. Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that cooperative nesting by unrelated ant queens is likely a selection response to difficult environments, rather than a strategy to maximize reproduction under favorable conditions. Fewer colonies at the primarily polygynous site reproduced than at the site with primarily single queen nests, and those that did had lower reproductive investment, as measured by number and total mass of reproductives. Assessment of ecological conditions also support the harsh environment hypothesis. Colony density in the multi-queen population was higher, and nearest neighbor distances were lower for non-reproducing than reproducing colonies. To more directly test the hypothesis that colony reproduction was ecologically constrained, we experimentally supplemented food resources for a subset of colonies at the primary polygyny site. Supplemented colonies increased reproductive investment levels to equal that of colonies at the single-queen population, further indicating that environmental pressures are severe where primary polygyny is dominant, and may drive the evolution of non-kin cooperation in this context.
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Martín-Hernández R, Bartolomé C, Chejanovsky N, Le Conte Y, Dalmon A, Dussaubat C, García-Palencia P, Meana A, Pinto MA, Soroker V, Higes M. Nosema ceranaeinApis mellifera: a 12 years postdetectionperspective. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1302-1329. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla - La Mancha; Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos Humanos, IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela; Galicia Spain
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | | | | | - Aranzazu Meana
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Spain
| | - M. Alice Pinto
- Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança; 5300-253 Bragança Portugal
| | - Victoria Soroker
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
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56
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Vejnovic B, Stevanovic J, Schwarz RS, Aleksic N, Mirilovic M, Jovanovic NM, Stanimirovic Z. Quantitative PCR assessment of Lotmaria passim in Apis mellifera colonies co-infected naturally with Nosema ceranae. J Invertebr Pathol 2018; 151:76-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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57
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Forfert N, Troxler A, Retschnig G, Gauthier L, Straub L, Moritz RFA, Neumann P, Williams GR. Neonicotinoid pesticides can reduce honeybee colony genetic diversity. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186109. [PMID: 29059234 PMCID: PMC5653293 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides can cause a variety of adverse sub-lethal effects in bees. In social species such as the honeybee, Apis mellifera, queens are essential for reproduction and colony functioning. Therefore, any negative effect of these agricultural chemicals on the mating success of queens may have serious consequences for the fitness of the entire colony. Queens were exposed to the common neonicotinoid pesticides thiamethoxam and clothianidin during their developmental stage. After mating, their spermathecae were dissected to count the number of stored spermatozoa. Furthermore, their worker offspring were genotyped with DNA microsatellites to determine the number of matings and the genotypic composition of the colony. Colonies providing the male mating partners were also inferred. Both neonicotinoid and control queens mated with drones originating from the same drone source colonies, and stored similar number of spermatozoa. However, queens reared in colonies exposed to both neonicotinoids experienced fewer matings. This resulted in a reduction of the genetic diversity in their colonies (i.e. higher intracolonial relatedness). As decreased genetic diversity among worker bees is known to negatively affect colony vitality, neonicotinoids may have a cryptic effect on colony health by reducing the mating frequency of queens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadège Forfert
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Aline Troxler
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gina Retschnig
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robin F. A. Moritz
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Social Insect Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey R. Williams
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
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58
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Ecological and evolutionary approaches to managing honeybee disease. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:1250-1262. [PMID: 29046562 PMCID: PMC5749923 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Honeybee declines are a serious threat to global agricultural security and productivity. Although multiple factors contribute to these declines, parasites are a key driver. Disease problems in honeybees have intensified in recent years, despite increasing attention to addressing them. Here we argue that we must focus on the principles of disease ecology and evolution to understand disease dynamics, assess the severity of disease threats, and control these threats via honeybee management. We cover the ecological context of honeybee disease, including both host and parasite factors driving current transmission dynamics, and then discuss evolutionary dynamics including how beekeeping management practices may drive selection for more virulent parasites. We then outline how ecological and evolutionary principles can guide disease mitigation in honeybees, including several practical management suggestions for addressing short- and long-term disease dynamics and consequences. Multiple interacting factors have contributed to the rapid decline of honeybee populations worldwide. Here, the authors review the impact of parasites and pathogens, and how ecological and evolutionary principles can guide management practices.
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59
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Kairo G, Biron DG, Ben Abdelkader F, Bonnet M, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Dussaubat C, Benoit B, Kretzschmar A, Belzunces LP, Brunet JL. Nosema ceranae, Fipronil and their combination compromise honey bee reproduction via changes in male physiology. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8556. [PMID: 28819220 PMCID: PMC5561069 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08380-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The honey bee is threatened by biological agents and pesticides that can act in combination to induce synergistic effects on its physiology and lifespan. The synergistic effects of a parasite/pesticide combination have been demonstrated on workers and queens, but no studies have been performed on drones despite their essential contribution to colony sustainability by providing semen diversity and quality. The effects of the Nosema ceranae/fipronil combination on the life traits and physiology of mature drones were examined following exposure under semi-field conditions. The results showed that the microsporidia alone induced moderate and localized effects in the midgut, whereas fipronil alone induced moderate and generalized effects. The parasite/insecticide combination drastically affected both physiology and survival, exhibiting an important and significant generalized action that could jeopardize mating success. In terms of fertility, semen was strongly impacted regardless of stressor, suggesting that drone reproductive functions are very sensitive to stress factors. These findings suggest that drone health and fertility impairment might contribute to poorly mated queens, leading to the storage of poor quality semen and poor spermathecae diversity. Thus, the queens failures observed in recent years might result from the continuous exposure of drones to multiple environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Kairo
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - David G Biron
- CNRS, UMR CNRS 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, 63177, Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Faten Ben Abdelkader
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France.,INAT, Laboratoire de Zoologie et d'Apiculture, 1082, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Marc Bonnet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Claudia Dussaubat
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Boris Benoit
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - André Kretzschmar
- INRA, UR 546 Biostatistiques & Processus Spatiaux, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France.
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60
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Bourgeois L, Beaman L. Tracking the Genetic Stability of a Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Breeding Program With Genetic Markers. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 110:1419-1423. [PMID: 28854659 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tox175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A genetic stock identification (GSI) assay was developed in 2008 to distinguish Russian honey bees from other honey bee stocks that are commercially produced in the United States. Probability of assignment (POA) values have been collected and maintained since the stock release in 2008 to the Russian Honey Bee Breeders Association. These data were used to assess stability of the breeding program and the diversity levels of the contemporary breeding stock through comparison of POA values and genetic diversity parameters from the initial release to current values. POA values fluctuated throughout 2010-2016, but have recovered to statistically similar levels in 2016 (POA(2010) = 0.82, POA(2016) = 0.74; P = 0.33). Genetic diversity parameters (i.e., allelic richness and gene diversity) in 2016 also remained at similar levels when compared to those in 2010. Estimates of genetic structure revealed stability (FST(2009/2016) = 0.0058) with a small increase in the estimate of the inbreeding coefficient (FIS(2010) = 0.078, FIS(2016) = 0.149). The relationship among breeding lines, based on genetic distance measurement, was similar in 2008 and 2016 populations, but with increased homogeneity among lines (i.e., decreased genetic distance). This was expected based on the closed breeding system used for Russian honey bees. The successful application of the GSI assay in a commercial breeding program demonstrates the utility and stability of such technology to contribute to and monitor the genetic integrity of a breeding stock of an insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lelania Bourgeois
- USDA-ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70820
| | - Lorraine Beaman
- USDA-ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70820
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61
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Multiple paternity in the cultured yellow pond turtles ( Mauremys mutica ). Anim Reprod Sci 2017; 183:46-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2016] [Revised: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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62
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Brutscher LM, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. Virus and dsRNA-triggered transcriptional responses reveal key components of honey bee antiviral defense. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6448. [PMID: 28743868 PMCID: PMC5526946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06623-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent high annual losses of honey bee colonies are associated with many factors, including RNA virus infections. Honey bee antiviral responses include RNA interference and immune pathway activation, but their relative roles in antiviral defense are not well understood. To better characterize the mechanism(s) of honey bee antiviral defense, bees were infected with a model virus in the presence or absence of dsRNA, a virus associated molecular pattern. Regardless of sequence specificity, dsRNA reduced virus abundance. We utilized next generation sequencing to examine transcriptional responses triggered by virus and dsRNA at three time-points post-infection. Hundreds of genes exhibited differential expression in response to co-treatment of dsRNA and virus. Virus-infected bees had greater expression of genes involved in RNAi, Toll, Imd, and JAK-STAT pathways, but the majority of differentially expressed genes are not well characterized. To confirm the virus limiting role of two genes, including the well-characterized gene, dicer, and a probable uncharacterized cyclin dependent kinase in honey bees, we utilized RNAi to reduce their expression in vivo and determined that virus abundance increased, supporting their involvement in antiviral defense. Together, these results further our understanding of honey bee antiviral defense, particularly the role of a non-sequence specific dsRNA-mediated antiviral pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Brutscher
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Katie F Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA. .,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
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63
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Amiri E, Strand MK, Rueppell O, Tarpy DR. Queen Quality and the Impact of Honey Bee Diseases on Queen Health: Potential for Interactions between Two Major Threats to Colony Health. INSECTS 2017; 8:E48. [PMID: 28481294 PMCID: PMC5492062 DOI: 10.3390/insects8020048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Revised: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Western honey bees, Apis mellifera, live in highly eusocial colonies that are each typically headed by a single queen. The queen is the sole reproductive female in a healthy colony, and because long-term colony survival depends on her ability to produce a large number of offspring, queen health is essential for colony success. Honey bees have recently been experiencing considerable declines in colony health. Among a number of biotic and abiotic factors known to impact colony health, disease and queen failure are repeatedly reported as important factors underlying colony losses. Surprisingly, there are relatively few studies on the relationship and interaction between honey bee diseases and queen quality. It is critical to understand the negative impacts of pests and pathogens on queen health, how queen problems might enable disease, and how both factors influence colony health. Here, we review the current literature on queen reproductive potential and the impacts of honey bee parasites and pathogens on queens. We conclude by highlighting gaps in our knowledge on the combination of disease and queen failure to provide a perspective and prioritize further research to mitigate disease, improve queen quality, and ensure colony health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeil Amiri
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA.
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Micheline K Strand
- Life Science Division, U.S. Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA.
| | - David R Tarpy
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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64
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Simone-Finstrom M. Social Immunity and the Superorganism: Behavioral Defenses Protecting Honey Bee Colonies from Pathogens and Parasites. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/0005772x.2017.1307800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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65
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Dobelmann J, Loope KJ, Wilson-Rankin E, Quinn O, Baty JW, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. Fitness in invasive social wasps: the role of variation in viral load, immune response and paternity in predicting nest size and reproductive output. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin J. Loope
- Dept of Entomology; Univ. of California-Riverside; Riverside CA USA
| | | | - Oliver Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - James W. Baty
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
- Malaghan Inst. of Medical Research; Wellington New Zealand
| | - Monica A. M. Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
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66
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Higher immunocompetence is associated with higher genetic diversity in feral honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera). CONSERV GENET 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-017-0942-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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67
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Parejo M, Wragg D, Gauthier L, Vignal A, Neumann P, Neuditschko M. Using Whole-Genome Sequence Information to Foster Conservation Efforts for the European Dark Honey Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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68
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Simone-Finstrom M, Walz M, Tarpy DR. Genetic diversity confers colony-level benefits due to individual immunity. Biol Lett 2016; 12:20151007. [PMID: 26961896 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Several costs and benefits arise as a consequence of eusociality and group-living. With increasing group size, spread of disease among nest-mates poses selective pressure on both individual immunity and group-level mechanisms of disease resistance (social immunity). Another factor known to influence colony-level expression of disease is intracolony genetic diversity, which in honeybees (Apis mellifera) is a direct function of the number of mates of the queen. Colonies headed by queens with higher mating numbers have less variable infections of decreased intensity, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. By pathogen-challenging larvae in vitro, we decoupled larval immune response from mechanisms of social immunity. Our results show that baseline immunity and degree of immune response do not vary with genetic diversity. However, intracolony variance in antimicrobial peptide production after pathogen challenge decreases with increasing genetic diversity. This reduction in variability of the larval immune response could drive the mitigation of disease observed in genetically diverse colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Simone-Finstrom
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA
| | - Megan Walz
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA
| | - David R Tarpy
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA
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69
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Wells T, Wolf S, Nicholls E, Groll H, Lim KS, Clark SJ, Swain J, Osborne JL, Haughton AJ. Flight performance of actively foraging honey bees is reduced by a common pathogen. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 8:728-737. [PMID: 27337097 PMCID: PMC5091639 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Sudden and severe declines in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony health in the US and Europe have been attributed, in part, to emergent microbial pathogens, however, the mechanisms behind the impact are unclear. Using roundabout flight mills, we measured the flight distance and duration of actively foraging, healthy-looking honey bees sampled from standard colonies, before quantifying the level of infection by Nosema ceranae and Deformed Wing Virus complex (DWV) for each bee. Neither the presence nor the quantity of N. ceranae were at low, natural levels of infection had any effect on flight distance or duration, but presence of DWV reduced flight distance by two thirds and duration by one half. Quantity of DWV was shown to have a significant, but weakly positive relation with flight distance and duration, however, the low amount of variation that was accounted for suggests further investigation by dose-response assays is required. We conclude that widespread, naturally occurring levels of infection by DWV weaken the flight ability of honey bees and high levels of within-colony prevalence are likely to reduce efficiency and increase the cost of resource acquisition. Predictions of implications of pathogens on colony health and function should take account of sublethal effects on flight performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephan Wolf
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth Nicholls
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
| | - Helga Groll
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: PPD, Granta Park, Great AbingtonCambridgeUK
| | | | | | | | - Juliet L. Osborne
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
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70
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Drone exposure to the systemic insecticide Fipronil indirectly impairs queen reproductive potential. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31904. [PMID: 27549030 PMCID: PMC4994044 DOI: 10.1038/srep31904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A species that requires sexual reproduction but cannot reproduce is doomed to extinction. The important increasing loss of species emphasizes the ecological significance of elucidating the effects of environmental stressors, such as pesticides, on reproduction. Despite its special reproductive behavior, the honey bee was selected as a relevant and integrative environmental model because of its constant and diverse exposure to many stressors due to foraging activity. The widely used insecticide Fipronil, the use of which is controversial because of its adverse effects on honey bees, was chosen to expose captive drones in hives via syrup contaminated at 0.1 μg/L and gathered by foragers. Such environmental exposure led to decreased spermatozoa concentration and sperm viability coupled with an increased sperm metabolic rate, resulting in drone fertility impairment. Subsequently, unexposed queens inseminated with such sperm exhibited fewer spermatozoa with lower viability in their spermatheca, leaving no doubt about the detrimental consequences for the reproductive potential of queens, which are key for colony sustainability. These findings suggest that pesticides could contribute to declining honey bee populations through fertility impairment, as exemplified by Fipronil. More broadly, reproductive disorders should be taken into consideration when investigating the decline of other species.
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71
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Early gut colonizers shape parasite susceptibility and microbiota composition in honey bee workers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:9345-50. [PMID: 27482088 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1606631113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial symbionts living within animal guts are largely composed of resident bacterial species, forming communities that often provide benefits to the host. Gut microbiomes of adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) include core residents such as the betaproteobacterium Snodgrassella alvi, alongside transient parasites such as the protozoan Lotmaria passim To test how these species affect microbiome composition and host physiology, we administered S alvi and/or L passim inocula to newly emerged worker bees from four genetic backgrounds (GH) and reared them in normal (within hives) or stressed (protein-deficient, asocial) conditions. Microbiota acquired by normal bees were abundant but quantitatively differed across treatments, indicating treatment-associated dysbiosis. Pretreatment with S. alvi made normal bees more susceptible to L. passim and altered developmental and detoxification gene expression. Stressed bees were more susceptible to L. passim and were depauperate in core microbiota, yet supplementation with S. alvi did not alter this susceptibility. Microbiomes were generally more variable by GH in stressed bees, which also showed opposing and comparatively reduced modulation of gene expression responses to treatments compared with normal bees. These data provide experimental support for a link between altered gut microbiota and increased parasite and pathogen prevalence, as observed from honey bee colony collapse disorder.
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72
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73
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Liu Y, Yan L, Li Z, Huang WF, Pokhrel S, Liu X, Su S. Larva-mediated chalkbrood resistance-associated single nucleotide polymorphism markers in the honey bee Apis mellifera. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 25:239-250. [PMID: 26991518 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Chalkbrood is a disease affecting honey bees that seriously impairs brood growth and productivity of diseased colonies. Although honey bees can develop chalkbrood resistance naturally, the details underlying the mechanisms of resistance are not fully understood, and no easy method is currently available for selecting and breeding resistant bees. Finding the genes involved in the development of resistance and identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that can be used as molecular markers of resistance is therefore a high priority. We conducted genome resequencing to compare resistant (Res) and susceptible (Sus) larvae that were selected following in vitro chalkbrood inoculation. Twelve genomic libraries, including 14.4 Gb of sequence data, were analysed using SNP-finding algorithms. Unique SNPs derived from chromosomes 2 and 11 were analysed in this study. SNPs from resistant individuals were confirmed by PCR and Sanger sequencing using in vitro reared larvae and resistant colonies. We found strong support for an association between the C allele at SNP C2587245T and chalkbrood resistance. SNP C2587245T may be useful as a genetic marker for the selection of chalkbrood resistance and high royal jelly production honey bee lines, thereby helping to minimize the negative effects of chalkbrood on managed honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Liu
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - L Yan
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Z Li
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - W-F Huang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - S Pokhrel
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - X Liu
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - S Su
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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74
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Evolution of reproductive traits in Cataglyphis desert ants: mating frequency, queen number, and thelytoky. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2144-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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75
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Sánchez-Bayo F, Goulson D, Pennacchio F, Nazzi F, Goka K, Desneux N. Are bee diseases linked to pesticides? - A brief review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 89-90:7-11. [PMID: 26826357 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The negative impacts of pesticides, in particular insecticides, on bees and other pollinators have never been disputed. Insecticides can directly kill these vital insects, whereas herbicides reduce the diversity of their food resources, thus indirectly affecting their survival and reproduction. At sub-lethal level (<LD50), neurotoxic insecticide molecules are known to influence the cognitive abilities of bees, impairing their performance and ultimately impacting on the viability of the colonies. In addition, widespread systemic insecticides appear to have introduced indirect side effects on both honey bees and wild bumblebees, by deeply affecting their health. Immune suppression of the natural defences by neonicotinoid and phenyl-pyrazole (fipronil) insecticides opens the way to parasite infections and viral diseases, fostering their spread among individuals and among bee colonies at higher rates than under conditions of no exposure to such insecticides. This causal link between diseases and/or parasites in bees and neonicotinoids and other pesticides has eluded researchers for years because both factors are concurrent: while the former are the immediate cause of colony collapses and bee declines, the latter are a key factor contributing to the increasing negative impact of parasitic infections observed in bees in recent decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Sánchez-Bayo
- Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, The University of Sydney, Eveleigh, NSW 2015, Australia.
| | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom.
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università di Napoli "Federico II", 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy.
| | - Francesco Nazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Università di Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
| | - Koichi Goka
- National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Nicolas Desneux
- French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), 06903 Sophia Antipolis, France.
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76
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Graystock P, Blane EJ, McFrederick QS, Goulson D, Hughes WO. Do managed bees drive parasite spread and emergence in wild bees? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2016; 5:64-75. [PMID: 28560161 PMCID: PMC5439461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 09/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Bees have been managed and utilised for honey production for centuries and, more recently, pollination services. Since the mid 20th Century, the use and production of managed bees has intensified with hundreds of thousands of hives being moved across countries and around the globe on an annual basis. However, the introduction of unnaturally high densities of bees to areas could have adverse effects. Importation and deployment of managed honey bee and bumblebees may be responsible for parasite introductions or a change in the dynamics of native parasites that ultimately increases disease prevalence in wild bees. Here we review the domestication and deployment of managed bees and explain the evidence for the role of managed bees in causing adverse effects on the health of wild bees. Correlations with the use of managed bees and decreases in wild bee health from territories across the globe are discussed along with suggestions to mitigate further health reductions in wild bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Graystock
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Edward J. Blane
- Natural England, Mail Hub Block B, Whittington Road, Worcester, WR5 2LQ, UK
| | | | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
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77
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Thonhauser KE, Raveh S, Thoß M, Penn DJ. Does multiple paternity influence offspring disease resistance? J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1142-50. [PMID: 26949230 PMCID: PMC4949575 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that polyandry allows females to increase offspring genetic diversity and reduce the prevalence and susceptibility of their offspring to infectious diseases. We tested this hypothesis in wild‐derived house mice (Mus musculus) by experimentally infecting the offspring from 15 single‐ and 15 multiple‐sired litters with two different strains of a mouse pathogen (Salmonella Typhimurium) and compared their ability to control infection. We found a high variation in individual infection resistance (measured with pathogen loads) and significant differences among families, suggesting genetic effects on Salmonella resistance, but we found no difference in prevalence or infection resistance between single‐ vs. multiple‐sired litters. We found a significant sex difference in infection resistance, but surprisingly, males were more resistant to infection than females. Also, infection resistance was correlated with weight loss during infection, although only for females, indicating that susceptibility to infection had more harmful health consequences for females than for males. To our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence for sex‐dependent resistance to Salmonella infection in house mice. Our results do not support the hypothesis that multiple‐sired litters are more likely to survive infection than single‐sired litters; however, as we explain, additional studies are required before ruling out this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Thonhauser
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - S Raveh
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Thoß
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - D J Penn
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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78
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Delaplane KS, Pietravalle S, Brown MA, Budge GE. Honey Bee Colonies Headed by Hyperpolyandrous Queens Have Improved Brood Rearing Efficiency and Lower Infestation Rates of Parasitic Varroa Mites. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142985. [PMID: 26691845 PMCID: PMC4686211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A honey bee queen mates on wing with an average of 12 males and stores their sperm to produce progeny of mixed paternity. The degree of a queen's polyandry is positively associated with measures of her colony's fitness, and observed distributions of mating number are evolutionary optima balancing risks of mating flights against benefits to the colony. Effective mating numbers as high as 40 have been documented, begging the question of the upper bounds of this behavior that can be expected to confer colony benefit. In this study we used instrumental insemination to create three classes of queens with exaggerated range of polyandry--15, 30, or 60 drones. Colonies headed by queens inseminated with 30 or 60 drones produced more brood per bee and had a lower proportion of samples positive for Varroa destructor mites than colonies whose queens were inseminated with 15 drones, suggesting benefits of polyandry at rates higher than those normally obtaining in nature. Our results are consistent with two hypotheses that posit conditions that reward such high expressions of polyandry: (1) a queen may mate with many males in order to promote beneficial non-additive genetic interactions among subfamilies, and (2) a queen may mate with many males in order to capture a large number of rare alleles that regulate resistance to pathogens and parasites in a breeding population. Our results are unique for identifying the highest levels of polyandry yet detected that confer colony-level benefit and for showing a benefit of polyandry in particular toward the parasitic mite V. destructor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith S. Delaplane
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, United States of America
| | - Stéphane Pietravalle
- Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom
| | - Mike A. Brown
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom
| | - Giles E. Budge
- Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom
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79
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Jara L, Muñoz I, Cepero A, Martín-Hernández R, Serrano J, Higes M, De la Rúa P. Stable genetic diversity despite parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies. Naturwissenschaften 2015; 102:53. [PMID: 26306398 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-015-1298-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the last decades, the rapid spread of diseases, such as varroosis and nosemosis, associated with massive honey bee colonies mortality around the world has significantly decreased the number and size of honey bee populations and possibly their genetic diversity. Here, we compare the genetic diversity of Iberian honey bee colonies in two samplings performed in 2006 and 2010 in relation to the presence of the pathogenic agents Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, and Varroa destructor in order to determine whether parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies reflects changes in genetic diversity. We found that the genetic diversity remained similar, while the incidence of N. ceranae increased and the incidence of N. apis and V. destructor decreased slightly. These results indicate that the genetic diversity was not affected by the presence of these pathogenic agents in the analyzed period. However, the two groups of colonies with and without Nosema/Varroa detected showed significant genetic differentiation (G test). A detailed analysis of the allelic segregation of microsatellite loci in Nosema/Varroa-negative colonies and parasitized ones revealed two outlier loci related to genes involved in immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jara
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
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80
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Niño EL, Cameron Jasper W. Improving the future of honey bee breeding programs by employing recent scientific advances. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 10:163-169. [PMID: 29588004 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A recent abundance of studies investigating causes of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses has led to enhanced recommendations in management practices with particular emphasis on breeding for resistant bee stocks. Here we review the latest advances in research which could improve the future of breeding programs. We discuss diversity in colonies particularly in breeding programs, giving special emphasis to recent improvement in cryopreservation of honey bee germplasm. We also review factors that affect the health and reproductive quality of queens and drones. We briefly discuss how techniques developed by scientists are finding more regular usage with breeders in the assessment of reproductive caste health and quality and in determining best management practices for breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina L Niño
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - W Cameron Jasper
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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81
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Genetic diversity within honey bee colonies affects pathogen load and relative virus levels in honey bees, Apis mellifera L. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-1965-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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82
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Fuller ZL, Niño EL, Patch HM, Bedoya-Reina OC, Baumgarten T, Muli E, Mumoki F, Ratan A, McGraw J, Frazier M, Masiga D, Schuster S, Grozinger CM, Miller W. Genome-wide analysis of signatures of selection in populations of African honey bees (Apis mellifera) using new web-based tools. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:518. [PMID: 26159619 PMCID: PMC4496815 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1712-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With the development of inexpensive, high-throughput sequencing technologies, it has become feasible to examine questions related to population genetics and molecular evolution of non-model species in their ecological contexts on a genome-wide scale. Here, we employed a newly developed suite of integrated, web-based programs to examine population dynamics and signatures of selection across the genome using several well-established tests, including FST, pN/pS, and McDonald-Kreitman. We applied these techniques to study populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in East Africa. In Kenya, there are several described A. mellifera subspecies, which are thought to be localized to distinct ecological regions. Results We performed whole genome sequencing of 11 worker honey bees from apiaries distributed throughout Kenya and identified 3.6 million putative single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The dense coverage allowed us to apply several computational procedures to study population structure and the evolutionary relationships among the populations, and to detect signs of adaptive evolution across the genome. While there is considerable gene flow among the sampled populations, there are clear distinctions between populations from the northern desert region and those from the temperate, savannah region. We identified several genes showing population genetic patterns consistent with positive selection within African bee populations, and between these populations and European A. mellifera or Asian Apis florea. Conclusions These results lay the groundwork for future studies of adaptive ecological evolution in honey bees, and demonstrate the use of new, freely available web-based tools and workflows (http://usegalaxy.org/r/kenyanbee) that can be applied to any model system with genomic information. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1712-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L Fuller
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Elina L Niño
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Harland M Patch
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Oscar C Bedoya-Reina
- Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Tracey Baumgarten
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Elliud Muli
- Department of Biological Sciences, South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), P.O. Box 170-90200, Kitui, Kenya.
| | - Fiona Mumoki
- The International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Aakrosh Ratan
- Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - John McGraw
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Maryann Frazier
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Daniel Masiga
- The International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Stephen Schuster
- Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Webb Miller
- Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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83
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Barribeau SM, Sadd BM, du Plessis L, Brown MJF, Buechel SD, Cappelle K, Carolan JC, Christiaens O, Colgan TJ, Erler S, Evans J, Helbing S, Karaus E, Lattorff HMG, Marxer M, Meeus I, Näpflin K, Niu J, Schmid-Hempel R, Smagghe G, Waterhouse RM, Yu N, Zdobnov EM, Schmid-Hempel P. A depauperate immune repertoire precedes evolution of sociality in bees. Genome Biol 2015; 16:83. [PMID: 25908406 PMCID: PMC4408586 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0628-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sociality has many rewards, but can also be dangerous, as high population density and low genetic diversity, common in social insects, is ideal for parasite transmission. Despite this risk, honeybees and other sequenced social insects have far fewer canonical immune genes relative to solitary insects. Social protection from infection, including behavioral responses, may explain this depauperate immune repertoire. Here, based on full genome sequences, we describe the immune repertoire of two ecologically and commercially important bumblebee species that diverged approximately 18 million years ago, the North American Bombus impatiens and European Bombus terrestris. Results We find that the immune systems of these bumblebees, two species of honeybee, and a solitary leafcutting bee, are strikingly similar. Transcriptional assays confirm the expression of many of these genes in an immunological context and more strongly in young queens than males, affirming Bateman’s principle of greater investment in female immunity. We find evidence of positive selection in genes encoding antiviral responses, components of the Toll and JAK/STAT pathways, and serine protease inhibitors in both social and solitary bees. Finally, we detect many genes across pathways that differ in selection between bumblebees and honeybees, or between the social and solitary clades. Conclusions The similarity in immune complement across a gradient of sociality suggests that a reduced immune repertoire predates the evolution of sociality in bees. The differences in selection on immune genes likely reflect divergent pressures exerted by parasites across social contexts. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0628-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth M Barribeau
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland. .,Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA.
| | - Ben M Sadd
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland. .,School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA.
| | - Louis du Plessis
- Theoretical Biology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland. .,Computational Evolution, Department of Biosystems Science and Evolution, ETH Zürich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland. .,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Mark J F Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, London, TW20 0EX, UK.
| | - Severine D Buechel
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Kaat Cappelle
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - James C Carolan
- Maynooth University Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
| | - Olivier Christiaens
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Thomas J Colgan
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland. .,School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, E1 41NS, London, UK.
| | - Silvio Erler
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, 400372, Romania. .,Institut für Biologie, Molekulare Ökologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wittenberg, 06120, Germany.
| | - Jay Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
| | - Sophie Helbing
- Institut für Biologie, Molekulare Ökologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wittenberg, 06120, Germany.
| | - Elke Karaus
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - H Michael G Lattorff
- Institut für Biologie, Molekulare Ökologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wittenberg, 06120, Germany. .,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Institut für Biologie, Tierphysiologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wittenberg, 06099, Germany.
| | - Monika Marxer
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kathrin Näpflin
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. .,College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, PR China.
| | - Regula Schmid-Hempel
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. .,College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, PR China.
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. .,Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - Na Yu
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Evgeny M Zdobnov
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1211, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Paul Schmid-Hempel
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
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84
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Tarpy DR, Delaney DA, Seeley TD. Mating frequencies of honey bee queens (Apis mellifera L.) in a population of feral colonies in the Northeastern United States. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118734. [PMID: 25775410 PMCID: PMC4361586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Across their introduced range in North America, populations of feral honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies have supposedly declined in recent decades as a result of exotic parasites, most notably the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Nonetheless, recent studies have documented several wild populations of colonies that have persisted. The extreme polyandry of honey bee queens-and the increased intracolony genetic diversity it confers-has been attributed, in part, to improved disease resistance and may be a factor in the survival of these populations of feral colonies. We estimated the mating frequencies of queens in feral colonies in the Arnot Forest in New York State to determine if the level of polyandry of these queens is especially high and so might contribute to their survival success. We genotyped the worker offspring from 10 feral colonies in the Arnot Forest of upstate New York, as well as those from 20 managed colonies closest to this forest. We found no significant differences in mean mating frequency between the feral and managed queens, suggesting that queens in the remote, low-density population of colonies in the Arnot Forest are neither mate-limited nor adapted to mate at an especially high frequency. These findings support the hypothesis that the hyperpolyandry of honey bees has been shaped on an evolutionary timescale rather than on an ecological one.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R. Tarpy
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Deborah A. Delaney
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Thomas D. Seeley
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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85
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Mating Frequencies of Honey Bee Queens (Apis mellifera L.) in a Population of Feral Colonies in the Northeastern United States. PLoS One 2015. [DOI: 10.10.1371/journal.pone.0118734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
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86
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Ross L, Blackmon H, Lorite P, Gokhman VE, Hardy NB. Recombination, chromosome number and eusociality in the Hymenoptera. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:105-16. [PMID: 25382409 PMCID: PMC4328152 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Extraordinarily high rates of recombination have been observed in some eusocial species. The most popular explanation is that increased recombination increases genetic variation among workers, which in turn increases colony performance, for example by increasing parasite resistance. However, support for the generality of higher recombination rates among eusocial organisms remains weak, due to low sample size and a lack of phylogenetic independence of observations. Recombination rate, although difficult to measure directly, is correlated with chromosome number. As predicted, several authors have noted that chromosome numbers are higher among the eusocial species of Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps). Here, we present a formal comparative analysis of karyotype data from 1567 species of Hymenoptera. Contrary to earlier studies, we find no evidence for an absolute difference between chromosome number in eusocial and solitary species of Hymenoptera. However, we find support for an increased rate of chromosome number change in eusocial taxa. We show that among eusocial taxa colony size is able to explain some of the variation in chromosome number: intermediate-sized colonies have more chromosomes than those that are either very small or very large. However, we were unable to detect effects of a number of other colony characteristics predicted to affect recombination rate - including colony relatedness and caste number. Taken together, our results support the view that a eusocial lifestyle has led to variable selection pressure for increased recombination rates, but that identifying the factors contributing to this variable selection will require further theoretical and empirical effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ross
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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87
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Abstract
Senescence, the decline in physiological and behavioral function with increasing age, has been the focus of significant theoretical and empirical research in a broad array of animal taxa. Preeminent among invertebrate social models of aging are ants, a diverse and ecologically dominant clade of eusocial insects characterized by reproductive and sterile phenotypes. In this review, we critically examine selection for worker lifespan in ants and discuss the relationship between functional senescence, longevity, task performance, and colony fitness. We did not find strong or consistent support for the hypothesis that demographic senescence in ants is programmed, or its corollary prediction that workers that do not experience extrinsic mortality die at an age approximating their lifespan in nature. We present seven hypotheses concerning how selection could favor extended worker lifespan through its positive relationship to colony size and predict that large colony size, under some conditions, should confer multiple and significant fitness advantages. Fitness benefits derived from long worker lifespan could be mediated by increased resource acquisition, efficient division of labor, accuracy of collective decision-making, enhanced allomaternal care and colony defense, lower infection risk, and decreased energetic costs of workforce maintenance. We suggest future avenues of research to examine the evolution of worker lifespan and its relationship to colony fitness, and conclude that an innovative fusion of sociobiology, senescence theory, and mechanistic studies of aging can improve our understanding of the adaptive nature of worker lifespan in ants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James F A Traniello
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston MA, 02215
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88
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Masri L, Cremer S. Individual and social immunisation in insects. Trends Immunol 2014; 35:471-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2014.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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89
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Stürup M, Nash DR, Hughes WOH, Boomsma JJ. Sperm mixing in the polyandrous leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:3571-82. [PMID: 25478149 PMCID: PMC4224532 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The insemination of queens by sperm from multiple males (polyandry) has evolved in a number of eusocial insect lineages despite the likely costs of the behavior. The selective advantages in terms of colony fitness must therefore also be significant and there is now good evidence that polyandry increases genetic variation among workers, thereby improving the efficiency of division of labor, resistance against disease, and diluting the impact of genetically incompatible matings. However, these advantages will only be maximized if the sperm of initially discrete ejaculates are mixed when stored in queen spermathecae and used for egg fertilization in a "fair raffle." Remarkably, however, very few studies have addressed the level of sperm mixing in social insects. Here we analyzed sperm use over time in the highly polyandrous leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior. We genotyped cohorts of workers produced either 2 months apart or up to over a year apart, and batches of eggs laid up to over 2 years apart, and tested whether fluctuations in patriline distributions deviated from random. We show that the representation of father males in both egg and worker cohorts does not change over time, consistent with obligatorily polyandrous queens maximizing their fitness when workers are as genetically diverse as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Stürup
- Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - David R Nash
- Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - William O H Hughes
- Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark ; School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
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90
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Slaa EJ, Chappell P, Hughes WOH. Colony genetic diversity affects task performance in the red ant Myrmica rubra. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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91
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Jeanson R, Weidenmüller A. Interindividual variability in social insects - proximate causes and ultimate consequences. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:671-87. [PMID: 24341677 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals within social groups often show consistent differences in behaviour across time and context. Such interindividual differences and the evolutionary challenge they present have recently generated considerable interest. Social insects provide some of the most familiar and spectacular examples of social groups with large interindividual differences. Investigating these within-group differences has a long research tradition, and behavioural variability among the workers of a colony is increasingly regarded as fundamental for a key feature of social insects: division of labour. The goal of this review is to illustrate what we know about both the proximate mechanisms underlying behavioural variability among the workers of a colony and its ultimate consequences; and to highlight the many open questions in this research field. We begin by reviewing the literature on mechanisms that potentially introduce, maintain, and adjust the behavioural differentiation among workers. We highlight the fact that so far, most studies have focused on behavioural variability based on genetic variability, provided by e.g. multiple mating of the queen, while other mechanisms that may be responsible for the behavioural differentiation among workers have been largely neglected. These include maturational, nutritional and environmental influences. We further discuss how feedback provided by the social environment and learning and experience of adult workers provides potent and little-explored sources of differentiation. In a second part, we address what is known about the potential benefits and costs of increased behavioural variability within the workers of a colony. We argue that all studies documenting a benefit of variability so far have done so by manipulating genetic variability, and that a direct test of the effect of behavioural variability on colony productivity has yet to be provided. We emphasize that the costs associated with interindividual variability have been largely overlooked, and that a better knowledge of the cost/benefit balance of behavioural variability is crucial for our understanding of the evolution of the mechanisms underlying the social organization of insect societies. We conclude by highlighting what we believe to be promising but little-explored avenues for future research on how within-colony variability has evolved and is maintained. We emphasize the need for comparative studies and point out that, so far, most studies on interindividual variability have focused on variability in individual response thresholds, while the significance of variability in other parameters of individual response, such as probability and intensity of the response, has been largely overlooked. We propose that these parameters have important consequences for the colony response. Much more research is needed to understand if and how interindividual variability is modulated in order to benefit division of labour, homeostasis and ultimately colony fitness in social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Jeanson
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Cedex 9, Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Cedex 9, Toulouse, France
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92
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Chemical profiles of two pheromone glands are differentially regulated by distinct mating factors in honey bee queens (Apis mellifera L.). PLoS One 2013; 8:e78637. [PMID: 24236028 PMCID: PMC3827242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Accepted: 09/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromones mediate social interactions among individuals in a wide variety of species, from yeast to mammals. In social insects such as honey bees, pheromone communication systems can be extraordinarily complex and serve to coordinate behaviors among many individuals. One of the primary mediators of social behavior and organization in honey bee colonies is queen pheromone, which is produced by multiple glands. The types and quantities of chemicals produced differ significantly between virgin and mated queens, and recent studies have suggested that, in newly mated queens, insemination volume or quantity can affect pheromone production. Here, we examine the long-term impact of different factors involved during queen insemination on the chemical composition of the mandibular and Dufour's glands, two of the major sources of queen pheromone. Our results demonstrate that carbon dioxide (an anesthetic used in instrumental insemination), physical manipulation of genital tract (presumably mimicking the act of copulation), insemination substance (saline vs. semen), and insemination volume (1 vs. 8 µl) all have long-term effects on mandibular gland chemical profiles. In contrast, Dufour's gland chemical profiles were changed only upon insemination and were not influenced by exposure to carbon dioxide, manipulation, insemination substance or volume. These results suggest that the chemical contents of these two glands are regulated by different neuro-physiological mechanisms. Furthermore, workers responded differently to the different mandibular gland extracts in a choice assay. Although these studies must be validated in naturally mated queens of varying mating quality, our results suggest that while the chemical composition of Dufour's gland is associated with mating status, that of the mandibular glands is associated with both mating status and insemination success. Thus, the queen appears to be signaling both status and reproductive quality to the workers, which may impact worker behavior and physiology as well as social organization and productivity of the colony.
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93
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Liu Y, Webber S, Bowgen K, Schmaltz L, Bradley K, Halvarsson P, Abdelgadir M, Griesser M. Environmental factors influence both abundance and genetic diversity in a widespread bird species. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4683-95. [PMID: 24363897 PMCID: PMC3867904 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity is one of the key evolutionary variables that correlate with population size, being of critical importance for population viability and the persistence of species. Genetic diversity can also have important ecological consequences within populations, and in turn, ecological factors may drive patterns of genetic diversity. However, the relationship between the genetic diversity of a population and how this interacts with ecological processes has so far only been investigated in a few studies. Here, we investigate the link between ecological factors, local population size, and allelic diversity, using a field study of a common bird species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We studied sparrows outside the breeding season in a confined small valley dominated by dispersed farms and small-scale agriculture in southern France. Population surveys at 36 locations revealed that sparrows were more abundant in locations with high food availability. We then captured and genotyped 891 house sparrows at 10 microsatellite loci from a subset of these locations (N = 12). Population genetic analyses revealed weak genetic structure, where each locality represented a distinct substructure within the study area. We found that food availability was the main factor among others tested to influence the genetic structure between locations. These results suggest that ecological factors can have strong impacts on both population size per se and intrapopulation genetic variation even at a small scale. On a more general level, our data indicate that a patchy environment and low dispersal rate can result in fine-scale patterns of genetic diversity. Given the importance of genetic diversity for population viability, combining ecological and genetic data can help to identify factors limiting population size and determine the conservation potential of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou, 510275, China ; Evolutionary Ecology Group and Computational and Molecular Population Genetics, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University Bern Balzerstrasse 6, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland
| | - Simone Webber
- Centre for Ornithology, University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, BT15 2TT, UK
| | - Katharine Bowgen
- School of Applied Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
| | - Lucie Schmaltz
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen PO Box 11103, Groningen, 9700 CC, The Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Halvarsson
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University Uppsala, SE-75236, Sweden
| | - Mohanad Abdelgadir
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University Uppsala, SE-75236, Sweden ; Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Hail Hail, PO 2440, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael Griesser
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala, Sweden ; Anthropological Institute and Museum, University Zürich Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
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94
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Satow S, Saitow Y, Yamaki S, Hirota T. Japanese queenless ants, Pristomyrmex punctatus, prefer the traces of both nestmates and strangers in nest selection. Zoolog Sci 2013; 30:525-8. [PMID: 23829211 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.30.525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Conspecific avoidance may influence the spatial distribution of colonies in some ants. House-hunting ants (Temnothorax albipennis) avoid nesting in areas where non-nestmates have nested previously. However, no reports are available on conspecific avoidance during nest selection in other ants. In the present study, we investigated nest selection in another nomadic species, the Japanese queenless ant, Pristomyrmex punctatus. Two-choice tests revealed that, similar to house-hunting ants, P. punctatus preferred nests soiled by nestmates to clean nests. However, unlike house-hunting ants, P. punctatus also preferred nests soiled by non-nestmates to a clean nest. Given the choice between a nest soiled by nestmates and one soiled by strangers, P. punctatus, unlike house-haunting ants, showed no significant preference. Thus, conspecific avoidance in nest selection was not observed in P. punctatus. Interspecific differences in ecological factors may drive the evolution of different nest selection strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Show Satow
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata-shi 990-8560, Japan
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95
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Evison SEF, Fazio G, Chappell P, Foley K, Jensen AB, Hughes WOH. Host-parasite genotypic interactions in the honey bee: the dynamics of diversity. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:2214-22. [PMID: 23919163 PMCID: PMC3728958 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Revised: 04/04/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites are thought to be a major driving force shaping genetic variation in their host, and are suggested to be a significant reason for the maintenance of sexual reproduction. A leading hypothesis for the occurrence of multiple mating (polyandry) in social insects is that the genetic diversity generated within-colonies through this behavior promotes disease resistance. This benefit is likely to be particularly significant when colonies are exposed to multiple species and strains of parasites, but host-parasite genotypic interactions in social insects are little known. We investigated this using honey bees, which are naturally polyandrous and consequently produce genetically diverse colonies containing multiple genotypes (patrilines), and which are also known to host multiple strains of various parasite species. We found that host genotypes differed significantly in their resistance to different strains of the obligate fungal parasite that causes chalkbrood disease, while genotypic variation in resistance to the facultative fungal parasite that causes stonebrood disease was less pronounced. Our results show that genetic variation in disease resistance depends in part on the parasite genotype, as well as species, with the latter most likely relating to differences in parasite life history and host-parasite coevolution. Our results suggest that the selection pressure from genetically diverse parasites might be an important driving force in the evolution of polyandry, a mechanism that generates significant genetic diversity in social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie E F Evison
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
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96
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Abstract
Eusocial Hymenoptera, such as the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, have the highest recombination rates of multicellular animals.(1) Recently, we showed(2) that a side-effect of recombination in the honey bee, GC biased gene conversion (bGC), helps maintain the unusual bimodal GC-content distribution of the bee genome by increasing GC-content in high recombination areas while low recombination areas are losing GC-content because of biased AT mutations and low rates of bGC. Although the very high recombination rate of A. mellifera makes GC-content evolution easier to study, the pattern is consistent with results found in many other species including mammals and yeast.(3) Also consistent across phyla is the association of higher genetic diversity and divergence with high GC and high recombination areas.(4) (,) (5) Finally, we showed that genes overexpressed in the brains of workers cluster in GC-rich genomic areas with the highest rates of recombination and molecular evolution.(2) In this Addendum we present a conceptual model of how eusociality and high recombination rates may co-evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement F Kent
- Department of Biology; York University; Toronto, ON Canada
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97
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Tarpy DR, Vanengelsdorp D, Pettis JS. Genetic diversity affects colony survivorship in commercial honey bee colonies. Naturwissenschaften 2013; 100:723-8. [PMID: 23728203 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-013-1065-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Revised: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens mate with unusually high numbers of males (average of approximately 12 drones), although there is much variation among queens. One main consequence of such extreme polyandry is an increased diversity of worker genotypes within a colony, which has been shown empirically to confer significant adaptive advantages that result in higher colony productivity and survival. Moreover, honey bees are the primary insect pollinators used in modern commercial production agriculture, and their populations have been in decline worldwide. Here, we compare the mating frequencies of queens, and therefore, intracolony genetic diversity, in three commercial beekeeping operations to determine how they correlate with various measures of colony health and productivity, particularly the likelihood of queen supersedure and colony survival in functional, intensively managed beehives. We found the average effective paternity frequency (m e ) of this population of honey bee queens to be 13.6 ± 6.76, which was not significantly different between colonies that superseded their queen and those that did not. However, colonies that were less genetically diverse (headed by queens with m e ≤ 7.0) were 2.86 times more likely to die by the end of the study when compared to colonies that were more genetically diverse (headed by queens with m e > 7.0). The stark contrast in colony survival based on increased genetic diversity suggests that there are important tangible benefits of increased queen mating number in managed honey bees, although the exact mechanism(s) that govern these benefits have not been fully elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Tarpy
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
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98
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Linksvayer TA, Busch JW, Smith CR. Social supergenes of superorganisms: Do supergenes play important roles in social evolution? Bioessays 2013; 35:683-9. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremiah W. Busch
- School of Biological Sciences; Washington State University; Pullman WA, USA
| | - Chris R. Smith
- Department of Biology; Earlham College; Richmond IN, USA
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99
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Harpur BA, Minaei S, Kent CF, Zayed A. Admixture increases diversity in managed honey bees: reply to De la Rúa et al. (2013). Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3211-5. [PMID: 24433573 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 03/26/2013] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
De la Rúa et al. (2013) express some concerns about the conclusions of our recent study showing that management increases genetic diversity of honey bees (Apis mellifera) by promoting admixture (Harpur et al. 2012). We provide a brief review of the literature on the population genetics of A. mellifera and show that we utilized appropriate sampling methods to estimate genetic diversity in the focal populations. Our finding of higher genetic diversity in two managed A. mellifera populations on two different continents is expected to be the norm given the large number of studies documenting admixture in honey bees. Our study focused on elucidating how management affects genetic diversity in honey bees, not on how to best manage bee colonies. We do not endorse the intentional admixture of honey bee populations, and we agree with De la Rúa et al. (2013) that native honey bee subspecies should be conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brock A Harpur
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Ontario, Canada
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Comparative susceptibility of three Western honeybee taxa to the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2013; 17:188-94. [PMID: 23619100 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Genetic diversity of a host species is a key factor to counter infection by parasites. Since two separation events and the beginning of beekeeping, the Western honeybee, Apis mellifera, has diverged in many phylogenetically-related taxa that share common traits but also show specific physiological, behavioural and morphological traits. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that A. mellifera taxa living in a same habitat should respond differently to parasites like Nosema ceranae, a microsporidia living in host's midgut. We used the Poulin and Combes' concept of virulence to compare the susceptibility of three A. mellifera taxa to N. ceranae infection. Three criteria were measured 10 days post-infection (dpi): the host mortality, the host sugar consumption and the development success of the parasite (i.e. number of spores produced). Interestingly, we showed that the observed variation in susceptibility to infection by N. ceranae is not linked to honeybee taxa but results from the variability between colonies, and that those differences are probably linked to genetic variations. The use of these three criteria allows us to conclude that the differences in susceptibility are mediated by a genetic variability in honeybee workers from resistance to tolerance. Finally, we discuss the consequences of our findings for beekeeping management.
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