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Ji Q, Wang X, Huang T, Wang X, Zhao Y. Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination enhances the yield and flavor quality of kiwifruit. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 116:e22139. [PMID: 39106355 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
Pollination is essential for achieving high yields and enhancing the quality of kiwifruit cultivation, both of which significantly influence growers' interests and consumers' preferences. However, compared to studies on yield, there are fewer studies exploring the impact of pollination methods on the flavor of kiwifruit Actinidia chinensis Planchon. This study examined the effects of bee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination and artificial pollination on the yield and flavor of kiwifruit in the main producing areas of China. Compared with those pollinated artificially, bee-pollinated kiwifruit exhibited a greater fruit set rate, heavier fruit weight, and greater number of seeds. Notably, the number of seeds was positively correlated with fruit weight in bee-pollinated kiwifruit, whereas no such correlation was detected in artificially pollinated fruit. Bee pollination not only enhanced the yield but also improved the flavor of kiwifruit. Specifically, bee-pollinated kiwifruit contained higher levels of sucrose and lower concentrations of glucose and fructose, while the acid content was less affected by pollination methods. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the volatile organic compound (VOC) levels in kiwifruit subjected to different pollination treatments, with bee-pollinated fruit exhibiting a superior flavor. Our findings provide new insights into the beneficial role of bee pollination in enhancing kiwifruit yield and quality, underscoring the crucial importance of bees in kiwifruit pollination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanzhi Ji
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yazhou Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Wang X, Zheng X, Guo N, Geng M, Wang R, Huang T, Ji Q, Liu Z, Zhao Y. Improving bee feed recipes to safeguard honeybee colonies during times of food scarcity. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 116:e22129. [PMID: 38973114 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
In beekeeping, when natural nectar or pollen sources become limited, it is crucial to provide supplemental bee feed to maintain the viability of the bee colony. This study was conducted during the autumn food shortage season, during which bees were fed with different proportions of modified bee feed. We identified an optimal bee diet by evaluating honeybee longevity, food consumption, body weight, and gut microbe distribution, with natural pollen serving as a control diet. The results indicated that bees preferred a mixture of 65% defatted soy flour, 20% corn protein powder, 13% wheat germ flour, 2% yeast powder, and a 50% sucrose solution. This bee food recipe significantly increased the longevity, feed consumption, and body weight of bees. The group fed the natural pollen diet exhibited a greater abundance of essential intestinal bacteria. The bee diets used in this study contained higher protein levels and lower concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins than did the diets stored within the colonies. Therefore, we propose that incorporating both bee feed and natural pollen in beekeeping practices will achieve more balanced nutritional intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nana Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyang Geng
- Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture General Animal Husbandry Station, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China
| | - Rongshen Wang
- Shijiazhuang Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Hebei, China
| | - Ting Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Quanzhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenxing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yazhou Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Kogan HV, Macleod SG, Rondeau NC, Raup-Collado J, Cordero VA, Rovnyak D, Marshalleck CA, Mallapan M, Flores ME, Snow JW. Transcriptional control of a metabolic switch regulating cellular methylation reactions is part of a common response to stress in divergent bee species. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246894. [PMID: 38736357 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Recent global declines in bee health have elevated the need for a more complete understanding of the cellular stress mechanisms employed by diverse bee species. We recently uncovered the biomarker lethal (2) essential for life [l(2)efl] genes as part of a shared transcriptional program in response to a number of cell stressors in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). Here, we describe another shared stress-responsive gene, glycine N-methyltransferase (Gnmt), which is known as a key metabolic switch controlling cellular methylation reactions. We observed Gnmt induction by both abiotic and biotic stressors. We also found increased levels of the GNMT reaction product sarcosine in the midgut after stress, linking metabolic changes with the observed changes in gene regulation. Prior to this study, Gnmt upregulation had not been associated with cellular stress responses in other organisms. To determine whether this novel stress-responsive gene would behave similarly in other bee species, we first characterized the cellular response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in lab-reared adults of the solitary alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata) and compared this with age-matched honey bees. The novel stress gene Gnmt was induced in addition to a number of canonical gene targets induced in both bee species upon unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, suggesting that stress-induced regulation of cellular methylation reactions is a common feature of bees. Therefore, this study suggests that the honey bee can serve as an important model for bee biology more broadly, although studies on diverse bee species will be required to fully understand global declines in bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen V Kogan
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - David Rovnyak
- Department of Chemistry, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | | | - Meghna Mallapan
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Jonathan W Snow
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027, USA
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De La Torre AM, López-Martínez G. Anoxia hormesis improves performance and longevity at the expense of fitness in a classic life history trade-off. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159629. [PMID: 36280058 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hormesis occurs as a result of biphasic dose relationship resulting in stimulatory responses at low doses and inhibitory ones at high doses. In this framework, environmental factors are often studied to understand how this exposure benefits the animal. In the current study we used anoxia, the total absence of oxygen, as the most extreme version of low oxygen hormesis. Our goal was to determine the dose, the extent of the effect, and the cost of that response in Tenebrio molitor. We identified that the hormetic range (1 to 3 h of anoxia) was similar to that of other insects. Individuals that were exposed to 3 h had high emergence, increased activity throughout life, and lived longer. Beetles that experienced 1 h of anoxia performed better than the controls while the 6-h group had compromised performance. These boosts in performance at 3 h were accompanied by significant costs. Treated individuals had a delay in development and once matured they had decreased fitness. There were also transgenerational effects of hormesis and F1 beetles also experienced a delay in development. Additionally, the F1 generation had decreased developmental completion (i.e., stress-induced developmental halt). Our data suggests that anoxia hormesis triggers a trade-off where individuals benefiting from improved performance and living longer experience a decrease in reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M De La Torre
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States of America; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States of America
| | - Giancarlo López-Martínez
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States of America; Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, United States of America.
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Xu YQ, Li K, Wang ZJ, Huang P, Liu SS. Transfer pattern of hormesis into personal care product mixtures from typical hormesis-inducing compounds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158981. [PMID: 36155044 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Some personal care products (PCPs) and their chemical components showed a hormetic effect in the freshwater photobacterium Vibrio qinghaiensis sp. -Q67 (Q67) after long-term exposure. However, how hormesis transfers between chemical components and PCP mixture, and which chemical component plays a major role remain unknown. To this end, according to the seven compounds detected in one skin lotion (SK5) and their concentration ratios, many mixture rays were constructed to simulate the SK5. Of these seven compounds, three presented monotonic concentration-response curves (CRC) to Q67 at 0.25 and 12 h (called a S-shaped compound). The other four compounds showed hormetic CRCs after 12 h and monotonic CRCs at 0.25 h (called a J-shaped compound). Based on their mixture ratios, we designed one ternary mixture ray of all S-shaped compounds, one quaternary mixture ray of all J-shaped compounds, and four quaternary mixture rays of one J-shaped and three S-shaped compounds. It was shown that SK5 could be approximately simulated by the mixture ray of the seven compounds detected in SK5 and only the mixture rays containing at least one hormesis-inducing compound produced hormesis to Q67 at 12 h. Based on the concentration ratios of various compounds and comparison of four hormetic characteristic parameters to those of various mixture rays, it was found that the compound betaine (BET) is a key compound affecting the hormesis of mixtures. Additionally, we studied the hormesis mechanism of BET on Q67 via quorum sensing (QS). This preliminarily indicated that the autoinducer-2 triggered the QS pathway. This study elucidated the transfer pattern of hormesis into mixtures, which would be an efficient method to identifying the potential components that affect hormesis transfer in mixtures. We expect that this study will provide new insights into hormesis and its mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Kai Li
- Institute of Ecological Environment, Yangtze Delta Region Research Institute of Tsinghua University, Jiaxing 314006, China
| | - Ze-Jun Wang
- Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shu-Shen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
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Agathokleous E, Moore MN, Calabrese EJ. Environmental hormesis: A tribute to Anthony Stebbing. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154996. [PMID: 35417830 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, China.
| | - Michael N Moore
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH), University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, UK; Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, Devon, UK; School of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Sun T, Ji C, Li F, Wu H. Hormetic dose responses induced by organic flame retardants in aquatic animals: Occurrence and quantification. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153295. [PMID: 35065129 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The organic flame retardants (OFRs) have attracted global concerns due to their potential toxicity and ubiquitous presence in the aquatic environment. Hormesis refers to a biphasic dose response, characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. The present study provided substantial evidence for the widespread occurrence of OFRs-induced hormesis in aquatic animals, including 202 hormetic dose response relationships. The maximum stimulatory response (MAX) was commonly lower than 160% of the control response, with a combined value of 134%. Furthermore, the magnitude of MAX varied significantly among multiple factors and their interactions, such as chemical types and taxonomic groups. Moreover, the distance from the dose of MAX to the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) (NOAEL: MAX) was typically below 10-fold (median = 6-fold), while the width of the hormetic zone (from the lowest dose inducing hormesis to the NOAEL) was approximately 20-fold. Collectively, the quantitative features of OFRs-induced hormesis in aquatic animals were in accordance with the broader hormetic literature. In addition, the implications of hormetic dose response model for the risk assessment of OFRs were discussed. This study offered a novel insight for understanding the biological effects of low-to-high doses of OFRs on aquatic animals and assessing the potential risks of OFRs in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Chenglong Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, PR China
| | - Fei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, PR China
| | - Huifeng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, PR China.
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Campbell JB, López-Martínez G. Anoxia elicits the strongest stimulatory protective response in insect low-oxygen hormesis. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Hayes T, López-Martínez G. Resistance and survival to extreme heat shows circadian and sex-specific patterns in A cavity nesting bee. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:100020. [PMID: 36003599 PMCID: PMC9387514 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2021.100020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The pollination services provided by insects have been a crucial part of evolution and survival for many species, including humans. For bees to be efficient pollinators they must survive the environmental insults they face daily. Thus, looking into the short- and long-term effects of heat exposure on bee performance provides us with a foundation for investigating how stress can affect insect pollination. Solitary bees are a great model for investigating the effects of environmental stress on pollinators because the vast majority of insect pollinator species are solitary rather than social. One of the most pervasive environmental stressors to insects is temperature. Here we investigated how a one-hour heat shock affected multiple metrics of performance in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata. We found that a short heat shock (1hr at 45°C) can delay adult emergence in males but not females. Bee pupae were rather resilient to a range of high temperature exposures that larvae did not survive. Following heat shock (1hr at 50°C), adult bees were drastically less active than untreated bees, and this reduction in activity was evident over several days. Heat shock also led to a decrease in bee survival and longevity. Additionally, we found a connection between starvation survival after heat shock and time of exposure, where bees exposed in the morning survived longer than those exposed in the afternoon, when they would normally experience heat shock in the field. These data suggest that there is an unexplored daily/circadian component to the stress response in bees likely similar to that seen in flies, nematodes, and plants which is constitutive or preemptive rather than restorative. Taken together our data indicate that single heat shock events have strong potential to negatively impact multiple life history traits correlated with reproduction and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayia Hayes
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS 38941
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