1
|
Pyenson BC, Rehan SM. Gene regulation supporting sociality shared across lineages and variation in complexity. Genome 2024; 67:99-108. [PMID: 38096504 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Across evolutionary lineages, insects vary in social complexity, from those that exhibit extended parental care to those with elaborate divisions of labor. Here, we synthesize the sociogenomic resources from hundreds of species to describe common gene regulatory mechanisms in insects that regulate social organization across phylogeny and levels of social complexity. Different social phenotypes expressed by insects can be linked to the organization of co-expressing gene networks and features of the epigenetic landscape. Insect sociality also stems from processes like the emergence of parental care and the decoupling of ancestral genetic programs. One underexplored avenue is how variation in a group's social environment affects the gene expression of individuals. Additionally, an experimental reduction of gene expression would demonstrate how the activity of specific genes contributes to insect social phenotypes. While tissue specificity provides greater localization of the gene expression underlying social complexity, emerging transcriptomic analysis of insect brains at the cellular level provides even greater resolution to understand the molecular basis of social insect evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Anderson KE, Allen NO, Copeland DC, Kortenkamp OL, Erickson R, Mott BM, Oliver R. A longitudinal field study of commercial honey bees shows that non-native probiotics do not rescue antibiotic treatment, and are generally not beneficial. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1954. [PMID: 38263184 PMCID: PMC10806037 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52118-z] [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: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Probiotics are widely used in agriculture including commercial beekeeping, but there is little evidence supporting their effectiveness. Antibiotic treatments can greatly distort the gut microbiome, reducing its protective abilities and facilitating the growth of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Commercial beekeepers regularly apply antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, often followed by an application of non-native probiotics advertised to ease the impact of antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis. We tested whether probiotics affect the gut microbiome or disease prevalence, or rescue the negative effects of antibiotic induced gut dysbiosis. We found no difference in the gut microbiome or disease markers by probiotic application or antibiotic recovery associated with probiotic treatment. A colony-level application of the antibiotics oxytetracycline and tylosin produced an immediate decrease in gut microbiome size, and over the longer-term, very different and persistent dysbiotic effects on the composition and membership of the hindgut microbiome. Our results demonstrate the lack of probiotic effect or antibiotic rescue, detail the duration and character of dysbiotic states resulting from different antibiotics, and highlight the importance of the gut microbiome for honeybee health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirk E Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
| | - Nathan O Allen
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Duan C Copeland
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Oliver L Kortenkamp
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Robert Erickson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Brendon M Mott
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ju L, Glastad KM, Sheng L, Gospocic J, Kingwell CJ, Davidson SM, Kocher SD, Bonasio R, Berger SL. Hormonal gatekeeping via the blood-brain barrier governs caste-specific behavior in ants. Cell 2023; 186:4289-4309.e23. [PMID: 37683635 PMCID: PMC10807403 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Here, we reveal an unanticipated role of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in regulating complex social behavior in ants. Using scRNA-seq, we find localization in the BBB of a key hormone-degrading enzyme called juvenile hormone esterase (Jhe), and we show that this localization governs the level of juvenile hormone (JH3) entering the brain. Manipulation of the Jhe level reprograms the brain transcriptome between ant castes. Although ant Jhe is retained and functions intracellularly within the BBB, we show that Drosophila Jhe is naturally extracellular. Heterologous expression of ant Jhe into the Drosophila BBB alters behavior in fly to mimic what is seen in ants. Most strikingly, manipulation of Jhe levels in ants reprograms complex behavior between worker castes. Our study thus uncovers a remarkable, potentially conserved role of the BBB serving as a molecular gatekeeper for a neurohormonal pathway that regulates social behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linyang Ju
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karl M Glastad
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Lihong Sheng
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Janko Gospocic
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Urology and Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Callum J Kingwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Shawn M Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Sarah D Kocher
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Roberto Bonasio
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Daniels BC, Wang Y, Page RE, Amdam GV. Identifying a developmental transition in honey bees using gene expression data. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010704. [PMID: 37733808 PMCID: PMC10547183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In many organisms, interactions among genes lead to multiple functional states, and changes to interactions can lead to transitions into new states. These transitions can be related to bifurcations (or critical points) in dynamical systems theory. Characterizing these collective transitions is a major challenge for systems biology. Here, we develop a statistical method for identifying bistability near a continuous transition directly from high-dimensional gene expression data. We apply the method to data from honey bees, where a known developmental transition occurs between bees performing tasks in the nest and leaving the nest to forage. Our method, which makes use of the expected shape of the distribution of gene expression levels near a transition, successfully identifies the emergence of bistability and links it to genes that are known to be involved in the behavioral transition. This proof of concept demonstrates that going beyond correlative analysis to infer the shape of gene expression distributions might be used more generally to identify collective transitions from gene expression data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan C. Daniels
- School of Complex Adaptive Systems, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Ying Wang
- Banner Health Corporation, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Robert E. Page
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Traniello IM, Bukhari SA, Dibaeinia P, Serrano G, Avalos A, Ahmed AC, Sankey AL, Hernaez M, Sinha S, Zhao SD, Catchen J, Robinson GE. Single-cell dissection of aggression in honeybee colonies. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1232-1244. [PMID: 37264201 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02090-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how genotypic variation results in phenotypic variation is especially difficult for collective behaviour because group phenotypes arise from complex interactions among group members. A genome-wide association study identified hundreds of genes associated with colony-level variation in honeybee aggression, many of which also showed strong signals of positive selection, but the influence of these 'colony aggression genes' on brain function was unknown. Here we use single-cell (sc) transcriptomics and gene regulatory network (GRN) analyses to test the hypothesis that genetic variation for colony aggression influences individual differences in brain gene expression and/or gene regulation. We compared soldiers, which respond to territorial intrusion with stinging attacks, and foragers, which do not. Colony environment showed stronger influences on soldier-forager differences in brain gene regulation compared with brain gene expression. GRN plasticity was strongly associated with colony aggression, with larger differences in GRN dynamics detected between soldiers and foragers from more aggressive relative to less aggressive colonies. The regulatory dynamics of subnetworks composed of genes associated with colony aggression genes were more strongly correlated with each other across different cell types and brain regions relative to other genes, especially in brain regions involved with olfaction and vision and multimodal sensory integration, which are known to mediate bee aggression. These results show how group genetics can shape a collective phenotype by modulating individual brain gene regulatory network architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Traniello
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | | | | | - Guillermo Serrano
- Computational Biology Program, CIMA University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Arian Avalos
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Services, United States Department of Agriculture, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Amy Cash Ahmed
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Alison L Sankey
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Computational Biology Program, CIMA University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Computer Science, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sihai Dave Zhao
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Statistics, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Julian Catchen
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Entomology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Walton A, Toth AL. Nutritional inequalities structure worker division of labor in social insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 58:101059. [PMID: 37230413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial insect societies are fundamentally non-egalitarian. The reproductive caste 'wins' in terms of resource accumulation, whereas non-reproductive workers 'lose'. Here, we argue that the division of labor among workers is also organized by nutritional inequalities. Across vastly different social systems and a variety of hymenopteran species, there is a recurrent pattern of lean foragers and corpulent nest workers. Experimental manipulations confirm causal associations between nutritional differences, associated molecular pathways, and behavioral roles in insect societies. The comparative and functional genomic data suggest that a conserved toolkit of core metabolic, nutrient storage, and signaling genes has evolved to regulate the social insect division of labor. Thus, the unequal distribution of food resources can be considered a fundamental organizing factor in the social insect division of labor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50014 USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jones BM, Rubin BER, Dudchenko O, Kingwell CJ, Traniello IM, Wang ZY, Kapheim KM, Wyman ES, Adastra PA, Liu W, Parsons LR, Jackson SR, Goodwin K, Davidson SM, McBride MJ, Webb AE, Omufwoko KS, Van Dorp N, Otárola MF, Pham M, Omer AD, Weisz D, Schraiber J, Villanea F, Wcislo WT, Paxton RJ, Hunt BG, Aiden EL, Kocher SD. Convergent and complementary selection shaped gains and losses of eusociality in sweat bees. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:557-569. [PMID: 36941345 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Sweat bees have repeatedly gained and lost eusociality, a transition from individual to group reproduction. Here we generate chromosome-length genome assemblies for 17 species and identify genomic signatures of evolutionary trade-offs associated with transitions between social and solitary living. Both young genes and regulatory regions show enrichment for these molecular patterns. We also identify loci that show evidence of complementary signals of positive and relaxed selection linked specifically to the convergent gains and losses of eusociality in sweat bees. This includes two pleiotropic proteins that bind and transport juvenile hormone (JH)-a key regulator of insect development and reproduction. We find that one of these proteins is primarily expressed in subperineurial glial cells that form the insect blood-brain barrier and that brain levels of JH vary by sociality. Our findings are consistent with a role of JH in modulating social behaviour and suggest that eusocial evolution was facilitated by alteration of the proteins that bind and transport JH, revealing how an ancestral developmental hormone may have been co-opted during one of life's major transitions. More broadly, our results highlight how evolutionary trade-offs have structured the molecular basis of eusociality in these bees and demonstrate how both directional selection and release from constraint can shape trait evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beryl M Jones
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin E R Rubin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Callum J Kingwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Ian M Traniello
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Z Yan Wang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Karen M Kapheim
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Eli S Wyman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Per A Adastra
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Weijie Liu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Lance R Parsons
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - S RaElle Jackson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Katharine Goodwin
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Shawn M Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew J McBride
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Andrew E Webb
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Kennedy S Omufwoko
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nikki Van Dorp
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mauricio Fernández Otárola
- Biodiversity and Tropical Ecology Research Center (CIBET) and School of Biology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Melanie Pham
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joshua Schraiber
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Illumina Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Fernando Villanea
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - William T Wcislo
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brendan G Hunt
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah D Kocher
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sun Y, Niu X, Huang Y, Wang L, Liu Z, Guo X, Xu B, Wang C. Role of the tyrosine aminotransferase AccTATN gene in the response to pesticide and heavy metal stress in Apis cerana cerana. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:105372. [PMID: 36963941 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tyrosine aminotransferase (TATN) is the first enzyme involved in the metabolic degradation of tyrosine, and it plays an important role in tyrosine detoxification and helps the body resist oxidative damage. However, the function of TATN in Apis cerana cerana (A. c. cerana) remains unclear. To explore the role of TATN in the response to pesticide and heavy metal stress in A. c. cerana, AccTATN was isolated and identified. AccTATN was highly expressed in the integument and the adult stage. Exposure to multiple pesticides and heavy metal stress upregulated AccTATN expression. RNA interference experiments showed that silencing AccTATN reduced the resistance of A. c. cerana to glyphosate and avermectins stress. The expression of antioxidant-related genes and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were reduced after AccTATN was silenced, leading to the accumulation of oxidative damage. Overexpression of the recombinant AccTATN protein in a prokaryotic system also confirmed its role in heavy metal stress and improved antioxidant capacity. Our study showed that AccTATN may promote resistance to pesticide and heavy metal stress by regulating the antioxidant capacity of A. c. cerana. This study provides a valuable theoretical basis for A. c. cerana conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunhao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xiaojing Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Lijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yaguchi H, Suzuki S, Kanasaki N, Masuoka Y, Suzuki R, Suzuki RH, Hayashi Y, Shigenobu S, Maekawa K. Evolution and functionalization of vitellogenin genes in the termite Reticulitermes speratus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2023; 340:68-80. [PMID: 35485990 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Eusociality has been commonly observed in distinct animal lineages. The reproductive division of labor is a particular feature, achieved by the coordination between fertile and sterile castes within the same nest. The sociogenomic approach in social hymenopteran insects indicates that vitellogenin (Vg) has undergone neo-functionalization in sterile castes. Here, to know whether Vgs have distinct roles in nonreproductive castes in termites, we investigated the unique characteristics of Vgs in the rhinotermitid termite Reticulitermes speratus. The four Vgs were identified from R. speratus (RsVg1-4), and RsVg3 sequences were newly identified using the RACE method. Molecular phylogenetic analysis supported the monophyly of the four termite Vgs. Moreover, the termites Vg1-3 and Vg4 were positioned in two different clades. The dN/dS ratios indicated that the branch leading to the common ancestor of termite Vg4 was under weak purifying selection. Expression analyses among castes (reproductives, workers, and soldiers) and females (nymphs, winged alates, and queens) showed that RsVg1-3 was highly expressed in fertile queens. In contrast, RsVg4 was highly expressed in workers and female nonreproductives (nymphs and winged adults). Localization of RsVg4 messenger RNA was confirmed in the fat body of worker heads and abdomens. These results suggest that Vg genes are functionalized after gene duplication during termite eusocial transition and that Vg4 is involved in nonreproductive roles in termites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Yaguchi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan.,Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shogo Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan
| | - Naoto Kanasaki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan
| | - Yudai Masuoka
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan.,Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan
| | - Ryouhei H Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan
| | | | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Research Core Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Gofuku, Toyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kamhi JF, Lihoreau M, Arganda S. Editorial: Neuroethology of the colonial mind: Ecological and evolutionary context of social brains. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1058611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
11
|
Tan S, Li G, Guo H, Li H, Tian M, Liu Q, Wang Y, Xu B, Guo X. Identification of the cuticle protein AccCPR2 gene in Apis cerana cerana and its response to environmental stress. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:634-646. [PMID: 35619242 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12792] [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: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular proteins (CPs) are known to play important roles in insect development and defence responses. The loss of CP genes can lead to changes in insect morphology and sensitivity to the external environment. In this study, we identified the AccCPR2 gene, which belongs to the CPR family (including the R&R consensus motif) of CPs, and explored its function in the response of Apis cerana cerana to adverse external stresses. Our results demonstrated that AccCPR2 was highly expressed in the late pupal stage and epidermis, and the expression of AccCPR2 may be induced or inhibited under different stressors. RNA interference experiments showed that knockdown of AccCPR2 reduced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, led to the accumulation of oxidative damage and suppressed the expression of several antioxidant genes. In addition, knockdown of AccCPR2 also reduced the pesticide resistance of A. cerana cerana. The overexpression of AccCPR2 in a prokaryotic system further confirmed its role in resistance to various stresses. In summary, AccCPR2 may play pivotal roles in the normal development and environmental stress response of A. cerana cerana. This study also enriched the theoretical knowledge of the resistance biology of bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Guilin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, P. R. China
| | - Hengjun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Han Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Ming Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Shell WA, Rehan SM. Social divergence: molecular pathways underlying castes and longevity in a facultatively eusocial small carpenter bee. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212663. [PMID: 35317677 PMCID: PMC8941392 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Unravelling the evolutionary origins of eusocial life is a longstanding endeavour in the field of evolutionary-developmental biology. Descended from solitary ancestors, eusocial insects such as honeybees have evolved ontogenetic division of labour in which short-lived workers perform age-associated tasks, while a long-lived queen produces brood. It is hypothesized that (i) eusocial caste systems evolved through the co-option of deeply conserved genes and (ii) longevity may be tied to oxidative damage mitigation capacity. To date, however, these hypotheses have been examined primarily among only obligately eusocial corbiculate bees. We present brain transcriptomic data from a Japanese small carpenter bee, Ceratina japonica (Apidae: Xylocopinae), which demonstrates both solitary and eusocial nesting in sympatry and lives 2 or more years in the wild. Our dataset captures gene expression patterns underlying first- and second-year solitary females, queens and workers, providing an unprecedented opportunity to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying caste-antecedent phenotypes in a long-lived and facultatively eusocial bee. We find that C. japonica's queens and workers are underpinned by divergent gene regulatory pathways, involving many differentially expressed genes well-conserved among other primitively eusocial bee lineages. We also find support for oxidative damage reduction as a proximate mechanism of longevity in C. japonica.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt A. Shell
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Sandra M. Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
The honeybee possesses a limited number of bacterial phylotypes that play essential roles in host metabolism, hormonal signaling, and feeding behavior. However, the contribution of individual gut members in shaping honeybee brain profiles remains unclear. By generating gnotobiotic bees which were mono-colonized by a single gut bacterium, we revealed that different species regulated specific modules of metabolites in the hemolymph. Circulating metabolites involved in carbohydrate and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways were mostly regulated by Gilliamella, while Lactobacillus Firm4 and Firm5 mainly altered amino acid metabolism pathways. We then analyzed the brain transcriptomes of bees mono-colonized with these three bacteria. These showed distinctive gene expression profiles, and genes related to olfactory functions and labor division were upregulated by Lactobacillus. Interestingly, differentially spliced genes in the brains of gnotobiotic bees largely overlapped with those of bees unresponsive to social stimuli. The differentially spliced genes were enriched in pathways involved in neural development and synaptic transmission. We showed that gut bacteria altered neurotransmitter levels in the brain. In particular, dopamine and serotonin, which show inhibitory effects on the sensory sensitivity of bees, were downregulated in bacteria-colonized bees. The proboscis extension response showed that a normal gut microbiota is essential for the taste-related behavior of honeybees, suggesting the contribution of potential interactions among different gut species to the host's physiology. Our findings provide fundamental insights into the diverse functions of gut bacteria which likely contribute to honeybee neurological processes. IMPORTANCE The honeybee possesses a simple and host-restricted gut community that contributes to the metabolic health of its host, while the effects of bacterial symbionts on host neural functions remain elusive. We found that the colonization of specific bee gut bacteria regulates distinct circulating metabolites enriched in carbohydrate, amino acid, and glycerophospholipid metabolic pathways. The brains of bees colonized with different gut members display distinct transcriptomic profiles of genes crucial for bee behaviors and division of labor. Alternative splicing of genes related to disordered bee behaviors is also mediated. The presence of gut bacteria promotes sucrose sensitivity with major neurotransmitters being regulated in the brain. Our findings demonstrate how individual bee gut species affect host behaviors, highlighting the gut-brain connections important for honeybee neurobiological and physiological states.
Collapse
|
14
|
Aamidor SE, Cardoso-Júnior CAM, Harianto J, Nowell CJ, Cole L, Oldroyd BP, Ronai I. Reproductive plasticity and oogenesis in the queen honey bee (Apis mellifera). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 136:104347. [PMID: 34902433 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104347] [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: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In the honey bee (Apis mellifera), queen and worker castes originate from identical genetic templates but develop into different phenotypes. Queens lay up to 2000 eggs daily whereas workers are sterile in the queen's presence. Periodically queens stop laying: during swarming, when resources are scarce in winter, and when they are confined to a cage by beekeepers. We used confocal microscopy and gene expression assays to investigate the control of oogenesis in the ovaries of honey bee queens that were caged inside and outside the colony. We find evidence that queens use a different combination of 'checkpoints' to regulate oogenesis compared to honey bee workers and other insect species. However, both queen and worker castes likely use the same programmed cell death pathways to terminate oocyte development at their caste-specific checkpoints. Our results also suggest that a key factor driving the termination of oogenesis in queens is nutritional stress. Thus, queens may regulate oogenesis via the same regulatory pathways that were utilised by ancestral solitary species but likely have adjusted physiological checkpoints to suit their highly-derived life history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Aamidor
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building A12, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Carlos A M Cardoso-Júnior
- Departamento de Biologia Celulare Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Januar Harianto
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building A12, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Cameron J Nowell
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise Cole
- Microbial Imaging Facility, I3 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - Benjamin P Oldroyd
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building A12, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Isobel Ronai
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Science, Macleay Building A12, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhang JJ, Xi GS, Zhao J. Vitellogenin regulates estrogen-related receptor expression by crosstalk with the JH and IIS-TOR signaling pathway in Polyrhachis vicina Roger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 310:113836. [PMID: 34181936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The Estrogen-related receptor (ERR) can regulate the growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, and other physiological activities of insects, but its specific mechanism of action is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between expression of ERR and Vitellogenins (Vg) and the juvenile hormone (JH) and insulin/insulin-like growth factor/target of rapamycin (IIS/TOR) signaling pathways in Polyrhachis vicina Roger. P. vicina was used as the experimental model to clone the PvVg gene, perform double-stranded RNA synthesis and delivery and observe the effects of pharmacological treatments. The full-length PvVg cDNA product is 5586 bp. Higher PvVg mRNA expression was seen in the pupa and adults, and varying levels were seen in the different body parts of three different castes. RNA interference of PvVg expression led to disturbed development, an abnormal phenotype, and high mortality. PvVg RNAi also led to a reduction in mRNA levels of PvERR, ultraspiracle (PvUSP), forkhead box protein O (PvFOXO) and PvTOR genes in fourth instar larval, but a significant increase was seen in pupa and females. No significant change was seen in workers and males. After PvVg knockdown, application of exogenous JHIII reduced the expression of these genes in pupa and females, increased expression in workers, and decreased PvUSP mRNA expression in males. Both protein and mRNA expression levels of PvFOXO were affected by PvVg RNAi. PvERR RNAi increased PvVg expression in pupa and females and Kruppel-homolog 1 (PvKr-h1) and PvFOXO expression in males. The results of this study suggest that there is an interaction between PvERR and PvVg, and that crosstalk with the JH and IIS/TOR signaling pathways can affect development and reproduction. This effect is caste and developmental stage specific. We also speculate that the FOXO/USP complex participates in JH regulation of PvVg in P. vicina.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Juan Zhang
- Department of Physical Education, Xi'an International Studies University, Shaanxi Province, Xi'an 710119, China.
| | - Geng-Si Xi
- College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Shaanxi Province, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Physical Education, Xi'an International Studies University, Shaanxi Province, Xi'an 710119, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Page RE. Societies to genes: can we get there from here? Genetics 2021; 219:iyab104. [PMID: 34849914 PMCID: PMC8633090 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the organization and evolution of social complexity is a major task because it requires building an understanding of mechanisms operating at different levels of biological organization from genes to social interactions. I discuss here, a unique forward genetic approach spanning more than 30 years beginning with human-assisted colony-level selection for a single social trait, the amount of pollen honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) store. The goal was to understand a complex social trait from the social phenotype to genes responsible for observed trait variation. The approach combined the results of colony-level selection with detailed studies of individual behavior and physiology resulting in a mapped, integrated phenotypic architecture composed of correlative relationships between traits spanning anatomy, physiology, sensory response systems, and individual behavior that affect individual foraging decisions. Colony-level selection reverse engineered the architecture of an integrated phenotype of individuals resulting in changes in the social trait. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies combined with an exceptionally high recombination rate (60 kb/cM), and a phenotypic map, provided a genotype-phenotype map of high complexity demonstrating broad QTL pleiotropy, epistasis, and epistatic pleiotropy suggesting that gene pleiotropy or tight linkage of genes within QTL integrated the phenotype. Gene expression and knockdown of identified positional candidates revealed genes affecting foraging behavior and confirmed one pleiotropic gene, a tyramine receptor, as a target for colony-level selection that was under selection in two different tissues in two different life stages. The approach presented here has resulted in a comprehensive understanding of the structure and evolution of honey bee social organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Page
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Strachecka A, Olszewski K, Kuszewska K, Chobotow J, Wójcik Ł, Paleolog J, Woyciechowski M. Segmentation of the subcuticular fat body in Apis mellifera females with different reproductive potentials. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13887. [PMID: 34230567 PMCID: PMC8260796 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93357-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution has created different castes of females in eusocial haplodiploids. The difference between them lies in their functions and vulnerability but above all in their reproductive potentials. Honeybee queens are highly fertile. On the other hand, the workers are facultatively sterile. However, rebel workers, i.e. workers that develop in a queenless colony, reproduce more often than normal workers. As a result, the fat body of these bees, which apart from acting as the energy reserve, is also the site of numerous metabolic processes, had to specialize in different functions perfected over millions of years of eusocial evolution. Assuming that the variety of functions manifests itself in the pleomorphic structure of the fat body cells, we predicted that also different parts of the fat body, e.g. from different segments of the abdomen, contain different sets of cells. Such differences could be expected between queens, rebels and normal workers, i.e. females with dramatically different reproductive potentials. We confirmed all these expectations. Although all bees had the same types of cells, their proportion and segmental character corresponded with the caste reproductive potential and physiological characteristics shaped in the evolutionary process. The females with an increased reproductive potential were characterized by the presence of oenocytes in the third tergite and high concentrations of compounds responsible for energy reserves, like glucose, glycogen and triglycerides. Queens had very large trophocytes, especially in the third tergite. Only in workers did we observe intercellular spaces in all the segments of the fat body, as well as high protein concentrations-especially in the sternite. As expected, the rebels combined many features of the queens and normal workers, what with other findings can help understand the ways that led to the origin of different castes in females of eusocial Hymenoptera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Olszewski
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Karolina Kuszewska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jacek Chobotow
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Łukasz Wójcik
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cardoso-Júnior CAM, Oldroyd BP, Ronai I. Vitellogenin expression in the ovaries of adult honeybee workers provides insights into the evolution of reproductive and social traits. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:277-286. [PMID: 33427366 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Social insects are notable for having two female castes that exhibit extreme differences in their reproductive capacity. The molecular basis of these differences is largely unknown. Vitellogenin (Vg) is a powerful antioxidant and insulin-signalling regulator used in oocyte development. Here we investigate how Royal Jelly (the major food of honeybee queens) and queen mandibular pheromone (a major regulator of worker fertility), affect the longevity and reproductive status of honey bee workers, the expression of Vg, its receptor VgR and associated regulatory proteins. We find that Vg is expressed in the ovaries of workers and that workers fed a queen diet of Royal Jelly have increased Vg expression in the ovaries. Surprisingly, we find that expression of Vg is not associated with ovary activation in workers, suggesting that this gene has potentially acquired non-reproductive functions. Therefore, Vg expression in the ovaries of honeybee workers provides further support for the Ovarian Ground Plan Hypothesis, which argues that genes implicated in the regulation of reproduction have been co-opted to regulate behavioural differences between queens and workers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C A M Cardoso-Júnior
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - B P Oldroyd
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - I Ronai
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, Ecology and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sasaki K, Okada Y, Shimoji H, Aonuma H, Miura T, Tsuji K. Social Evolution With Decoupling of Multiple Roles of Biogenic Amines Into Different Phenotypes in Hymenoptera. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.659160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Convergent evolution of eusociality with the division of reproduction and its plastic transition in Hymenoptera has long attracted the attention of researchers. To explain the evolutionary scenario of the reproductive division of labor, several hypotheses had been proposed. Among these, we focus on the most basic concepts, i.e., the ovarian ground plan hypothesis (OGPH) and the split-function hypothesis (SFH). The OGPH assumes the physiological decoupling of ovarian cycles and behavior into reproductive and non-reproductive individuals, whereas the SFH assumes that the ancestral reproductive function of juvenile hormone (JH) became split into a dual function. Here, we review recent progress in the understanding of the neurohormonal regulation of reproduction and social behavior in eusocial hymenopterans, with an emphasis on biogenic amines. Biogenic amines are key substances involved in the switching of reproductive physiology and modulation of social behaviors. Dopamine has a pivotal role in the formation of reproductive skew irrespective of the social system, whereas octopamine and serotonin contribute largely to non-reproductive social behaviors. These decoupling roles of biogenic amines are seen in the life cycle of a single female in a solitary species, supporting OGPH. JH promotes reproduction with dopamine function in primitively eusocial species, whereas it regulates non-reproductive social behaviors with octopamine function in advanced eusocial species. The signal transduction networks between JH and the biogenic amines have been rewired in advanced eusocial species, which could regulate reproduction in response to various social stimuli independently of JH action.
Collapse
|
20
|
Monroy Kuhn JM, Meusemann K, Korb J. Disentangling the aging gene expression network of termite queens. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:339. [PMID: 33975542 PMCID: PMC8114706 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07649-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Most insects are relatively short-lived, with a maximum lifespan of a few weeks, like the aging model organism, the fruit-fly Drosophila melanogaster. By contrast, the queens of many social insects (termites, ants and some bees) can live from a few years to decades. This makes social insects promising models in aging research providing insights into how a long reproductive life can be achieved. Yet, aging studies on social insect reproductives are hampered by a lack of quantitative data on age-dependent survival and time series analyses that cover the whole lifespan of such long-lived individuals. We studied aging in queens of the drywood termite Cryptotermes secundus by determining survival probabilities over a period of 15 years and performed transcriptome analyses for queens of known age that covered their whole lifespan. Results The maximum lifespan of C. secundus queens was 13 years, with a median maximum longevity of 11.0 years. Time course and co-expression network analyses of gene expression patterns over time indicated a non-gradual aging pattern. It was characterized by networks of genes that became differentially expressed only late in life, namely after ten years, which associates well with the median maximum lifespan for queens. These old-age gene networks reflect processes of physiological upheaval. We detected strong signs of stress, decline, defense and repair at the transcriptional level of epigenetic control as well as at the post-transcriptional level with changes in transposable element activity and the proteostasis network. The latter depicts an upregulation of protein degradation, together with protein synthesis and protein folding, processes which are often down-regulated in old animals. The simultaneous upregulation of protein synthesis and autophagy is indicative of a stress-response mediated by the transcription factor cnc, a homolog of human nrf genes. Conclusions Our results show non-linear senescence with a rather sudden physiological upheaval at old-age. Most importantly, they point to a re-wiring in the proteostasis network and stress as part of the aging process of social insect queens, shortly before queens die. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07649-4.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Manuel Monroy Kuhn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, D-79104, Freiburg (i. Brsg.), Germany. .,Computational Discovery Research, Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Karen Meusemann
- Department of Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, D-79104, Freiburg (i. Brsg.), Germany.,Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Judith Korb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, D-79104, Freiburg (i. Brsg.), Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Korb J, Meusemann K, Aumer D, Bernadou A, Elsner D, Feldmeyer B, Foitzik S, Heinze J, Libbrecht R, Lin S, Majoe M, Monroy Kuhn JM, Nehring V, Negroni MA, Paxton RJ, Séguret AC, Stoldt M, Flatt T. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the mechanisms underpinning ageing and fecundity in social insects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190728. [PMID: 33678016 PMCID: PMC7938167 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The exceptional longevity of social insect queens despite their lifelong high fecundity remains poorly understood in ageing biology. To gain insights into the mechanisms that might underlie ageing in social insects, we compared gene expression patterns between young and old castes (both queens and workers) across different lineages of social insects (two termite, two bee and two ant species). After global analyses, we paid particular attention to genes of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling (IIS)/target of rapamycin (TOR)/juvenile hormone (JH) network, which is well known to regulate lifespan and the trade-off between reproduction and somatic maintenance in solitary insects. Our results reveal a major role of the downstream components and target genes of this network (e.g. JH signalling, vitellogenins, major royal jelly proteins and immune genes) in affecting ageing and the caste-specific physiology of social insects, but an apparently lesser role of the upstream IIS/TOR signalling components. Together with a growing appreciation of the importance of such downstream targets, this leads us to propose the TI-J-LiFe (TOR/IIS-JH-Lifespan and Fecundity) network as a conceptual framework for understanding the mechanisms of ageing and fecundity in social insects and beyond. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Karen Meusemann
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra, Acton 2601, Australia
| | - Denise Aumer
- Developmental Zoology, Molecular Ecology Research Group, Hoher Weg 4, D-06099 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Abel Bernadou
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Elsner
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, D-60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Silu Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Megha Majoe
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - José Manuel Monroy Kuhn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Volker Nehring
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
| | - Matteo A. Negroni
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Alice C. Séguret
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Flatt
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - the So-Long consortium
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg (Breisgau), Germany
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra, Acton 2601, Australia
- Developmental Zoology, Molecular Ecology Research Group, Hoher Weg 4, D-06099 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, D-60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Lin S, Werle J, Korb J. Transcriptomic analyses of the termite, Cryptotermes secundus, reveal a gene network underlying a long lifespan and high fecundity. Commun Biol 2021; 4:384. [PMID: 33753888 PMCID: PMC7985136 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01892-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms are typically characterized by a trade-off between fecundity and longevity. Notable exceptions are social insects. In insect colonies, the reproducing caste (queens) outlive their non-reproducing nestmate workers by orders of magnitude and realize fecundities and lifespans unparalleled among insects. How this is achieved is not understood. Here, we identified a single module of co-expressed genes that characterized queens in the termite species Cryptotermes secundus. It encompassed genes from all essential pathways known to be involved in life-history regulation in solitary model organisms. By manipulating its endocrine component, we tested the recent hypothesis that re-wiring along the nutrient-sensing/endocrine/fecundity axis can account for the reversal of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insect queens. Our data from termites do not support this hypothesis. However, they revealed striking links to social communication that offer new avenues to understand the re-modelling of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silu Lin
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jana Werle
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Judith Korb
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wild B, Dormagen DM, Zachariae A, Smith ML, Traynor KS, Brockmann D, Couzin ID, Landgraf T. Social networks predict the life and death of honey bees. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1110. [PMID: 33597518 PMCID: PMC7889932 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21212-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In complex societies, individuals' roles are reflected by interactions with other conspecifics. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) generally change tasks as they age, but developmental trajectories of individuals can vary drastically due to physiological and environmental factors. We introduce a succinct descriptor of an individual's social network that can be obtained without interfering with the colony. This 'network age' accurately predicts task allocation, survival, activity patterns, and future behavior. We analyze developmental trajectories of multiple cohorts of individuals in a natural setting and identify distinct developmental pathways and critical life changes. Our findings suggest a high stability in task allocation on an individual level. We show that our method is versatile and can extract different properties from social networks, opening up a broad range of future studies. Our approach highlights the relationship of social interactions and individual traits, and provides a scalable technique for understanding how complex social systems function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Wild
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - David M Dormagen
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Michael L Smith
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Kirsten S Traynor
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Global Biosocial Complexity Initiative, Arizona State University, Tempe, FL, USA
| | - Dirk Brockmann
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Iain D Couzin
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tim Landgraf
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Age-related division of labor occurs in ants at the earliest stages of colony initiation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02974-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
25
|
Miyazaki S, Shimoji H, Suzuki R, Chinushi I, Takayanagi H, Yaguchi H, Miura T, Maekawa K. Expressions of conventional vitellogenin and vitellogenin-like A in worker brains are associated with a nursing task in a ponerine ant. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:113-121. [PMID: 33150669 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In eusocial insect colonies, non-reproductive workers often perform different tasks. Tasks of an individual worker are shifted depending on various factors, e.g., age and colony demography. Although a vitellogenin (Vg) gene play regulatory roles in both reproductive and non-reproductive division of labours in a honeybee, it has been shown that the insect Vg underwent multiple gene duplications and sub-functionalisation, especially in apical ant lineages. The regulatory roles of duplicated Vgs were suggested to change evolutionarily among ants, whereas such roles in phylogenetically basal ants remain unclear. Here, we examined the expression patterns of conventional Vg (CVg), Vg-like A, Vg-like B and Vg-like C, as well as Vg receptor, during the task shift in an age-dependent manner and under experimental manipulation of colony demography in a primitive ant Diacamma sp. Expressions of CVg and Vg-like A in a brain were associated with a nursing task. It is suggested that associations of brain expressions of these Vgs with worker tasks were acquired in the basal ant lineage, and that such Vg functions could have sub-functionalised in the derived ant lineage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Miyazaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H Shimoji
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Japan
| | - R Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - I Chinushi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H Takayanagi
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - H Yaguchi
- School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - T Miura
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Miura, Japan
| | - K Maekawa
- Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
The Honeybee Gut Mycobiota Cluster by Season Versus the Microbiota Which Cluster by Gut Segment. Vet Sci 2020; 8:vetsci8010004. [PMID: 33396493 PMCID: PMC7823634 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybees represent one of the most important insect species we have, particularly due to their pollinating services. Several emerging fungal and bacterial diseases, however, are currently threatening honeybees without known mechanisms of pathogenicity. Therefore, the aim of the current work was to investigate the seasonal (winter, spring, summer, and autumn) fungal and bacterial distribution through different gut segments (crop, midgut, ileum, and rectum). This was done from two hives in Norway. Our main finding was that bacteria clustered by gut segments, while fungi were clustered by season. This knowledge can therefore be important in studying the epidemiology and potential mechanisms of emerging diseases in honeybees, and also serve as a baseline for understanding honeybee health.
Collapse
|
27
|
Ji Y, Li X, Ji T, Tang J, Qiu L, Hu J, Dong J, Luo S, Liu S, Frandsen PB, Zhou X, Parey SH, Li L, Niu Q, Zhou X. Gene reuse facilitates rapid radiation and independent adaptation to diverse habitats in the Asian honeybee. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabd3590. [PMID: 33355133 PMCID: PMC11206470 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd3590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Animals with recent shared ancestry frequently adapt in parallel to new but similar habitats, a process often underlined by repeated selection of the same genes. Yet, in contrast, few examples have demonstrated the significance of gene reuse in colonization of multiple disparate habitats. By analyzing 343 genomes of the widespread Asian honeybee, Apis cerana, we showed that multiple peripheral subspecies radiated from a central ancestral population and adapted independently to diverse habitats. We found strong evidence of gene reuse in the Leucokinin receptor (Lkr), which was repeatedly selected in almost all peripheral subspecies. Differential expression and RNA interference knockdown revealed the role of Lkr in influencing foraging labor division, suggesting that Lkr facilitates collective tendency for pollen/nectar collection as an adaptation to floral changes. Our results suggest that honeybees may accommodate diverse floral shifts during rapid radiation through fine-tuning individual foraging tendency, a seemingly complex process accomplished by gene reuse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongkun Ji
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingan Li
- Key Laboratory for Bee Genetics and Breeding, Jilin Provincial Institute of Apicultural Sciences, Jilin Province, 132108 People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Ji
- Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province, 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Junbo Tang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Lifei Qiu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiahui Hu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangxing Dong
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiqi Luo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Shanlin Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao 266555, People's Republic of China
| | - Paul B Frandsen
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Sajad H Parey
- Department of Zoology, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) 185234, India
| | - Lianming Li
- Aba Apiary for Asian Honeybee Breeding, Maerkang, Sichuan Province, 624000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingsheng Niu
- Key Laboratory for Bee Genetics and Breeding, Jilin Provincial Institute of Apicultural Sciences, Jilin Province, 132108 People's Republic of China.
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Zhao H, Li G, Guo D, Wang Y, Liu Q, Gao Z, Wang H, Liu Z, Guo X, Xu B. Transcriptomic and metabolomic landscape of the molecular effects of glyphosate commercial formulation on Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis cerana cerana. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140819. [PMID: 32693280 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the causes of the decline in bee population has attracted intensive attention worldwide. The indiscriminate use of agrochemicals is a persistent problem due to their physiological and behavioural damage to bees. Glyphosate and its commercial formulation stand out due to their wide use in agricultural areas and non-crop areas, such as parks, railroads, roadsides, industrial sites, and recreational and residential areas, but the mode of action of glyphosate on bees at the molecular level remains largely unelucidated. Here, we found that the numbers of differentially expressed genes and metabolites under glyphosate commercial formulation (GCF) stress were significantly higher in Apis cerana cerana than in Apis mellifera ligustica. Despite these differences, the number of differentially expressed transcripts increased following an increase in the GCF treatment time in both A. cerana cerana and A. mellifera ligustica. GCF exerted adverse impacts on the immune system, digestive system, nervous system, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, growth and development of both bee species by influencing their key genes and metabolites to some extent. The expression of many genes involved in immunity, agrochemical detoxification and resistance, such as antimicrobial peptides, cuticle proteins and cytochrome P450 families, was upregulated by GCF in both bee species. Collectively, our results indicate that both A. cerana cerana and A. mellifera ligustica strive to mitigate the pernicious effects caused by GCF by regulating detoxification and immune systems. Moreover, A. cerana cerana might be better able to withstand the toxic effects of GCF with lower fitness costs than A. mellifera ligustica. Our work will contribute to elucidating the deleterious physiological and behavioural impacts of GCF on bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Guilin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Dezheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Zheng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wang Y, Amdam GV, Daniels BC, Page RE. Tyramine and its receptor TYR1 linked behavior QTL to reproductive physiology in honey bee workers (Apis mellifera). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 126:104093. [PMID: 32763247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) provide an excellent model for studying how complex social behavior evolves and is regulated. Social behavioral traits such as the division of labor have been mapped to specific genomic regions in quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies. However, relating genomic mapping to gene function and regulatory mechanism remains a big challenge for geneticists. In honey bee workers, division of labor is known to be regulated by reproductive physiology, but the genetic basis of this regulation remains unknown. In this case, QTL studies have identified tyramine receptor 1 (TYR1) as a candidate gene in region pln2, which is associated with multiple worker social traits and reproductive anatomy. Tyramine (TA), a neurotransmitter, regulates physiology and behavior in diverse insect species including honey bees. Here, we examine directly the effects of TYR1 and TA on worker reproductive physiology, including ovariole number, ovary function and the production of vitellogenin (VG, an egg yolk precursor). First, we used a pharmacology approach to demonstrate that TA affects ovariole number during worker larval development and increases ovary maturation during the adult stage. Second, we used a gene knockdown approach to show that TYR1 regulates vg transcription in adult workers. Finally, we estimated correlations in gene expression and propose that TYR1 may regulate vg transcription by coordinating hormonal and nutritional signals. Taken together, our results suggest TYR1 and TA play important roles in regulating worker reproductive physiology, which in turn regulates social behavior. Our study exemplifies a successful forward-genetic strategy going from QTL mapping to gene function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Banner Health Corporation, PO Box 16423, Phoenix, AZ 85012, USA
| | - Gro V Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Aas, Norway
| | - Bryan C Daniels
- ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems, Arizona State University, PO Box 872701, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Robert E Page
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Walton A, Sheehan MJ, Toth AL. Going wild for functional genomics: RNA interference as a tool to study gene-behavior associations in diverse species and ecological contexts. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104774. [PMID: 32422196 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic basis of behavior has remained a challenge for biologists. A major obstacle to this goal is the difficulty of examining gene function in an ecologically relevant context. New tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, which alter the germline of an organism, have taken center stage in functional genomics in non-model organisms. However, germline modifications of this nature cannot be ethically implemented in the wild as a part of field experiments. This impediment is more than technical. Gene function is intimately tied to the environment in which the gene is expressed, especially for behavior. Most lab-based studies fail to recapitulate an organism's ecological niche, thus most published functional genomics studies of gene-behavior relationships may provide an incomplete or even inaccurate assessment of gene function. In this review, we highlight RNA interference as an especially effective experimental method to deepen our understanding of the interplay between genes, behavior, and the environment. We highlight the utility of RNAi for researchers investigating behavioral genetics, noting unique attributes of RNAi including transience of effect and the feasibility of releasing treated animals into the wild, that make it especially useful for studying the function of behavior-related genes. Furthermore, we provide guidelines for planning and executing an RNAi experiment to study behavior, including challenges to consider. We urge behavioral ecologists and functional genomicists to adopt a more fully integrated approach which we call "ethological genomics". We advocate this approach, utilizing tools such as RNAi, to study gene-behavior relationships in their natural context, arguing that such studies can provide a deeper understanding of how genes can influence behavior, as well as ecological aspects beyond the organism that houses them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA; Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
|
32
|
Developmental plasticity shapes social traits and selection in a facultatively eusocial bee. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13615-13625. [PMID: 32471944 PMCID: PMC7306772 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000344117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental processes are an important source of phenotypic variation, but the extent to which this variation contributes to evolutionary change is unknown. We used integrative genomic analyses to explore the relationship between developmental and social plasticity in a bee species that can adopt either a social or solitary lifestyle. We find genes regulating this social flexibility also regulate development, and positive selection on these genes is influenced by their function during development. This suggests that developmental plasticity may influence the evolution of sociality. Our additional finding of genetic variants linked to differences in social behavior sheds light on how phenotypic variation derived from development may become encoded into the genome, and thus contribute to evolutionary change. Developmental plasticity generates phenotypic variation, but how it contributes to evolutionary change is unclear. Phenotypes of individuals in caste-based (eusocial) societies are particularly sensitive to developmental processes, and the evolutionary origins of eusociality may be rooted in developmental plasticity of ancestral forms. We used an integrative genomics approach to evaluate the relationships among developmental plasticity, molecular evolution, and social behavior in a bee species (Megalopta genalis) that expresses flexible sociality, and thus provides a window into the factors that may have been important at the evolutionary origins of eusociality. We find that differences in social behavior are derived from genes that also regulate sex differentiation and metamorphosis. Positive selection on social traits is influenced by the function of these genes in development. We further identify evidence that social polyphenisms may become encoded in the genome via genetic changes in regulatory regions, specifically in transcription factor binding sites. Taken together, our results provide evidence that developmental plasticity provides the substrate for evolutionary novelty and shapes the selective landscape for molecular evolution in a major evolutionary innovation: Eusociality.
Collapse
|
33
|
Li G, Zhao H, Guo H, Wang Y, Cui X, Li H, Xu B, Guo X. Analyses of the function of DnaJ family proteins reveal an underlying regulatory mechanism of heat tolerance in honeybee. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:137036. [PMID: 32059293 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There is clear evidence of severe honeybee declines in recent years, and parallel declines of plant community and crop productivity that rely on them. Different stresses, including heat stress, are among the primary drivers of this decline. However, the mechanisms by which honeybees respond to heat stress are elusive. Though heat shock proteins (Hsps) play important roles in heat stress response, the function of DnaJs (a subfamily of Hsps) is unclear. Here, we aimed to determine the underlying regulatory mechanism of honeybees to heat stress mediated by DnaJs. We found that several DnaJ genes, including DnaJA1, DnaJB12 and DnaJC8, are key for honeybee heat tolerance. DnaJA1 and DnaJB12 are cytoplasmic proteins, and DnaJC8 is a nuclear protein. The expression of DnaJA1, DnaJB12 and DnaJC8 was induced at different levels under short-term and long-term heat stress. Phenotypic analysis indicated that DnaJA1, DnaJB12 and DnaJC8 knockdown attenuated honeybee heat resistance. In addition, DnaJA1 participated in the heat stress response by upregulating many heat-inducible genes at the transcriptome-wide level, especially LOC108002668 and LOC107995148. Importantly, the upregulation of LOC108002668 and LOC107995148 was significantly repressed under heat stress when DnaJA1 was knocked down. We also found that knockdown of DnaJA1, DnaJB12 and DnaJC8 decreased antioxidant defense ability and increased the degree of oxidative damage in the honeybee. Taken together, our results indicate that DnaJ genes play important roles under heat stress in the honeybee. Overexpression of DnaJ genes may protect honeybees from heat stress-induced injuries and increase their survival rate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guilin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Hang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Hongbin Guo
- Statistics Department, University of Auckland, 38 Princes Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Xuepei Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Han Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Du L, Wang M, Li J, He S, Huang J, Wu J. Characterization of a Vitellogenin Receptor in the Bumblebee, Bombus lantschouensis (Hymenoptera, Apidae). INSECTS 2019; 10:E445. [PMID: 31842304 PMCID: PMC6955983 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The vitellogenin receptor (VgR) belongs to the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family, responsible for mediating the endocytosis of vitellogenin (Vg) into the ovaries to promote ovarian growth and oviposition. Here, we cloned and measured VgR gene expression characteristics in the bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis. RNA interference was used to validate VgR function. The results showed that the full length of the BLVgR cDNA was 5519 bp, which included a 5280 bp open reading frame encoding 1759 amino acids (AAs). Sequence alignment revealed that the protein contained 12 LDLa, 5 EGF, 2 EGF-CA and 10 LY domains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BLVgR and the VgR of Bombus terrestris clustered together and the tree of bumblebees (Bombus) appeared as one clade next to honeybees (Apis). Transcript expression analysis showed that BLVgR was expressed in all tested tissues and showed the highest abundance in the ovaries. BLVgR expression was present in all developmental stages. However, the expression level in larvae was extremely low. In addition, the expression of BLVgR was significantly upregulated after egg laying in both workers and queens. In new emerging workers injected with 5 µg of VgR dsRNA, the expression level of BLVgR was 4-fold lower than that in the GFP dsRNA-injected group after 72 h. Furthermore, BLVgR silencing significantly reduced the number of eggs laid (3.67 ± 1.96 eggs) and delayed the first egg-laying time (16.31 ± 2.07 days) in worker microcolonies when compared to dsGFP (37.31 ± 4.09 eggs, 8.15 ± 0.22 days) and DEPC-treated water injected controls (16.42 ± 2.24 eggs, 10.00 ± 0.37 days). In conclusion, the BLVgR gene and its reproductive function were explored in the bumblebee B. lantschouensis. This gene plays an important role in egg laying time and egg number.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China; (L.D.); (S.H.)
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
| | - Mingming Wang
- Nanchuan Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Chongqing 408400, China;
| | - Jilian Li
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
| | - Shaoyu He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China; (L.D.); (S.H.)
| | - Jiaxing Huang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
| | - Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Farina WM, Balbuena MS, Herbert LT, Mengoni Goñalons C, Vázquez DE. Effects of the Herbicide Glyphosate on Honey Bee Sensory and Cognitive Abilities: Individual Impairments with Implications for the Hive. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10100354. [PMID: 31635293 PMCID: PMC6835870 DOI: 10.3390/insects10100354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The honeybee Apis mellifera is an important pollinator in both undisturbed and agricultural ecosystems. Its great versatility as an experimental model makes it an excellent proxy to evaluate the environmental impact of agrochemicals using current methodologies and procedures in environmental toxicology. The increase in agrochemical use, including those that do not target insects directly, can have deleterious effects if carried out indiscriminately. This seems to be the case of the herbicide glyphosate (GLY), the most widely used agrochemical worldwide. Its presence in honey has been reported in samples obtained from different environments. Hence, to understand its current and potential risks for this pollinator it has become essential to not only study the effects on honeybee colonies located in agricultural settings, but also its effects under laboratory conditions. Subtle deleterious effects can be detected using experimental approaches. GLY negatively affects associative learning processes of foragers, cognitive and sensory abilities of young hive bees and promotes delays in brood development. An integrated approach that considers behavior, physiology, and development allows not only to determine the effects of this agrochemical on this eusocial insect from an experimental perspective, but also to infer putative effects in disturbed environments where it is omnipresent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter M Farina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
- Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - M Sol Balbuena
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
- Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - Lucila T Herbert
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
- Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - Carolina Mengoni Goñalons
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
- Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - Diego E Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
- Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Warner MR, Qiu L, Holmes MJ, Mikheyev AS, Linksvayer TA. Convergent eusocial evolution is based on a shared reproductive groundplan plus lineage-specific plastic genes. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2651. [PMID: 31201311 PMCID: PMC6570765 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10546-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Eusociality has convergently evolved multiple times, but the genomic basis of caste-based division of labor and degree to which independent origins of eusociality have utilized common genes remain largely unknown. Here we characterize caste-specific transcriptomic profiles across development and adult body segments from pharaoh ants (Monomorium pharaonis) and honey bees (Apis mellifera), representing two independent origins of eusociality. We identify a substantial shared core of genes upregulated in the abdomens of queen ants and honey bees that also tends to be upregulated in mated female flies, suggesting that these genes are part of a conserved insect reproductive groundplan. Outside of this shared groundplan, few genes are differentially expressed in common. Instead, the majority of the thousands of caste-associated genes are plastically expressed, rapidly evolving, and relatively evolutionarily young. These results emphasize that the recruitment of both highly conserved and lineage-specific genes underlie the convergent evolution of novel traits such as eusociality. Eusocial caste systems have evolved independently multiple times. Here, Warner et al. investigate the amount of shared vs. lineage-specific genes involved in the evolution of caste in pharaoh ants and honey bees by comparing transcriptomes across tissues, developmental stages, and castes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lijun Qiu
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Michael J Holmes
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.,School of Life and Environmental Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Alexander S Mikheyev
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.,Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, 0200, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Hawkings C, Calkins TL, Pietrantonio PV, Tamborindeguy C. Caste-based differential transcriptional expression of hexamerins in response to a juvenile hormone analog in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216800. [PMID: 31107891 PMCID: PMC6527210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The reproductive ground plan hypothesis proposes that gene networks regulating foraging behavior and reproductive female physiology in social insects emerged from ancestral gene and endocrine factor networks. Expression of storage proteins such as vitellogenins and hexamerins is an example of this co-option. Hexamerins, through their role modulating juvenile hormone availability, are involved in caste determination in termites. The genome of the fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) encodes four hexamerin genes, hexamerin-like (LOC105192919, hereafter called hexamerin 1), hexamerin (LOC105204474, hereafter called hexamerin 2), arylphorin subunit alpha-like, and arylphorin subunit beta. In this study, a phylogenetic analysis of the S. invicta hexamerins determined that each predicted protein clustered with one of the orthologous Apis mellifera hexamerins. Gene expression analyses by RT-qPCR revealed differential expression of the hexamerins between queens and workers, and between specific task-allocated workers (nurses and foragers). Queens and nurses had significantly higher expression of all genes when compared to foragers. Hexamerin 1 was expressed at higher levels in queens, while hexamerin 2 and arylphorin subunit beta were expressed at significantly higher levels in nurses. Arylphorin subunit alpha-like showed no significant difference in expression between virgin queens and nurses. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between the expression of hexamerin genes and S-hydroprene, a juvenile hormone analog. Significant changes in hexamerin expression were recorded in nurses, virgin queens, and foragers 12 h after application of the analog. Hexamerin 1 and arylphorin subunit alpha-like expression were significantly lower after analog application in virgin queens. In foragers, hexamerin 2 and arylphorin subunit beta were significantly lower after analog application, while in nurses expression of all genes were significantly lower after analog application. Our results suggest that in S. invicta hexamerin genes could be associated with reproductive division of labor and task-allocation of workers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Hawkings
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Travis L. Calkins
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patricia V. Pietrantonio
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cecilia Tamborindeguy
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Dittmer J, Alafndi A, Gabrieli P. Fat body-specific vitellogenin expression regulates host-seeking behaviour in the mosquito Aedes albopictus. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000238. [PMID: 31071075 PMCID: PMC6508604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The high vector competence of mosquitoes is intrinsically linked to their reproductive strategy because females need a vertebrate blood meal to develop large batches of eggs. However, the molecular mechanisms and pathways regulating mosquito host-seeking behaviour are largely unknown. Here, we test whether host-seeking behaviour may be linked to the female's energy reserves, with low energy levels triggering the search for a nutrient-rich blood meal. Our results demonstrate that sugar feeding delays host-seeking behaviour in the invasive tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, but the levels of energy reserves do not correlate with changes in host-seeking behaviour. Using tissue-specific gene expression analyses, we show for the first time, to our knowledge, that sugar feeding alone induces a transient up-regulation of several vitellogenesis-related genes in the female fat body, resembling the transcriptional response after a blood meal. Specifically, high expression levels of a vitellogenin gene (Vg-2) correlated with the lowest host-seeking activity of sugar-fed females. Knocking down the Vg-2 gene via RNA interference (RNAi) restored host-seeking behaviour in these females, firmly establishing that Vg-2 gene expression has a pivotal role in regulating host-seeking behaviour in young Ae. albopictus females. The identification of a molecular mechanism regulating host-seeking behaviour in mosquitoes could pave the way for novel vector control strategies aiming to reduce the biting activity of mosquitoes. From an evolutionary perspective, this is the first demonstration of vitellogenin genes controlling feeding-related behaviours in nonsocial insects, while vitellogenins are known to regulate caste-specific foraging and brood-care behaviours in eusocial insects. Hence, this work confirms the key role of vitellogenin in controlling feeding-related behaviours in distantly related insect orders, suggesting that this function could be more ubiquitous than previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Dittmer
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ayad Alafndi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Christen V, Vogel MS, Hettich T, Fent K. A Vitellogenin Antibody in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera): Characterization and Application as Potential Biomarker for Insecticide Exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2019; 38:1074-1083. [PMID: 30714192 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The insect yolk precursor vitellogenin is a lipoglycoprotein synthesized and stored in the fat body and secreted into the hemolymph. In honey bees, vitellogenin displays crucial functions in hormone signaling, behavioral transition of nurse bees to foragers, stress resistance, and longevity in workers. Plant protection products such as neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, and organophosphates alter the transcriptional expression of vitellogenin. To assess plant protection product-induced alterations on the protein level, we developed a rabbit polyclonal vitellogenin antibody. After characterization, we assessed its specificity and vitellogenin levels in different tissues of worker bees. The vitellogenin antibody recognized full-length 180-kDa vitellogenin and the lighter fragment of 150 kDa in fat body, hemolymph, and brain. In hemolymph, a band of approximately 75 kDa was detected. Subsequent mass spectrometric analysis (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) confirmed the 180- and 150-kDa bands as vitellogenin. Subsequently, we evaluated vitellogenin expression in brain, fat body, and hemolymph on 24-h exposure of bees to 3 ng/bee to the neonicotinoid clothianidin. Full-length vitellogenin was upregulated 3-fold in the fat body, and the 150-kDa fragment was upregulated in the brain of exposed honey bees, whereas no alteration occurred in the hemolymph. Upregulation of the vitellogenin protein by the neonicotinoid clothianidin is in line with the previously shown induction of its transcript. We conclude that vitellogenin might serve as a potential biomarker for neonicotinoid and other pesticide exposure in bees. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;00:1-10. © 2019 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Christen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Maren Susanne Vogel
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Timm Hettich
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Karl Fent
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollution Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Honey bees increase their foraging performance and frequency of pollen trips through experience. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6778. [PMID: 31043647 PMCID: PMC6494865 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42677-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bee foragers must supply their colony with a balance of pollen and nectar to sustain optimal colony development. Inter-individual behavioural variability among foragers is observed in terms of activity levels and nectar vs. pollen collection, however the causes of such variation are still open questions. Here we explored the relationship between foraging activity and foraging performance in honey bees (Apis mellifera) by using an automated behaviour monitoring system to record mass on departing the hive, trip duration, presence of pollen on the hind legs and mass upon return to the hive, during the lifelong foraging career of individual bees. In our colonies, only a subset of foragers collected pollen, and no bee exclusively foraged for pollen. A minority of very active bees (19% of the foragers) performed 50% of the colony’s total foraging trips, contributing to both pollen and nectar collection. Foraging performance (amount and rate of food collection) depended on bees’ individual experience (amount of foraging trips completed). We argue that this reveals an important vulnerability for these social bees since environmental stressors that alter the activity and reduce the lifespan of foragers may prevent bees ever achieving maximal performance, thereby seriously compromising the effectiveness of the colony foraging force.
Collapse
|
41
|
Thakur B, Yadav R, Vallon L, Marmeisse R, Fraissinet-Tachet L, Sudhakara Reddy M. Multi-metal tolerance of von Willebrand factor type D domain isolated from metal contaminated site by metatranscriptomics approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 661:432-440. [PMID: 30677688 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution through heavy metals is an upcoming universal problem that relentlessly endangers human health, biodiversity and ecosystems. Hence remediating these heavy metal pollutants from the environment by engineering soil microbiome through metatranscriptomics is befitting reply. In the present investigation, we have constructed size fractionated cDNA libraries from eukaryotic mRNA of cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil and screened for Cd tolerant genes by yeast complementation system by using Cd sensitive ycf1Δ mutant. We are reporting one of the transformants PLCe10 (from library C, 1-4 kb) with potential tolerance towards Cd toxicity (40 μM-80 μM). Sequence analysis of PLCe10 transcript showed homology to von Willebrand factor type D domain (VWD) of vitellogenin-6 of Ascaris suum encoding 338 amino acids peptide. qPCR analysis revealed that PLCe10 induced in presence of Cd (32 fold) and also accumulated maximum amount of Cd at 60 μM Cd. This cDNA was further tested for its tolerance against other heavy metals like copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cobalt (Co). Heterologous complementation assays of cDNA PLCe10 showed a range of tolerance to Cu (150 μM-500 μM), Zn (10 mM-12 mM) and Co (2-4 mM). Results of the present study suggest that cDNA PLCe10 is one of the functional eukaryotic heavy metal tolerant genes present among the soil microbial community and could be exploited to rehabilitate metal contaminated sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bharti Thakur
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004, India
| | - Rajiv Yadav
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurent Vallon
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Roland Marmeisse
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurence Fraissinet-Tachet
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - M Sudhakara Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004, India.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Iwata M, Otaki JM. Insights into eyespot color-pattern formation mechanisms from color gradients, boundary scales, and rudimentary eyespots in butterfly wings. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 114:68-82. [PMID: 30797779 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Butterfly eyespot color patterns are traditionally explained by the gradient model, where positional information is stably provided by a morphogen gradient from a single organizer and its output is a set of non-graded (or graded) colors based on pre-determined threshold levels. An alternative model is the induction model, in which the outer black ring and the inner black core disk of an eyespot are specified by graded signals from the primary and secondary organizers that also involve lateral induction. To examine the feasibility of these models, we analyzed eyespot color gradients, boundary scales, and rudimentary eyespots in various nymphalid butterflies. Most parts of eyespots showed color gradients with gradual or fluctuating changes with sharp boundaries in many species, but some species had eyespots that were composed of a constant color within a given part. Thus, a plausible model should be flexible enough to incorporate this diversity. Some boundary scales appeared to have two kinds of pigments, and others had "misplaced" colors, suggesting an overlapping of two signals and a difficulty in assuming sharp threshold boundaries. Rudimentary eyespots of three Junonia species revealed that the outer black ring is likely determined first and the inner yellow or red ring is laterally induced. This outside-to-inside determination together with the lateral induction may favor the induction model, in which dynamic signal interactions play a major role. The implications of these results for the ploidy hypothesis and color-pattern rules are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Iwata
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan; Department of International Agricultural Development, Faculty of International Agriculture and Food Studies, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Joji M Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Ricigliano VA, Mott BM, Maes PW, Floyd AS, Fitz W, Copeland DC, Meikle WG, Anderson KE. Honey bee colony performance and health are enhanced by apiary proximity to US Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4894. [PMID: 30894619 PMCID: PMC6426953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41281-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bee colony performance and health are intimately linked to the foraging environment. Recent evidence suggests that the US Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has a positive impact on environmental suitability for supporting honey bee apiaries. However, relatively little is known about the influence of habitat conservation efforts on honey bee colony health. Identifying specific factors that influence bee health at the colony level incorporates longitudinal monitoring of physiology across diverse environments. Using a pooled-sampling method to overcome individual variation, we monitored colony-level molecular biomarkers during critical pre- and post-winter time points. Major categories of colony health (nutrition, oxidative stress resistance, and immunity) were impacted by apiary site. In general, apiaries within foraging distance of CRP lands showed improved performance and higher gene expression of vitellogenin (vg), a nutritionally regulated protein with central storage and regulatory functions. Mirroring vg levels, gene transcripts encoding antioxidant enzymes and immune-related proteins were typically higher in colonies exposed to CRP environments. Our study highlights the potential of CRP lands to improve pollinator health and the utility of colony-level molecular diagnostics to assess environmental suitability for honey bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Ricigliano
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
- USDA-ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820, USA.
| | - Brendon M Mott
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Patrick W Maes
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Amy S Floyd
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - William Fitz
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Duan C Copeland
- Department of Microbiology, School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - William G Meikle
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Kirk E Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Więch A, Rowińska-Żyrek M, Wątły J, Czarnota A, Hołubowicz R, Szewczuk Z, Ożyhar A, Orłowski M. The intrinsically disordered C-terminal F domain of the ecdysteroid receptor from Aedes aegypti exhibits metal ion-binding ability. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 186:42-55. [PMID: 30243841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The dominant vector of dengue and Zika diseases is a female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Its reproduction is controlled by the formation of an active heterodimer complex of the 20-hydroxyecdysone receptor (EcR) and Ultraspiracle protein (Usp). Although EcR exhibits a structural and functional organization typical of nuclear receptors (NRs), the EcR C-terminus has an additional F domain (AaFEcR) that is rarely present in the NRs superfamily. The presence of F domains is evolutionarily not well conserved in the NRs. The structure-function relationship of EcR F domains in arthropods is unclear and enigmatic. To date, there have been no data concerning the structure and function of AaFEcR. Our results showed that AaFEcR belongs to a family of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and possesses putative pre-molten globule (PMG) characteristics. Unexpectedly, additional amino acid composition in silico analyses revealed the presence of short unique repeated Pro-His clusters forming an HGPHPHPHG motif, which is similar to those responsible for Zn2+ and Cu2+ binding in histidine-proline-rich glycoproteins (HPRGs). Using SEC, SV-AUC and ESI-TOF MS, we showed that the intrinsically disordered AaFEcR is able to bind metal ions and form complexes with these ions. Our studies provide new insight into the structural organization and activities of the F domains of NRs. This unique for the F domains of NRs ion-binding propensity demonstrated by the AaFEcR domain may be a part of the ecdysteroid receptor's mechanism for regulating the expression of genes encoding oxidative stress-protecting proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Więch
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Joanna Wątły
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Czarnota
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Rafał Hołubowicz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Andrzej Ożyhar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marek Orłowski
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
De Souza DA, Kaftanoglu O, De Jong D, Page RE, Amdam GV, Wang Y. Differences in the morphology, physiology and gene expression of honey bee queens and workers reared in vitro versus in situ. Biol Open 2018; 7:bio036616. [PMID: 30341101 PMCID: PMC6262861 DOI: 10.1242/bio.036616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of larval nutrition on female fertility in honey bees is a focus for both scientific studies and for practical applications in beekeeping. In general, morphological traits are standards for classifying queens and workers and for evaluating their quality. In recent years, in vitro rearing techniques have been improved and used in many studies; they can produce queen-like and worker-like bees. Here, we questioned whether queens and workers reared in vitro are the same as queens and workers reared in a natural hive environment. We reared workers and queens both in vitro and naturally in beehives to test how these different environments affect metabolic physiology and candidate genes in newly emerged queens and workers. We found that sugar (glucose and trehalose) levels differed between queens and workers in both in vitro and in-hive-reared bees. The in vitro-reared bees had significantly higher levels of lipids in the abdomen. Moreover, hive reared queens had almost 20 times higher levels of vitellogenin than in vitro-reared queens, despite similar morphologies. In addition, hive-reared bees had significantly higher levels of expression of mrjp1 In conclusion, in vitro rearing produces queens and workers that differ from those reared in the hive environment at physiological and gene expression levels.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daiana A De Souza
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA
| | - Osman Kaftanoglu
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
| | - David De Jong
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Robert E Page
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gro V Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Zhen C, Yang H, Luo S, Huang J, Wu J. Broad-complex Z3 contributes to the ecdysone-mediated transcriptional regulation of the vitellogenin gene in Bombus lantschouensis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207275. [PMID: 30440013 PMCID: PMC6237364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
During reproduction, vitellogenin (Vg), as an egg yolk precursor, is critical in sexually mature females of oviparous species including some insects. The transcription of Vg is usually mediated by hormones such as juvenile hormone (JH), ecdysteroids and some neuropeptides. In this study, the structure of the Vg gene from the bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis, (BlVg) was determined by sequencing and assembly. BlVg was found to be expressed at higher levels in reproductive queens than in virgins by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that BlVg was expressed at the highest levels in the fat bodies of both virgin and reproductive queens. Prediction of the BlVg promoter revealed the presence of ecdysteroid-responsive cis-regulatory elements (CREs) containing one Broad-Complex zinc-finger isoform 3 (BR-C Z3), and one ecdysone-induced protein 74A (E74A). In addition, luciferase reporter expression, driven by the 5' -regulatory region of the BlVg gene, from -1517 bp to +895 bp downstream of the start codon, was induced by treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E). Moreover, the luciferase activity of the BlVg promoter was elevated by only BlBrC-Z3 when Sf9 cells were cotransfected with four BlBrC isoforms respectively. BlVg promoter-mediated luciferase activation was significantly reduced when the putative BrC-Z3 CRE in the promoter was mutated. In summary, this report describes the first study of vitellogenin gene regulation at the transcriptional level in bumblebees and demonstrates that the ecdysone-induced transcription of the BlVg gene is mediated by the binding of BlBrC-Z3 to the BrC-Z3 CRE in the BlVg promoter in bumblebees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Congai Zhen
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Huipeng Yang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Shudong Luo
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jiaxing Huang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, PR China
- * E-mail: (JW); (JH)
| | - Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, PR China
- * E-mail: (JW); (JH)
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Walsh JT, Signorotti L, Linksvayer TA, d'Ettorre P. Phenotypic correlation between queen and worker brood care supports the role of maternal care in the evolution of eusociality. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:10409-10415. [PMID: 30464814 PMCID: PMC6238135 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative brood care by siblings, a defining feature of eusociality, is hypothesized to be evolutionarily derived from maternal care via shifts in the timing of the expression of genes underlying maternal care. If sibling and maternal care share a genetic basis, the two behaviors are expected to be genetically and phenotypically correlated. We tested this prediction in the black garden ant Lasius niger by quantifying the brood retrieval rate of queens and their first and later generation worker offspring. Brood retrieval rate of queens was positively phenotypically correlated with the brood retrieval rate of first generation but not with later generation workers. The difference between first and later generation workers could be due to the stronger similarity in care behavior provided by queens and first generation workers compared to later generations. Furthermore, we found that queen retrieval rate was positively correlated with colony productivity, suggesting that natural selection is acting on maternal care. Overall, our results support the idea of a shared genetic basis between maternal and sibling care as well as queen and worker traits more generally, which has implications for the role of intercaste correlations in the evolution of queen and worker traits and eusociality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin T. Walsh
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Lisa Signorotti
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology (LEEC)University of Paris 13Sorbonne Paris CitéFrance
| | | | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology (LEEC)University of Paris 13Sorbonne Paris CitéFrance
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Walton A, Dolezal AG, Bakken MA, Toth AL. Hungry for the queen: Honeybee nutritional environment affects worker pheromone response in a life stage‐dependent manner. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State University Ames Iowa
| | - Adam G. Dolezal
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois
| | - Marit A. Bakken
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Amy L. Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State University Ames Iowa
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Ricigliano VA, Mott BM, Floyd AS, Copeland DC, Carroll MJ, Anderson KE. Honey bees overwintering in a southern climate: longitudinal effects of nutrition and queen age on colony-level molecular physiology and performance. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10475. [PMID: 29992997 PMCID: PMC6041268 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28732-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bee colony nutritional ecology relies on the acquisition and assimilation of floral resources across a landscape with changing forage conditions. Here, we examined the impact of nutrition and queen age on colony health across extended periods of reduced forage in a southern climate. We measured conventional hive metrics as well as colony-level gene expression of eight immune-related genes and three recently identified homologs of vitellogenin (vg), a storage glycolipoprotein central to colony nutritional state, immunity, oxidative stress resistance and life span regulation. Across three apiary sites, concurrent longitudinal changes in colony-level gene expression and nutritional state reflected the production of diutinus (winter) bees physiologically altered for long-term nutrient storage. Brood production by young queens was significantly greater than that of old queens, and was augmented by feeding colonies supplemental pollen. Expression analyses of recently identified vg homologs (vg-like-A, -B, and -C) revealed distinct patterns that correlated with colony performance, phenology, and immune-related gene transcript levels. Our findings provide new insights into dynamics underlying managed colony performance on a large scale. Colony-level, molecular physiological profiling is a promising approach to effectively identify factors influencing honey bee health in future landscape and nutrition studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brendon M Mott
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Amy S Floyd
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Duan C Copeland
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.,Department of Microbiology, School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Mark J Carroll
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Kirk E Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA. .,Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Kuszewska K, Miler K, Woyciechowski M. Honeybee rebel workers invest less in risky foraging than normal workers. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9459. [PMID: 29930293 PMCID: PMC6013497 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27844-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In eusocial insect colonies, workers have individual preferences for performing particular tasks. Previous research suggests that these preferences might be associated with worker reproductive potential; however, different studies have yielded inconsistent results. This study constitutes the first comparison of foraging preferences between genetically similar normal and rebel honeybee workers, which present different reproductive potential. We found that rebels, which have a higher reproductive potential than normal workers, displayed a delayed onset of foraging and a stronger tendency to collect nectar compared with normal workers. These results support the hypothesis that workers with high reproductive potential invest more in their own egg laying and avoid risky tasks such as foraging. In contrast, the results do not support the hypothesis that reproductive workers initiate foraging earlier in life than normal workers and specialize in pollen foraging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Kuszewska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|