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Serna JDP, Alves OC, Abreu F, Acosta-Avalos D. Magnetite in the abdomen and antennae of Apis mellifera honeybees. J Biol Phys 2024; 50:215-228. [PMID: 38727764 PMCID: PMC11106226 DOI: 10.1007/s10867-024-09656-4] [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] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The detection of magnetic fields by animals is known as magnetoreception. The ferromagnetic hypothesis explains magnetoreception assuming that magnetic nanoparticles are used as magnetic field transducers. Magnetite nanoparticles in the abdomen of Apis mellifera honeybees have been proposed in the literature as the magnetic field transducer. However, studies with ants and stingless bees have shown that the whole body of the insect contain magnetic material, and that the largest magnetization is in the antennae. The aim of the present study is to investigate the magnetization of all the body parts of honeybees as has been done with ants and stingless bees. To do that, the head without antennae, antennae, thorax, and abdomen obtained from Apis mellifera honeybees were analyzed using magnetometry and Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) techniques. The magnetometry and FMR measurements show the presence of magnetic material in all honeybee body parts. Our results present evidence of the presence of biomineralized magnetite nanoparticles in the honeybee abdomen and, for the first time, magnetite in the antennae. FMR measurements permit to identify the magnetite in the abdomen as biomineralized. As behavioral experiments reported in the literature have shown that the abdomen is involved in magnetoreception, new experimental approaches must be done to confirm or discard the involvement of the antennae in magnetoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilder Dandy Peña Serna
- Coordenação de Física Aplicada (COMAN), Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF), R. Xavier Sigaud, 150, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-180, Brazil
| | - Odivaldo Cambraia Alves
- Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Outeiro de São Joao Batista, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, RJ, Niterói 24020-141, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Abreu
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Daniel Acosta-Avalos
- Coordenação de Física Aplicada (COMAN), Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF), R. Xavier Sigaud, 150, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-180, Brazil.
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2
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Šofranková L, Baňas M, Pipová N, Majláth I, Kurimský J, Cimbala R, Pavlík M, Mateos-Hernández L, Šimo L, Majláthová V. Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Neuropeptide Transcript Levels in the Synganglion of Ixodes ricinus. Pathogens 2023; 12:1398. [PMID: 38133283 PMCID: PMC10747470 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation is an important environmental factor affecting the functionality of biological systems. Sensitivity to various frequencies of electromagnetic radiation has been detected in ixodid ticks in the past. However, the physiological aspects of radiation effects have not yet been studied in ticks. In the presented experiment, 360 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 180 males and 180 females, were divided into 16 irradiated and 8 control groups. The irradiated groups were exposed to two different intensities of electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of 900 MHz at different lengths of exposure time. RT-PCR was utilized to determine the changes in mRNA levels in tick synganglia after irradiation. Four randomly selected neuropeptide genes were tested-allatotropin (at), FGLa-related allatostatins (fgla/ast), kinin, and arginine-vasopressin-like peptide (avpl). A significant decrease in transcript levels in all female groups exposed to higher intensity radiofrequency radiation for 1 to 3 h was found. After one hour of radiofrequency exposure, a significant downregulation in allatotropin expression in males was detected. A consistent downregulation of the at gene was detected in males irradiated with at a higher intensity. Unfortunately, the specific functions of the studied neuropeptides in ticks are not known yet, so a more comprehensive study is necessary to describe the effects of EMF on observed neuropeptides. This study represents the first report on the effects of the abiotic environment on tick neurophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Šofranková
- Department of Animal Physiology, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04180 Košice, Slovakia; (L.Š.); (M.B.); (N.P.); (I.M.)
| | - Miroslav Baňas
- Department of Animal Physiology, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04180 Košice, Slovakia; (L.Š.); (M.B.); (N.P.); (I.M.)
| | - Natália Pipová
- Department of Animal Physiology, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04180 Košice, Slovakia; (L.Š.); (M.B.); (N.P.); (I.M.)
| | - Igor Majláth
- Department of Animal Physiology, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04180 Košice, Slovakia; (L.Š.); (M.B.); (N.P.); (I.M.)
| | - Juraj Kurimský
- Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engeneering and Informatics, Technical University of Košice, Mäsiarska 74, 04120 Košice, Slovakia; (J.K.); (R.C.); (M.P.)
| | - Roman Cimbala
- Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engeneering and Informatics, Technical University of Košice, Mäsiarska 74, 04120 Košice, Slovakia; (J.K.); (R.C.); (M.P.)
| | - Marek Pavlík
- Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engeneering and Informatics, Technical University of Košice, Mäsiarska 74, 04120 Košice, Slovakia; (J.K.); (R.C.); (M.P.)
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Unitè Mixte de Recherche de Biologie Molèculaire et d’Immunologie Parasitaires (UMR BIPAR), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.M.-H.); (L.Š.)
| | - Ladislav Šimo
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Unitè Mixte de Recherche de Biologie Molèculaire et d’Immunologie Parasitaires (UMR BIPAR), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.M.-H.); (L.Š.)
| | - Viktória Majláthová
- Department of Animal Physiology, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04180 Košice, Slovakia; (L.Š.); (M.B.); (N.P.); (I.M.)
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Serna JDP, Antonialli-Junior W, Antonio DS, Batista NR, Alves OC, Abreu F, Acosta-Avalos D. Magnetic nanoparticles in the body parts of Polistes versicolor and Polybia paulista wasps are biomineralized: evidence from magnetization measurements and ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Biometals 2023; 36:877-886. [PMID: 36602694 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-022-00485-3] [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] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The detection of the geomagnetic field by animals to use as a cue in homing and migration is known as magnetoreception. The ferromagnetic hypothesis explains magnetoreception assuming that magnetic nanoparticles in cellular structures are used as magnetic field transducers. Considering magnetoreception in social insects, the most studied has been the honeybee Apis mellifera and only in two wasp species (Vespa orientalis and Polybia paulista) have been shown a magnetosensitive behavior. In the present report the body parts (abdomen, head and antennae) of Polistes versicolor and Polybia paulista wasps were studied aiming to find biomineralized magnetic nanoparticles, using magnetometry measurements and ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The magnetometry measurements show the presence of magnetic nanoparticles in all body parts, being characterized as mixtures of superparamagnetic, single domain and pseudo-single domain nanoparticles. From the ferromagnetic resonance spectra were obtained the asymmetry ratio A and the effective g factor geff, and those parameters are consistent with the presence of biomineralized magnetic nanoparticles in both wasps. In the case of Polybia paulista, the magnetic nanoparticles can be associated with some sort of magnetosensor once this wasp is magnetosensitive. For Polistes versicolor, the results indicate that this wasp can be magnetosensitive as Polybia paulista once their magnetic nanoparticles are biomineralized in the body. Behavioral studies with Polistes versicolor wasps deserve to be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilder Dandy Peña Serna
- Coordenação de Materia Condensada, Física Aplicada e Nanociencia, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF, R. Xavier Sigaud, 150, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-180, Brazil
| | - William Antonialli-Junior
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Comportamental, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brazil
| | - Denise Sguarizi Antonio
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Comportamental, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brazil
| | - Nathan Rodrigues Batista
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Comportamental, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brazil
| | - Odivaldo Cambraia Alves
- Universidade Federal Fluminense-UFF, Outeiro de São Joao Batista, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24020-141, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Abreu
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Daniel Acosta-Avalos
- Coordenação de Materia Condensada, Física Aplicada e Nanociencia, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF, R. Xavier Sigaud, 150, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-180, Brazil.
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4
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Hu X, Li F, Xia F, Wang Q, Lin P, Wei M, Gong L, Low LE, Lee JY, Ling D. Dynamic nanoassembly-based drug delivery system (DNDDS): Learning from nature. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 175:113830. [PMID: 34139254 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic nanoassembly-based drug delivery system (DNDDS) has evolved from being a mere curiosity to emerging as a promising strategy for high-performance diagnosis and/or therapy of various diseases. However, dynamic nano-bio interaction between DNDDS and biological systems remains poorly understood, which can be critical for precise spatiotemporal and functional control of DNDDS in vivo. To deepen the understanding for fine control over DNDDS, we aim to explore natural systems as the root of inspiration for researchers from various fields. This review highlights ingenious designs, nano-bio interactions, and controllable functionalities of state-of-the-art DNDDS under endogenous or exogenous stimuli, by learning from nature at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels. Furthermore, the assembly strategies and response mechanisms of tailor-made DNDDS based on the characteristics of various diseased microenvironments are intensively discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives of DNDDS are briefly commented.
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Chicas‐Mosier AM, Radi M, Lafferrandre J, O'Hara JF, Vora HD, Abramson CI. Low Strength Magnetic Fields Serve as a Cue for Foraging Honey Bees but Prior Experience is More Indicative of Choice. Bioelectromagnetics 2020; 41:458-470. [DOI: 10.1002/bem.22285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Chicas‐Mosier
- Department of Integrative Biology Oklahoma State University Stillwater Stillwater Oklahoma
| | - Medhat Radi
- Department of Pest Physiology Plant Protection Research Institute Dokki Egypt
| | - Jack Lafferrandre
- Department of Psychology Oklahoma State University Stillwater Stillwater Oklahoma
| | - John F. O'Hara
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma
| | - Hitesh D. Vora
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma
| | - Charles I. Abramson
- Department of Integrative Biology Oklahoma State University Stillwater Stillwater Oklahoma
- Department of Psychology Oklahoma State University Stillwater Stillwater Oklahoma
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Vanbergen AJ, Potts SG, Vian A, Malkemper EP, Young J, Tscheulin T. Risk to pollinators from anthropogenic electro-magnetic radiation (EMR): Evidence and knowledge gaps. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133833. [PMID: 31419678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide urbanisation and use of mobile and wireless technologies (5G, Internet of Things) is leading to the proliferation of anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and campaigning voices continue to call for the risk to human health and wildlife to be recognised. Pollinators provide many benefits to nature and humankind, but face multiple anthropogenic threats. Here, we assess whether artificial light at night (ALAN) and anthropogenic radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (AREMR), such as used in wireless technologies (4G, 5G) or emitted from power lines, represent an additional and growing threat to pollinators. A lack of high quality scientific studies means that knowledge of the risk to pollinators from anthropogenic EMR is either inconclusive, unresolved, or only partly established. A handful of studies provide evidence that ALAN can alter pollinator communities, pollination and fruit set. Laboratory experiments provide some, albeit variable, evidence that the honey bee Apis mellifera and other invertebrates can detect EMR, potentially using it for orientation or navigation, but they do not provide evidence that AREMR affects insect behaviour in ecosystems. Scientifically robust evidence of AREMR impacts on abundance or diversity of pollinators (or other invertebrates) are limited to a single study reporting positive and negative effects depending on the pollinator group and geographical location. Therefore, whether anthropogenic EMR (ALAN or AREMR) poses a significant threat to insect pollinators and the benefits they provide to ecosystems and humanity remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Vanbergen
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Edinburgh EH26 0QB, UK.
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading University, RG6 6AR, UK.
| | - Alain Vian
- IRHS, Université d'Angers, Agrocampus-Ouest, INRA, SFR 4207 QuaSaV, 49071 Beaucouzé, France.
| | - E Pascal Malkemper
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-BioCenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Juliette Young
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Edinburgh EH26 0QB, UK.
| | - Thomas Tscheulin
- Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, University Hill, GR-81100, Greece.
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7
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Baltzley MJ, Nabity MW. Reanalysis of an oft-cited paper on honeybee magnetoreception reveals random behavior. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.185454. [PMID: 30266785 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.185454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
While mounting evidence indicates that a phylogenetically diverse group of animals detect Earth-strength magnetic fields, a magnetoreceptor has not been identified in any animal. One possible reason that identifying a magnetoreceptor has proven challenging is that, like many research fields, magnetoreception research lacks extensive independent replication. Independent replication is important because a subset of studies undoubtedly contain false positive results and without replication it is difficult to determine whether the outcome of an experiment is a false positive. However, we report here a reanalysis of a well-cited paper on honeybee magnetoreception demonstrating that the original paper represented a false positive finding caused by incorrect estimates of probability. We also point out how good experimental design practices could have revealed the error prior to publication. Hopefully, this reanalysis will serve as a reminder of the importance of good experimental design in order to reduce the likelihood of publishing false positive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Baltzley
- Department of Biology, Western Oregon University, 345 Monmouth Avenue N., Monmouth, OR 97361, USA
| | - Matthew W Nabity
- Department of Mathematics, Western Oregon University, 345 Monmouth Avenue N., Monmouth, OR 97361, USA
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8
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Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7932. [PMID: 29785039 PMCID: PMC5962564 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26185-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) pollution from overhead powerlines is known to cause biological effects across many phyla, but these effects are poorly understood. Honey bees are important pollinators across the globe and due to their foraging flights are exposed to relatively high levels of ELF EMF in proximity to powerlines. Here we ask how acute exposure to 50 Hz ELF EMFs at levels ranging from 20–100 µT, found at ground level below powerline conductors, to 1000–7000 µT, found within 1 m of the conductors, affects honey bee olfactory learning, flight, foraging activity and feeding. ELF EMF exposure was found to reduce learning, alter flight dynamics, reduce the success of foraging flights towards food sources, and feeding. The results suggest that 50 Hz ELF EMFs emitted from powerlines may represent a prominent environmental stressor for honey bees, with the potential to impact on their cognitive and motor abilities, which could in turn reduce their ability to pollinate crops.
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Kong LJ, Crepaz H, Górecka A, Urbanek A, Dumke R, Paterek T. In-vivo biomagnetic characterisation of the American cockroach. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5140. [PMID: 29572509 PMCID: PMC5865160 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23005-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a quantitative method, utilising a highly sensitive quantum sensor, that extends applicability of magnetorelaxometry to biological samples at physiological temperature. The observed magnetic fields allow for non-invasive determination of physical properties of magnetic materials and their surrounding environment inside the specimen. The method is applied to American cockroaches and reveals magnetic deposits with strikingly different behaviour in alive and dead insects. We discuss consequences of this finding to cockroach magneto-reception. To our knowledge, this work represents the first characterisation of the magnetisation dynamics in live insects and helps to connect results from behavioural experiments on insects in magnetic fields with characterisation of magnetic materials in their corpses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Jun Kong
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Herbert Crepaz
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Agnieszka Górecka
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Urbanek
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, 80-308, Poland
| | - Rainer Dumke
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Tomasz Paterek
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore. .,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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10
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Natan E, Vortman Y. The symbiotic magnetic-sensing hypothesis: do Magnetotactic Bacteria underlie the magnetic sensing capability of animals? MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:22. [PMID: 29085642 PMCID: PMC5651570 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-017-0113-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sense Earth's magnetic field has evolved in various taxa. However, despite great efforts to find the 'magnetic-sensor' in vertebrates, the results of these scientific efforts remain inconclusive. A few decades ago, it was found that bacteria, known as magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), can move along a magnetic field using nanometric chain-like structures. Still, it is not fully clear why these bacteria evolved to have this capacity. Thus, while for MTB the 'magnetic-sensor' is known but the adaptive value is still under debate, for metazoa it is the other way around. In the absence of convincing evidence for any 'magnetic-sensor' in metazoan species sensitive to Earth's magnetic field, we hypothesize that a mutualism between these species and MTB provides one. In this relationship the host benefits from a magnetotactic capacity, while the bacteria benefit a hosting environment and dispersal. We provide support for this hypothesis using existing literature, demonstrating that by placing the MTB as the 'magnetic-sensor', previously contradictory results are now in agreement. We also propose plausible mechanisms and ways to test the hypothesis. If proven correct, this hypothesis would shed light on the forces driving both animal and bacteria magnetotactic abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoni Vortman
- Hula Research Center, Department of Animal Sciences, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
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11
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Lambinet V, Hayden ME, Reid C, Gries G. Honey bees possess a polarity-sensitive magnetoreceptor. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:1029-1036. [PMID: 28916947 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1214-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Honey bees, Apis mellifera, exploit the geomagnetic field for orientation during foraging and for alignment of their combs within hives. We tested the hypothesis that honey bees sense the polarity of magnetic fields. We created an engineered magnetic anomaly in which the magnetic field generally either converged toward a sugar reward in a watch glass, or away from it. After bees in behavioral field studies had learned to associate this anomaly with a sugar water reward, we subjected them to two experiments performed in random order. In both experiments, we presented bees with two identical sugar water rewards, one of which was randomly marked by a magnetic field anomaly. During the control experiment, the polarity of the magnetic field anomaly was maintained the same as it was during the training session. During the treatment experiment, it was reversed. We predicted that bees would not respond to the altered anomaly if they were sensitive to the polarity of the magnetic field. Our findings that bees continued to respond to the magnetic anomaly when its polarity was in its unaltered state, but did not respond to it when its polarity was reversed, support the hypothesis that honey bees possess a polarity-sensitive magnetoreceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Lambinet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Michael E Hayden
- Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
| | - Chloe Reid
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Gerhard Gries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
- Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
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12
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Hayden ME, Lambinet V, Gomis S, Gries G. Note: Evaluation of magnetometry data acquired from elongated samples. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2017; 88:056106. [PMID: 28571418 DOI: 10.1063/1.4983777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We document and validate an analytic expression for the flux integral characterizing the response (or sensitivity) of a magnetometer equipped with second-order axial gradiometer coils to long, thin, uniformly magnetized samples. We then demonstrate an application inspired by this analysis, in which magnetometric sensitivity to weak magnetic signatures is readily and appreciably enhanced by increasing the sample volume (and hence the quantity of analyte) well beyond conventional limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Hayden
- Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - V Lambinet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - S Gomis
- Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - G Gries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
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