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Kardum Hjort C, Paris JR, Smith HG, Dudaniec RY. Selection despite low genetic diversity and high gene flow in a rapid island invasion of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17212. [PMID: 37990959 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17212] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species are predicted to adjust their morphological, physiological and life-history traits to adapt to their non-native environments. Although a loss of genetic variation during invasion may restrict local adaptation, introduced species often thrive in novel environments. Despite being founded by just a few individuals, Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has in less than 30 years successfully spread across the island of Tasmania (Australia), becoming abundant and competitive with native pollinators. We use RADseq to investigate what neutral and adaptive genetic processes associated with environmental and morphological variation allow B. terrestris to thrive as an invasive species in Tasmania. Given the widespread abundance of B. terrestris, we expected little genetic structure across Tasmania and weak signatures of environmental and morphological selection. We found high gene flow with low genetic diversity, although with significant isolation-by-distance and spatial variation in effective migration rates. Restricted migration was evident across the mid-central region of Tasmania, corresponding to higher elevations, pastural land, low wind speeds and low precipitation seasonality. Tajima's D indicated a recent population expansion extending from the south to the north of the island. Selection signatures were found for loci in relation to precipitation, wind speed and wing loading. Candidate loci were annotated to genes with functions related to cuticle water retention and insect flight muscle stability. Understanding how a genetically impoverished invasive bumblebee has rapidly adapted to a novel island environment provides further understanding about the evolutionary processes that determine successful insect invasions, and the potential for invasive hymenopteran pollinators to spread globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Kardum Hjort
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Josephine R Paris
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachael Y Dudaniec
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Alhosin M. Epigenetics Mechanisms of Honeybees: Secrets of Royal Jelly. Epigenet Insights 2023; 16:25168657231213717. [PMID: 38033464 PMCID: PMC10687967 DOI: 10.1177/25168657231213717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Early diets in honeybees have effects on epigenome with consequences on their phenotype. Depending on the early larval diet, either royal jelly (RJ) or royal worker, 2 different female castes are generated from identical genomes, a long-lived queen with fully developed ovaries and a short-lived functionally sterile worker. To generate these prominent physiological and morphological differences between queen and worker, honeybees utilize epigenetic mechanisms which are controlled by nutritional input. These mechanisms include DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications, mainly histone acetylation. In honeybee larvae, DNA methylation and histone acetylation may be differentially altered by RJ. This diet has biologically active ingredients with inhibitory effects on the de novo methyltransferase DNMT3A or the histone deacetylase 3 HDAC3 to create and maintain the epigenetic state necessary for developing larvae to generate a queen. DNMT and HDAC enzymes work together to induce the formation of a compacted chromatin structure, repressing transcription. Such dialog could be coordinated by their association with other epigenetic factors including the ubiquitin-like containing plant homeodomain (PHD) and really interesting new gene (RING) finger domains 1 (UHRF1). Through its multiple functional domains, UHRF1 acts as an epigenetic reader of both DNA methylation patterns and histone marks. The present review discusses the epigenetic regulation of honeybee's chromatin and how the early diets in honeybees can affect the DNA/histone modifying types of machinery that are necessary to stimulate the larvae to turn into either queen or worker. The review also looks at future directions in epigenetics mechanisms of honeybees, mainly the potential role of UHRF1 in these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Alhosin
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Centre for Artificial intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Hu J, Zhao C, Tan J, Lai S, Zhou Y, Dai L. Transcriptome analysis of Euwallacea interjectus reveals differentially expressed unigenes related to developmental stages and egg laying. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 47:101100. [PMID: 37329642 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101100] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Euwallacea interjectus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is an ambrosia beetle species in its early stages of research. Therefore, studying the related molecular mechanism associated with the development and egg laid is essential. Transcriptome sequencing was used in this study to compare the gene expression of the beetles at different developmental stages and female adults before and after oviposition. A total of 40,047 annotated unigenes were obtained. There were 4225 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) from larva to prepupa stage, 3651 DEUs between prepupa and pupa, 1675 DEUs generated from pupa to adult, and 4762 DEUs between females before and after oviposition. The most significant pathway differences between different development stages and before and after oviposition were selected through functional annotation of DEUs between different stages. Among them, there were many pathways related to protein metabolism including: neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, endoplasmic reticulum and RNA transport. This study provides valuable information on the molecular regulation mechanism of development and the egg laid of E. interjectus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Hu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Jiajin Tan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Shengchang Lai
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Lulu Dai
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China; College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210036, China.
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Orr SE, Goodisman MA. Social insect transcriptomics and the molecular basis of caste diversity. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 57:101040. [PMID: 37105497 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies of gene expression provide fundamentally important information on the molecular mechanisms underlying variation in phenotype. Recent technological advances have allowed for the robust study of gene expression through analysis of whole transcriptomes. Here, we review current advances in social insect transcriptomics and discuss their implications in understanding phenotypic diversity. Recent transcriptomic studies provide detailed inventories of the genes involved in producing distinct phenotypes in social species. These investigations have identified key genes and networks involved in producing distinct social insect castes. Nevertheless, questions concerning the evolution of gene expression patterns remain. We suggest a path forward for studying gene expression in future studies of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Orr
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 310 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Michael Ad Goodisman
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 310 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
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Lago DC, Nora LC, Hasselmann M, Hartfelder K. Positive selection in cytochrome P450 genes is associated with gonad phenotype and mating strategy in social bees. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5921. [PMID: 37041178 PMCID: PMC10090045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32898-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The honey bee, Apis mellifera differs from all other social bees in its gonad phenotype and mating strategy. Honey bee queens and drones have tremendously enlarged gonads, and virgin queens mate with several males. In contrast, in all the other bees, the male and female gonads are small, and the females mate with only one or very few males, thus, suggesting an evolutionary and developmental link between gonad phenotype and mating strategy. RNA-seq comparisons of A. mellifera larval gonads revealed 870 genes as differentially expressed in queens versus workers and drones. Based on Gene Ontology enrichment we selected 45 genes for comparing the expression levels of their orthologs in the larval gonads of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris and the stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata, which revealed 24 genes as differentially represented. An evolutionary analysis of their orthologs in 13 solitary and social bee genomes revealed four genes with evidence of positive selection. Two of these encode cytochrome P450 proteins, and their gene trees indicated a lineage-specific evolution in the genus Apis, indicating that cytochrome P450 genes may be involved in the evolutionary association of polyandry and the exaggerated gonad phenotype in social bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denyse Cavalcante Lago
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Luísa Czamanski Nora
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Martin Hasselmann
- Department of Livestock Population Genomics, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Klaus Hartfelder
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Cheng FP, Hu XF, Pan LX, Gong ZX, Qin KX, Li Z, Wang ZL. Transcriptome changes of Apis mellifera female embryos with fem gene knockout by CRISPR/Cas9. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 229:260-267. [PMID: 36587640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The sex of honey bees is decided by a regulatory cascade comprising of csd, fem and Amdsx. In order to further identify other genes involved in sex determination and differentiation of honey bees in the early stages of embryo development, the CRISPR/Cas9 method was used to knock out fem gene in the embryonic stage of diploid western honey bees, and RNA-seq was used to analyze gene expression changes in the embryo after fem knockout. Finally, we found that the bees had undergone gender changes due to fem knockout. A total of 155 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained, with 48 up-regulated and 107 down-regulated DEGs in the mutant group compared to the control group. Of them, many genes are related to sex development or differentiation. In addition, 1502 differentially expressed alternative splicing events (DEASEs) related to 1011 genes, including the main honey bee sex-determining genes csd, tra2, fem, and Amdsx, were identified between the mutant group and control group, indicating that fem regulates alternative splicing of a large number of downstream genes. Our results provide valuable clues for further investigating the molecular mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Ping Cheng
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Xiao-Fen Hu
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Lu-Xia Pan
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Zhi-Xian Gong
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Kai-Xin Qin
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Zhen Li
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Zi-Long Wang
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, PR China.
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