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Li J, Holford P, Beattie GAC, Wu S, He J, Tan S, Wang D, He Y, Cen Y, Nian X. Adipokinetic hormone signaling mediates the enhanced fecundity of Diaphorina citri infected by ' Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus'. eLife 2024; 13:RP93450. [PMID: 38985571 PMCID: PMC11236419 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Diaphorina citri serves as the primary vector for 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas),' the bacterium associated with the severe Asian form of huanglongbing. CLas-positive D. citri are more fecund than their CLas-negative counterparts and require extra energy expenditure. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms linking metabolism and reproduction is of particular importance. In this study, we found adipokinetic hormone (DcAKH) and its receptor (DcAKHR) were essential for increasing lipid metabolism and fecundity in response to CLas infection in D. citri. Knockdown of DcAKH and DcAKHR not only resulted in the accumulation of triacylglycerol and a decline of glycogen, but also significantly decreased fecundity and CLas titer in ovaries. Combined in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that miR-34 suppresses DcAKHR expression by binding to its 3' untranslated region, whilst overexpression of miR-34 resulted in a decline of DcAKHR expression and CLas titer in ovaries and caused defects that mimicked DcAKHR knockdown phenotypes. Additionally, knockdown of DcAKH and DcAKHR significantly reduced juvenile hormone (JH) titer and JH signaling pathway genes in fat bodies and ovaries, including the JH receptor, methoprene-tolerant (DcMet), and the transcription factor, Krüppel homolog 1 (DcKr-h1), that acts downstream of it, as well as the egg development related genes vitellogenin 1-like (DcVg-1-like), vitellogenin A1-like (DcVg-A1-like) and the vitellogenin receptor (DcVgR). As a result, CLas hijacks AKH/AKHR-miR-34-JH signaling to improve D. citri lipid metabolism and fecundity, while simultaneously increasing the replication of CLas, suggesting a mutualistic interaction between CLas and D. citri ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayun Li
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Paul Holford
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | | | - Shujie Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jielan He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijian Tan
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Desen Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yurong He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yijing Cen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoge Nian
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Henry Fok School of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, China
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2
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Liu B, Xu Y, Zhang W. Transcriptome analysis of Apis mellifera antennae reveals molecular divergence underlying the division of labour in worker bees. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:101-111. [PMID: 37864451 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
The olfactory system plays a fundamental role in mediating insect behaviour. Worker bees exhibit an age-dependent division of labour, performing discrete sets of behaviours throughout their lifespan. The behavioural states of bees rely on their sense of the environment and chemical communication via their olfactory system, the antennae. However, the olfactory adaptation mechanism of worker bees during their behavioural development remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of antennal gene expression in the Apis mellifera of newly emerged workers, nurses, foragers and defenders using RNA-seq. We found that the antenna tissues of honey bees continued developing after transformation from newly emerged workers to adults. Additionally, we identified differentially expressed genes associated with bee development and division of labour. We validated that major royal jelly protein genes are highly and specifically expressed in nurse honey bee workers. Furthermore, we identified and validated significant alternative splicing events correlated with the development and division of labour. These findings provide a comprehensive transcriptome profile and a new perspective on the molecular mechanisms that may underlie the worker honey bee division of labour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bairu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yicong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weixing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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3
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Nian X, Luo Y, He X, Wu S, Li J, Wang D, Holford P, Beattie GAC, Cen Y, Zhang S, He Y. Infection with 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' improves the fecundity of Diaphorina citri aiding its proliferation: A win-win strategy. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17214. [PMID: 38018658 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17214] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of insect vector-pathogen relationships has long been of interest in the field of molecular ecology. One system of special relevance, due to its economic impacts, is that between Diaphorina citri and 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas), the cause of the severe Asian form of huanglongbing. CLas-positive D. citri are more fecund than their CLas-negative counterparts, boosting opportunities for pathogens to acquire new vector hosts. The molecular mechanism behind this life-history shift remains unclear. Here, we found that CLas promoted ovarian development and increased the expression of the vitellogenin receptor (DcVgR) in ovaries. DcVgR RNAi significantly decreased fecundity and CLas titer in ovaries, extended the preoviposition period, shortened the oviposition period and blocked ovarian development. Given their importance in gene regulation, we explored the role of miRNAs in shaping these phenotypes and their molecular triggers. Our results showed that one miRNA, miR-275, suppressed DcVgR expression by binding to its 3' UTR. Overexpression of miR-275 knocked down DcVgR expression and CLas titer in ovaries, causing reproductive defects that mimicked DcVgR knockdown phenotypes. We focused, further, on roles of the Juvenile Hormone (JH) pathway in shaping the observed fecundity phenotype, given its known impacts on ovarian development. After CLas infection, this pathway was upregulated, thereby increasing DcVgR expression. From these combined results, we conclude that CLas hijacks the JH signalling pathway and miR-275, thereby targeting DcVgR to increase D. citri fecundity. These changes simultaneously increase CLas replication, suggesting a pathogen-vector host mutualism, or a seemingly helpful, but cryptically costly life-history manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoge Nian
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Henry Fok School of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, China
| | - Yaru Luo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shujie Wu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayun Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Desen Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Paul Holford
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Yijing Cen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Songdou Zhang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yurong He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Gordon DM, Steiner E, Das B, Walker NS. Harvester ant colonies differ in collective behavioural plasticity to regulate water loss. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230726. [PMID: 37736532 PMCID: PMC10509591 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Collective behavioural plasticity allows ant colonies to adjust to changing conditions. The red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus), a desert seed-eating species, regulates foraging activity in response to water stress. Foraging ants lose water to evaporation. Reducing foraging activity in dry conditions sacrifices food intake but conserves water. Within a year, some colonies tend to reduce foraging on dry days while others do not. We examined whether these differences among colonies in collective behavioural plasticity persist from year to year. Colonies live 20-30 years with a single queen who produces successive cohorts of workers which live only a year. The humidity level at which all colonies tend to reduce foraging varies from year to year. Longitudinal observations of 95 colonies over 5 years between 2016 and 2021 showed that differences among colonies, in how they regulate foraging activity in response to day-to-day changes in humidity, persist across years. Approximately 40% of colonies consistently reduced foraging activity, year after year, on days with low daily maximum relative humidity; approximately 20% of colonies never did, foraging as much or more on dry days as on humid days. This variation among colonies may allow evolutionary rescue from drought due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. M. Gordon
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - E. Steiner
- InfoGraphics Lab, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Biplabendu Das
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - N. S. Walker
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
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Akongte PN, Park BS, Kim DW, Choi YS. Honey Bee Colonies ( Apis mellifera L.) Perform Orientation Defensiveness That Varies among Bred Lines. INSECTS 2023; 14:546. [PMID: 37367362 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) express complex behavioral patterns (aggressiveness) in defensive mechanisms for their survival. Their phenotypic expression of defensive behavior is influenced by internal and external stimuli. Knowledge of this behavior has recently become increasingly important, though beekeepers are still faced with the challenges of selecting defensive and less-defensive bred lines. Field evaluation of defensive behavior among bred lines of honey bees is required to overcome the challenges. Chemical cues (alarm pheromone and isopentyl acetate mixed with paraffin oil) and physical and visual stimuli (dark leather suede, colony marbling, and suede jiggling) were used to evaluate defensiveness and orientation among five bred lines of honeybee colonies. Our results showed that both chemical assays recruited bees, but the time of recruitment was significantly faster for alarm pheromone. Honeybees' response to both assays culminated in stings that differed among bred lines for alarm pheromone and paraffin when colonies were marbled. Honeybee orientation defensiveness varied among bred lines and was higher in more defensive bred lines compared to less-defensive bred lines. Our findings suggest that it is crucial to repeatedly evaluate orientation defensiveness at the colony level and among bred lines when selecting breeding colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Njukang Akongte
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Yaounde 2123, Cameroon
| | - Bo-Sun Park
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Won Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
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6
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Fang Y, Feng M, Ma C, Rueppell O, Li J. Major royal jelly proteins influence the neurobiological regulation of the division of labor among honey bee workers. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 225:848-860. [PMID: 36414079 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Age-based division of labor among workers is a fundamental life-history trait of many social insects, including the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L. Extensive studies of the causation of the most pronounced transition from performing tasks in the nest to outside foraging indicate hormonal regulation of complex physiological changes. However, the proximate neurobiological mechanisms that cause the behavioral repertoire to change are still not understood and require novel approaches to be fully characterized. Thus, we established the first comprehensive monoclonal antibody microarray in honey bees with 16,320 antibodies to directly identify proteins in the brain that regulate the transition to foraging. Major royal jelly protein (MRJP) 1 and MRJP3 were identified as potential protein effectors and further investigated. A series of experimental manipulations of the workers' behavioral transition led to changes in MRJP1 and MRJP3 quantities in accordance with their presumed functional role. Injection of MRJPs into the brain resulted in increased task-reversal from foraging to nursing and decreased task-progression from nursing to foraging, while the latter was increased by injection with MRJP antibodies. Finally, down-regulation of MRJP1 and MRJP3 expression via RNAi injection into the brain increased the transition from in-hive nursing to outside foraging, confirming a causal role of these two proteins in the proximate regulation of behavior and life-history of honey bee workers. Interaction partners of MRJP1 and MRJP3 in the honey bee brain included other regulators of honey bee behavior and life history. Thus, our transformative methodological advancement of proteome analysis in honey bees reveals novel regulators of honey bee behavior, extends our understanding of the functional pleiotropy of MRJPs, and supports a general nutrition-based model of the regulation of the age-based division of labor in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fang
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Mao Feng
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Chuan Ma
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2L3, Canada
| | - Jianke Li
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
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7
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Abstract
The question of the heritability of behavior has been of long fascination to scientists and the broader public. It is now widely accepted that most behavioral variation has a genetic component, although the degree of genetic influence differs widely across behaviors. Starting with Mendel's remarkable discovery of "inheritance factors," it has become increasingly clear that specific genetic variants that influence behavior can be identified. This goal is not without its challenges: Unlike pea morphology, most natural behavioral variation has a complex genetic architecture. However, we can now apply powerful genome-wide approaches to connect variation in DNA to variation in behavior as well as analyses of behaviorally related variation in brain gene expression, which together have provided insights into both the genetic mechanisms underlying behavior and the dynamic relationship between genes and behavior, respectively, in a wide range of species and for a diversity of behaviors. Here, we focus on two systems to illustrate both of these approaches: the genetic basis of burrowing in deer mice and transcriptomic analyses of division of labor in honey bees. Finally, we discuss the troubled relationship between the field of behavioral genetics and eugenics, which reminds us that we must be cautious about how we discuss and contextualize the connections between genes and behavior, especially in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hopi E. Hoekstra
- Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- HHMI, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Gene E. Robinson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
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8
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Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of honeybee brains identifies vitellogenin as caste differentiation-related factor. iScience 2022; 25:104643. [PMID: 35800778 PMCID: PMC9254125 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is a well-known eusocial insect. In honeybee colonies, thousands of sterile workers, including nurse and forager bees, perform various tasks within or outside the hive, respectively. The queen is the only fertile female and is responsible for reproduction. The queen and workers share similar genomes but occupy different caste statuses. We established single-cell transcriptomic atlases of brains from queens and worker subcastes and identified five major cell groups: Kenyon, optic lobe, olfactory projection, glial, and hemocyte cells. By dividing Kenyon and glial cells into multiple subtypes based on credible markers, we observed that vitellogenin (vg) was highly expressed in specific glial-cell subtypes in brains of queens. Knockdown of vg at the early larval stage significantly suppressed the development into adult queens. We demonstrate vg expression as a "molecular signature" for the queen caste and suggest involvement of vg in regulating caste differentiation. scRNA-seq revealed distinct gene expression in the brains of queens and workers Vitellogenin (vg) may represent a "molecular signature" of the queen caste Knockdown of vg at early larval stage suppressed development into adult queens Vg may be involved in regulating caste differentiation
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Traniello IM, Hamilton AR, Gernat T, Cash-Ahmed AC, Harwood GP, Ray AM, Glavin A, Torres J, Goldenfeld N, Robinson GE. Context-dependent influence of threat on honey bee social network dynamics and brain gene expression. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:jeb243738. [PMID: 35202460 PMCID: PMC9001921 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Adverse social experience affects social structure by modifying the behavior of individuals, but the relationship between an individual's behavioral state and its response to adversity is poorly understood. We leveraged naturally occurring division of labor in honey bees and studied the biological embedding of environmental threat using laboratory assays and automated behavioral tracking of whole colonies. Guard bees showed low intrinsic levels of sociability compared with foragers and nurse bees, but large increases in sociability following exposure to a threat. Threat experience also modified the expression of caregiving-related genes in a brain region called the mushroom bodies. These results demonstrate that the biological embedding of environmental experience depends on an individual's societal role and, in turn, affects its future sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M. Traniello
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Adam R. Hamilton
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tim Gernat
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Swarm Intelligence and Complex Systems Group, Department of Computer Science, Leipzig University, Liepzig D-04109, Germany
| | - Amy C. Cash-Ahmed
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gyan P. Harwood
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Allyson M. Ray
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Abigail Glavin
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jacob Torres
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Nigel Goldenfeld
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gene E. Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Naug D, Tait C. Slow-Fast Cognitive Phenotypes and Their Significance for Social Behavior: What Can We Learn From Honeybees? Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.766414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive variation is proposed to be the fundamental underlying factor that drives behavioral variation, yet it is still to be fully integrated with the observed variation at other phenotypic levels that has recently been unified under the common pace-of-life framework. This cognitive and the resulting behavioral diversity is especially significant in the context of a social group, the performance of which is a collective outcome of this diversity. In this review, we argue about the utility of classifying cognitive traits along a slow-fast continuum in the larger context of the pace-of-life framework. Using Tinbergen’s explanatory framework for different levels of analyses and drawing from the large body of knowledge about honeybee behavior, we discuss the observed interindividual variation in cognitive traits and slow-fast cognitive phenotypes from an adaptive, evolutionary, mechanistic and developmental perspective. We discuss the challenges in this endeavor and suggest possible next steps in terms of methodological, statistical and theoretical approaches to move the field forward for an integrative understanding of how slow-fast cognitive differences, by influencing collective behavior, impact social evolution.
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11
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Parekh F, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. Chemical Stimulants and Stressors Impact the Outcome of Virus Infection and Immune Gene Expression in Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera). Front Immunol 2021; 12:747848. [PMID: 34804032 PMCID: PMC8596368 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.747848] [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: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) are ecologically, agriculturally, and economically important plant pollinators. High average annual losses of honey bee colonies in the US have been partially attributed to agrochemical exposure and virus infections. To examine the potential negative synergistic impacts of agrochemical exposure and virus infection, as well as the potential promise of phytochemicals to ameliorate the impact of pathogenic infections on honey bees, we infected bees with a panel of viruses (i.e., Flock House virus, deformed wing virus, or Sindbis virus) and exposed to one of three chemical compounds. Specifically, honey bees were fed sucrose syrup containing: (1) thyme oil, a phytochemical and putative immune stimulant, (2) fumagillin, a beekeeper applied fungicide, or (3) clothianidin, a grower-applied insecticide. We determined that virus abundance was lower in honey bees fed 0.16 ppb thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup, compared to bees fed sucrose syrup alone. Parallel analysis of honey bee gene expression revealed that honey bees fed thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup had higher expression of key RNAi genes (argonaute-2 and dicer-like), antimicrobial peptide expressing genes (abaecin and hymenoptaecin), and vitellogenin, a putative honey bee health and age indicator, compared to bees fed only sucrose syrup. Virus abundance was higher in bees fed fumagillin (25 ppm or 75 ppm) or 1 ppb clothianidin containing sucrose syrup relative to levels in bees fed only sucrose syrup. Whereas, honey bees fed 10 ppb clothianidin had lower virus levels, likely because consuming a near lethal dose of insecticide made them poor hosts for virus infection. The negative impact of fumagillin and clothianidin on honey bee health was indicated by the lower expression of argonaute-2, dicer-like, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin, and vitellogenin. Together, these results indicate that chemical stimulants and stressors impact the outcome of virus infection and immune gene expression in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenali Parekh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Katie F Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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12
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Wu J, Lang H, Mu X, Zhang Z, Su Q, Hu X, Zheng H. Honey bee genetics shape the strain-level structure of gut microbiota in social transmission. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:225. [PMID: 34784973 PMCID: PMC8597283 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01174-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Honey bee gut microbiota transmitted via social interactions are beneficial to the host health. Although the microbial community is relatively stable, individual variations and high strain-level diversity have been detected across honey bees. Although the bee gut microbiota structure is influenced by environmental factors, the heritability of the gut members and the contribution of the host genetics remains elusive. Considering bees within a colony are not readily genetically identical due to the polyandry of the queen, we hypothesize that the microbiota structure can be shaped by host genetics. RESULTS We used shotgun metagenomics to simultaneously profile the microbiota and host genotypes of bees from hives of four different subspecies. Gut composition is more distant between genetically different bees at both phylotype- and "sequence-discrete population" levels. We then performed a successive passaging experiment within colonies of hybrid bees generated by artificial insemination, which revealed that the microbial composition dramatically shifts across batches of bees during the social transmission. Specifically, different strains from the phylotype of Snodgrassella alvi are preferentially selected by genetically varied hosts, and strains from different hosts show a remarkably biased distribution of single-nucleotide polymorphism in the Type IV pili loci. Genome-wide association analysis identified that the relative abundance of a cluster of Bifidobacterium strains is associated with the host glutamate receptor gene specifically expressed in the bee brain. Finally, mono-colonization of Bifidobacterium with a specific polysaccharide utilization locus impacts the alternative splicing of the gluR-B gene, which is associated with an increased GABA level in the brain. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that host genetics influence the bee gut composition and suggest a gut-brain connection implicated in the gut bacterial strain preference. Honey bees have been used extensively as a model organism for social behaviors, genetics, and the gut microbiome. Further identification of host genetic function as a shaping force of microbial structure will advance our understanding of the host-microbe interactions. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Wu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Haoyu Lang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaohuan Mu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zijing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Qinzhi Su
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaosong Hu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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13
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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.
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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
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14
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Brito DV, da Silva CGN, Rêgo LCN, Carvalho-Zilse GA. Expression of methyl farnesoate epoxidase (mfe) and juvenile hormone esterase (jhe) genes and their relation to social organization in the stingless bee Melipona interrupta (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Genet Mol Biol 2021; 44:e20200367. [PMID: 34387298 PMCID: PMC8361248 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2020-0367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Social organization in highly eusocial bees relies upon two important processes: caste differentiation in female larvae, and age polyethism in adult workers. Juvenile Hormone (JH) is a key regulator of both processes. Here we investigated the expression of two genes involved in JH metabolism - mfe (biosynthesis) and jhe (degradation) - in the context of social organization in the stingless bee Melipona interrupta. We found evidence that the expression of mfe and jhe genes is related to changes in JH levels during late larval development, where caste determination occurs. Also, both mfe and jhe were upregulated when workers engage in intranidal tasks, but only jhe expression was downregulated at the transition from nursing to foraging activities. This relation is different than expected, considering recent reports of lower JH levels in foragers than nurses in the closely related species Melipona scutellaris. Our findings suggest that highly eusocial bees have different mechanisms to regulate JH and, thus, to maintain their level of social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Vieira Brito
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Grupo de Pesquisas em Abelhas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | | | - Livia Cristina Neves Rêgo
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Grupo de Pesquisas em Abelhas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Gislene Almeida Carvalho-Zilse
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Grupo de Pesquisas em Abelhas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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15
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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?'
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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
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16
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Han B, Wei Q, Wu F, Hu H, Ma C, Meng L, Zhang X, Feng M, Fang Y, Rueppell O, Li J. Tachykinin signaling inhibits task-specific behavioral responsiveness in honeybee workers. eLife 2021; 10:64830. [PMID: 33760729 PMCID: PMC8016481 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral specialization is key to the success of social insects and leads to division of labor among colony members. Response thresholds to task-specific stimuli are thought to proximally regulate behavioral specialization, but their neurobiological regulation is complex and not well understood. Here, we show that response thresholds to task-relevant stimuli correspond to the specialization of three behavioral phenotypes of honeybee workers in the well-studied and important Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. Quantitative neuropeptidome comparisons suggest two tachykinin-related peptides (TRP2 and TRP3) as candidates for the modification of these response thresholds. Based on our characterization of their receptor binding and downstream signaling, we confirm a functional role of tachykinin signaling in regulating specific responsiveness of honeybee workers: TRP2 injection and RNAi-mediated downregulation cause consistent, opposite effects on responsiveness to task-specific stimuli of each behaviorally specialized phenotype but not to stimuli that are unrelated to their tasks. Thus, our study demonstrates that TRP signaling regulates the degree of task-specific responsiveness of specialized honeybee workers and may control the context specificity of behavior in animals more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Han
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, United States
| | - Qiaohong Wei
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China.,Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Science, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Han Hu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Ma
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Lifeng Meng
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xufeng Zhang
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China.,Institute of Horticultural Research, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Mao Feng
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Fang
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jianke Li
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
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17
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Duan Y, Dou S, Porath HT, Huang J, Eisenberg E, Lu J. A-to-I RNA editing in honeybees shows signals of adaptation and convergent evolution. iScience 2021; 24:101983. [PMID: 33458624 PMCID: PMC7797907 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insects exhibit extensive phenotypic diversities among the genetically similar individuals, suggesting a role for the epigenetic regulations beyond the genome level. The ADAR-mediated adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, an evolutionarily conserved mechanism, facilitates adaptive evolution by expanding proteomic diversities. Here, we characterize the A-to-I RNA editome of honeybees (Apis mellifera), identifying 407 high-confidence A-to-I editing sites. Editing is most abundant in the heads and shows signatures for positive selection. Editing behavior differs between foragers and nurses, suggesting a role for editing in caste differentiation. Although only five sites are conserved between bees and flies, an unexpectedly large number of genes exhibit editing in both species, albeit at different locations, including the nonsynonymous auto-editing of Adar. This convergent evolution, where the same target genes independently acquire recoding events in distant diverged clades, together with the signals of adaptation observed in honeybees alone, further supports the notion of recoding being adaptive. Nonsynonymous editing sites in honeybees were under positive selection Differential editing may contribute to the phenotypic diversity between sub-castes Target genes acquire editing in different clades, suggesting convergent evolution
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuange Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.,Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shengqian Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hagit T Porath
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - 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
| | - Eli Eisenberg
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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18
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Barrs KR, Ani MO, Eversman KK, Rowell JT, Wagoner KM, Rueppell O. Time-accuracy trade-off and task partitioning of hygienic behavior among honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02940-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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19
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Jones BM, Rao VD, Gernat T, Jagla T, Cash-Ahmed AC, Rubin BER, Comi TJ, Bhogale S, Husain SS, Blatti C, Middendorf M, Sinha S, Chandrasekaran S, Robinson GE. Individual differences in honey bee behavior enabled by plasticity in brain gene regulatory networks. eLife 2020; 9:e62850. [PMID: 33350385 PMCID: PMC7755388 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the regulatory architecture of phenotypic variation is a fundamental goal in biology, but connections between gene regulatory network (GRN) activity and individual differences in behavior are poorly understood. We characterized the molecular basis of behavioral plasticity in queenless honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies, where individuals engage in both reproductive and non-reproductive behaviors. Using high-throughput behavioral tracking, we discovered these colonies contain a continuum of phenotypes, with some individuals specialized for either egg-laying or foraging and 'generalists' that perform both. Brain gene expression and chromatin accessibility profiles were correlated with behavioral variation, with generalists intermediate in behavior and molecular profiles. Models of brain GRNs constructed for individuals revealed that transcription factor (TF) activity was highly predictive of behavior, and behavior-associated regulatory regions had more TF motifs. These results provide new insights into the important role played by brain GRN plasticity in the regulation of behavior, with implications for social evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beryl M Jones
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Vikyath D Rao
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Tim Gernat
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Swarm Intelligence and Complex Systems Group, Department of Computer Science, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Tobias Jagla
- Swarm Intelligence and Complex Systems Group, Department of Computer Science, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Amy C Cash-Ahmed
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Benjamin ER Rubin
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Troy J Comi
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Shounak Bhogale
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Syed S Husain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Charles Blatti
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Martin Middendorf
- Swarm Intelligence and Complex Systems Group, Department of Computer Science, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Sriram Chandrasekaran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
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20
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Awde DN, Skandalis A, Richards MH. Vitellogenin expression corresponds with reproductive status and caste in a primitively eusocial bee. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 127:104113. [PMID: 32890626 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Vitellogenin (vg) expression is consistently associated with variation in insect phenotypes, particularly egg-laying. Primitively eusocial species, such as eusocial sweat bees, have behaviourally totipotent castes, in which each female is capable of high levels of ovarian development. Few studies have investigated vg expression patterns in primitively eusocial insects, and only one study has focused on a primitively eusocial bee. Here we use a primitively eusocial sweat bee, Lasioglossum laevissimum, and Real Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to investigate the relationship between vg expression, castes, and variation in phenotypes associated with castes differences. These assays showed that females with high ovarian development had the highest levels of vg expression, and that vg expression levels reflected the reproductive status of females first and caste second. This is in contrast to vg expression patterns observed in advanced eusocial queens and workers, which differ in vg expression based on caste and have caste-specific vg expression patterns. Furthermore, future queens (gynes) do not have ovarian development and had similar vg expression levels to early spring foundresses, which do have ovarian development, supporting Vg's function as a transporter of lipids and amino acids before diapause.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Awde
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, KY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, ON, Canada.
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21
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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.
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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
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22
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de Paula Freitas FC, Lourenço AP, Nunes FMF, Paschoal AR, Abreu FCP, Barbin FO, Bataglia L, Cardoso-Júnior CAM, Cervoni MS, Silva SR, Dalarmi F, Del Lama MA, Depintor TS, Ferreira KM, Gória PS, Jaskot MC, Lago DC, Luna-Lucena D, Moda LM, Nascimento L, Pedrino M, Oliveira FR, Sanches FC, Santos DE, Santos CG, Vieira J, Barchuk AR, Hartfelder K, Simões ZLP, Bitondi MMG, Pinheiro DG. The nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of Frieseomelitta varia - a highly eusocial stingless bee (Meliponini) with a permanently sterile worker caste. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:386. [PMID: 32493270 PMCID: PMC7268684 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06784-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most of our understanding on the social behavior and genomics of bees and other social insects is centered on the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera. The genus Apis, however, is a highly derived branch comprising less than a dozen species, four of which genomically characterized. In contrast, for the equally highly eusocial, yet taxonomically and biologically more diverse Meliponini, a full genome sequence was so far available for a single Melipona species only. We present here the genome sequence of Frieseomelitta varia, a stingless bee that has, as a peculiarity, a completely sterile worker caste. RESULTS The assembly of 243,974,526 high quality Illumina reads resulted in a predicted assembled genome size of 275 Mb composed of 2173 scaffolds. A BUSCO analysis for the 10,526 predicted genes showed that these represent 96.6% of the expected hymenopteran orthologs. We also predicted 169,371 repetitive genomic components, 2083 putative transposable elements, and 1946 genes for non-coding RNAs, largely long non-coding RNAs. The mitochondrial genome comprises 15,144 bp, encoding 13 proteins, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs. We observed considerable rearrangement in the mitochondrial gene order compared to other bees. For an in-depth analysis of genes related to social biology, we manually checked the annotations for 533 automatically predicted gene models, including 127 genes related to reproductive processes, 104 to development, and 174 immunity-related genes. We also performed specific searches for genes containing transcription factor domains and genes related to neurogenesis and chemosensory communication. CONCLUSIONS The total genome size for F. varia is similar to the sequenced genomes of other bees. Using specific prediction methods, we identified a large number of repetitive genome components and long non-coding RNAs, which could provide the molecular basis for gene regulatory plasticity, including worker reproduction. The remarkable reshuffling in gene order in the mitochondrial genome suggests that stingless bees may be a hotspot for mtDNA evolution. Hence, while being just the second stingless bee genome sequenced, we expect that subsequent targeting of a selected set of species from this diverse clade of highly eusocial bees will reveal relevant evolutionary signals and trends related to eusociality in these important pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia C. de Paula Freitas
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, MG Brazil
| | - Anete P. Lourenço
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, MG Brazil
| | - Francis M. F. Nunes
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | | | - Fabiano C. P. Abreu
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Fábio O. Barbin
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Luana Bataglia
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Carlos A. M. Cardoso-Júnior
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - Mário S. Cervoni
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - Saura R. Silva
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, SP Brazil
| | - Fernanda Dalarmi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Marco A. Del Lama
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Thiago S. Depintor
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Kátia M. Ferreira
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Paula S. Gória
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Michael C. Jaskot
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Denyse C. Lago
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Danielle Luna-Lucena
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Livia M. Moda
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, MG Brazil
| | - Leonardo Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Matheus Pedrino
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Franciene Rabiço Oliveira
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Fernanda C. Sanches
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil
| | - Douglas E. Santos
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - Carolina G. Santos
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - Joseana Vieira
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, MG Brazil
| | - Angel R. Barchuk
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, MG Brazil
| | - Klaus Hartfelder
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - Zilá L. P. Simões
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Márcia M. G. Bitondi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Daniel G. Pinheiro
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, SP Brazil
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Differential Foraging of Indigenous and Exotic Honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) Races on Nectar-Rich Flow in a Subtropical Ecosystem. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11040254. [PMID: 32325889 PMCID: PMC7240599 DOI: 10.3390/insects11040254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In the subtropics, agricultural activities such as beekeeping are greatly influenced by environmental challenges. In the desert of Central Arabia, honeybees forage on limited prairies that are affected by adverse weather conditions. Bee colonies reduce their field activities during extremely hot-dry-windy weather. This study investigated whether nectar-rich melliferous flora enhance the field activities of two honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera jemenitica (indigenous) and A. m. carnica (exotic), despite the presence of severe weather conditions. The foraging and pollen-gathering activities of the two subspecies were evaluated on Acacia trees (Acacia gerrardii Benth.), a common subtropical, summery endemic bee plant, in the central desert of the Arabian Peninsula. The native colonies were significantly (p < 0.001) more active foragers than the exotic colonies (109 ± 4 and 49 ± 2 workers/colony/3 min, respectively). Similarly, the native colonies recruited significantly (p ˂ 0.01) more active pollen-gathering bees than the imported colonies (22 ± 1 and 7 ± 1 workers/colony/3 min, respectively). Furthermore, far more food was collected by the indigenous colonies than by the exotic colonies, and a higher portion of all field trips was allocated to pollen gathering by the indigenous bees than by the imported bees. The nectar-rich Acacia trees reduced the negative effects of hot-dry-windy weather. More research on honeybee colonies operating in the subtropical conditions of Central Arabia is needed, especially regarding heat tolerance mechanisms and effects on queen and drone fertility.
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Bernadou A, Hoffacker E, Pable J, Heinze J. Lipid content influences division of labour in a clonal ant. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb219238. [PMID: 32107304 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.219238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The fat body, a major metabolic hub in insects, is involved in many functions, e.g. energy storage, nutrient sensing and immune response. In social insects, fat appears to play an additional role in division of labour between egg layers and workers, which specialize in non-reproductive tasks inside and outside their nest. For instance, reproductives are more resistant to starvation, and changes in fat content have been associated with the transition from inside to outside work or reproductive activities. However, most studies have been correlative and we still need to unravel the causal interrelationships between fat content and division of both reproductive and non-reproductive labour. Clonal ants, e.g. Platythyrea punctata, are ideal models for studying task partitioning without confounding variation in genotype and morphology. In this study, we examined the range of variation and flexibility of fat content throughout the lifespan of workers, the threshold of corpulence associated with foraging or reproduction and whether low fat content is a cause rather than a consequence of the transition to foraging. We found that lipid stores change with division of labour from corpulent to lean and, in reverted nurses, back to corpulent. In addition, our data show the presence of fat content thresholds that trigger the onset of foraging or egg-laying behaviour. Our study supports the view that mechanisms that regulate reproduction and foraging in solitary insects, in particular the nutritional status of individuals, have been co-opted to regulate division of labour in colonies of social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Bernadou
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hoffacker
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Julia Pable
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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25
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Smith BH, Cook CN. Experimental psychology meets behavioral ecology: what laboratory studies of learning polymorphisms mean for learning under natural conditions, and vice versa. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:178-183. [PMID: 32024408 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2020.1718674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Behavior genetics, and specifically the study of learning and memory, has benefitted immensely from the development of powerful forward- and reverse-genetic methods for investigating the relationships between genes and behavior. Application of these methods in controlled laboratory settings has led to insights into gene-behavior relationships. In this perspective article, we argue that the field is now poised to make significant inroads into understanding the adaptive value of heritable variation in behavior in natural populations. Studies of natural variation with several species, in particular, are now in a position to complement laboratory studies of mechanisms, and sometimes this work can lead to counterintuitive insights into the mechanism of gene action on behavior. We make this case using a recent example from work with the honey bee, Apis mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Chelsea N Cook
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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26
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Anholt RRH. Evolution of Epistatic Networks and the Genetic Basis of Innate Behaviors. Trends Genet 2020; 36:24-29. [PMID: 31706688 PMCID: PMC6925314 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Instinctive behaviors are genetically programmed behaviors that occur independent of experience. How genetic programs that give rise to the manifestation of such behaviors evolve remains an unresolved question. I propose that evolution of species-specific innate behaviors is accomplished through progressive modifications of pre-existing genetic networks composed of allelic variants. I hypothesize that changes in frequencies of one or more constituent allelic variants within the network leads to changes in gene network connectivity and the emergence of a reorganized network that can support the emergence of a novel behavioral phenotype and becomes stabilized when key allelic variants are driven to fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R H Anholt
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry and Center for Human Genetics, Clemson University, Greenwood, SC, 29646, USA.
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27
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Ihle KE, Mutti NS, Kaftanoglu O, Amdam GV. Insulin Receptor Substrate Gene Knockdown Accelerates Behavioural Maturation and Shortens Lifespan in Honeybee Workers. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10110390. [PMID: 31694336 PMCID: PMC6920892 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In animals, dietary restriction or suppression of genes involved in nutrient sensing tends to increase lifespan. In contrast, food restriction in honeybees (Apis mellifera) shortens lifespan by accelerating a behavioural maturation program that culminates in leaving the nest as a forager. Foraging is metabolically demanding and risky, and foragers experience increased rates of aging and mortality. Food-deprived worker bees forage at younger ages and are expected to live shorter lives. We tested whether suppression of a molecular nutrient sensing pathway is sufficient to accelerate the behavioural transition to foraging and shorten worker life. To achieve this, we reduced expression of the insulin receptor substrate (irs) gene via RNA interference in two selected lines of honeybees used to control for behavioural and genetic variation. irs encodes a membrane-associated protein in the insulin/insulin-like signalling (IIS) pathway that is central to nutrient sensing in animals. We measured foraging onset and lifespan and found that suppression of irs reduced worker bee lifespan in both genotypes, and that this effect was largely driven by an earlier onset of foraging behaviour in a genotype-conditional manner. Our results provide the first direct evidence that an IIS pathway gene influences behavioural maturation and lifespan in honeybees and highlight the importance of considering social environments and behaviours when investigating the regulation of aging and lifespan in social animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E. Ihle
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, USDA-ARS Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA (O.K.); (G.V.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-225-276-7326
| | - Navdeep S. Mutti
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA (O.K.); (G.V.A.)
| | - Osman Kaftanoglu
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA (O.K.); (G.V.A.)
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA (O.K.); (G.V.A.)
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Aas, Norway
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28
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Wu F, Ma C, Han B, Meng L, Hu H, Fang Y, Feng M, Zhang X, Rueppell O, Li J. Behavioural, physiological and molecular changes in alloparental caregivers may be responsible for selection response for female reproductive investment in honey bees. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4212-4227. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Chuan Ma
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Bin Han
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Lifeng Meng
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Han Hu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Yu Fang
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Mao Feng
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Xufeng Zhang
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro NC USA
| | - Jianke Li
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science Beijing China
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29
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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.
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Abstract
Bees-including solitary, social, wild, and managed species-are key pollinators of flowering plant species, including nearly three-quarters of global food crops. Their ecological importance, coupled with increased annual losses of managed honey bees and declines in populations of key wild species, has focused attention on the factors that adversely affect bee health, including viral pathogens. Genomic approaches have dramatically expanded understanding of the diversity of viruses that infect bees, the complexity of their transmission routes-including intergenus transmission-and the diversity of strategies bees have evolved to combat virus infections, with RNA-mediated responses playing a prominent role. Moreover, the impacts of viruses on their hosts are exacerbated by the other major stressors bee populations face, including parasites, poor nutrition, and exposure to chemicals. Unraveling the complex relationships between viruses and their bee hosts will lead to improved understanding of viral ecology and management strategies that support better bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA;
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology and Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA;
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31
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Rodriguez Messan M, Page RE, Kang Y. Effects of vitellogenin in age polyethism and population dynamics of honeybees. Ecol Modell 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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32
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Simons MA, Smith AR. Ovary activation does not correlate with pollen and nectar foraging specialization in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4415. [PMID: 29479503 PMCID: PMC5824676 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insect foragers may specialize on certain resource types. Specialization on pollen or nectar among honeybee foragers is hypothesized to result from associations between reproductive physiology and sensory tuning that evolved in ancestral solitary bees (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGPH). However, the two non-honeybee species studied showed no association between specialization and ovary activation. Here we investigate the bumblebee B. impatiens because it has the most extensively studied pollen/nectar specialization of any bumblebee. We show that ovary size does not differ between pollen specialist, nectar specialist, and generalist foragers, contrary to the predictions of the RGPH. However, we also found mixed support for the second prediction of the RGPH, that sensory sensitivity, measured through proboscis extension response (PER), is greater among pollen foragers. We also found a correlation between foraging activity and ovary size, and foraging activity and relative nectar preference, but no correlation between ovary size and nectar preference. In one colony non-foragers had larger ovaries than foragers, supporting the reproductive conflict and work hypothesis, but in the other colony they did not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan A Simons
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - Adam R Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States of America
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33
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Sinpoo C, Paxton RJ, Disayathanoowat T, Krongdang S, Chantawannakul P. Impact of Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis on individual worker bees of the two host species (Apis cerana and Apis mellifera) and regulation of host immune response. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 105:1-8. [PMID: 29289505 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are obligate intracellular microsporidian parasites infecting midgut epithelial cells of host adult honey bees, originally Apis mellifera and Apis cerana respectively. Each microsporidia cross-infects the other host and both microsporidia nowadays have a worldwide distribution. In this study, cross-infection experiments using both N. apis and N. ceranae in both A. mellifera and A. cerana were carried out to compare pathogen proliferation and impact on hosts, including host immune response. Infection by N. ceranae led to higher spore loads than by N. apis in both host species, and there was greater proliferation of microsporidia in A. mellifera compared to A. cerana. Both N. apis and N. ceranae were pathogenic in both host Apis species. N. ceranae induced subtly, though not significantly, higher mortality than N. apis in both host species, yet survival of A. cerana was no different to that of A. mellifera in response to N. apis or N. ceranae. Infections of both host species with N. apis and N. ceranae caused significant up-regulation of AMP genes and cellular mediated immune genes but did not greatly alter apoptosis-related gene expression. In this study, A. cerana enlisted a higher immune response and displayed lower loads of N. apis and N. ceranae spores than A. mellifera, suggesting it may be better able to defend itself against microsporidia infection. We caution against over-interpretation of our results, though, because differences between host and parasite species in survival were insignificant and because size differences between microsporidia species and between host Apis species may alternatively explain the differential proliferation of N. ceranae in A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chainarong Sinpoo
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand
| | - Sasiprapa Krongdang
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Center of Excellence in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; International College of Digital Innovation, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
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Manfredini F, Romero AE, Pedroso I, Paccanaro A, Sumner S, Brown MJF. Neurogenomic Signatures of Successes and Failures in Life-History Transitions in a Key Insect Pollinator. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:3059-3072. [PMID: 29087523 PMCID: PMC5714134 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-history transitions require major reprogramming at the behavioral and physiological level. Mating and reproductive maturation are known to trigger changes in gene transcription in reproductive tissues in a wide range of organisms, but we understand little about the molecular consequences of a failure to mate or become reproductively mature, and it is not clear to what extent these processes trigger neural as well as physiological changes. In this study, we examined the molecular processes underpinning the behavioral changes that accompany the major life-history transitions in a key pollinator, the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. We compared neuro-transcription in queens that succeeded or failed in switching from virgin and immature states, to mated and reproductively mature states. Both successes and failures were associated with distinct molecular profiles, illustrating how development during adulthood triggers distinct molecular profiles within a single caste of a eusocial insect. Failures in both mating and reproductive maturation were explained by a general up-regulation of brain gene transcription. We identified 21 genes that were highly connected in a gene coexpression network analysis: nine genes are involved in neural processes and four are regulators of gene expression. This suggests that negotiating life-history transitions involves significant neural processing and reprogramming, and not just changes in physiology. These findings provide novel insights into basic life-history transitions of an insect. Failure to mate or to become reproductively mature is an overlooked component of variation in natural systems, despite its prevalence in many sexually reproducing organisms, and deserves deeper investigation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Manfredini
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
- Department of Computer Science, and Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Alfonso E Romero
- Department of Computer Science, and Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Inti Pedroso
- Center for Systems Biotechnology, Fraunhofer Chile Research Foundation, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alberto Paccanaro
- Department of Computer Science, and Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Seirian Sumner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
- Present address: Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J F Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
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Nie H, Liu X, Pan J, Li W, Li Z, Zhang S, Chen S, Miao X, Zheng N, Su S. Identification of genes related to high royal jelly production in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) using microarray analysis. Genet Mol Biol 2017; 40:781-789. [PMID: 28981563 PMCID: PMC5738612 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2017-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
China is the largest royal jelly producer and exporter in the world, and high
royal jelly-yielding strains have been bred in the country for approximately
three decades. However, information on the molecular mechanism underlying high
royal jelly production is scarce. Here, a cDNA microarray was used to screen and
identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to obtain an overview on the
changes in gene expression levels between high and low royal jelly producing
bees. We developed a honey bee gene chip that covered 11,689 genes, and this
chip was hybridised with cDNA generated from RNA isolated from heads of nursing
bees. A total of 369 DEGs were identified between high and low royal jelly
producing bees. Amongst these DEGs, 201 (54.47%) genes were up-regulated,
whereas 168 (45.53%) were down-regulated in high royal jelly-yielding bees. Gene
ontology (GO) analyses showed that they are mainly involved in four key
biological processes, and pathway analyses revealed that they belong to a total
of 46 biological pathways. These results provide a genetic basis for further
studies on the molecular mechanisms involved in high royal jelly production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyi Nie
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiao Pan
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiguo Li
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shaowu Zhang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Research School of Biology, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Shenglu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqing Miao
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Nenggan Zheng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Songkun Su
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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LaLone CA, Villeneuve DL, Wu-Smart J, Milsk RY, Sappington K, Garber KV, Housenger J, Ankley GT. Weight of evidence evaluation of a network of adverse outcome pathways linking activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in honey bees to colony death. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 584-585:751-775. [PMID: 28126277 PMCID: PMC6156782 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses are of significant international concern because of the essential role these insects play in pollinating crops. Both chemical and non-chemical stressors have been implicated as possible contributors to colony failure; however, the potential role(s) of commonly-used neonicotinoid insecticides has emerged as particularly concerning. Neonicotinoids act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central nervous system to eliminate pest insects. However, mounting evidence indicates that neonicotinoids also may adversely affect beneficial pollinators, such as the honey bee, via impairments on learning and memory, and ultimately foraging success. The specific mechanisms linking activation of the nAChR to adverse effects on learning and memory are uncertain. Additionally, clear connections between observed impacts on individual bees and colony level effects are lacking. The objective of this review was to develop adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) as a means to evaluate the biological plausibility and empirical evidence supporting (or refuting) the linkage between activation of the physiological target site, the nAChR, and colony level consequences. Potential for exposure was not a consideration in AOP development and therefore this effort should not be considered a risk assessment. Nonetheless, development of the AOPs described herein has led to the identification of research gaps which, for example, may be of high priority in understanding how perturbation of pathways involved in neurotransmission can adversely affect normal colony functions, causing colony instability and subsequent bee population failure. A putative AOP network was developed, laying the foundation for further insights as to the role of combined chemical and non-chemical stressors in impacting bee populations. Insights gained from the AOP network assembly, which more realistically represents multi-stressor impacts on honey bee colonies, are promising toward understanding common sensitive nodes in key biological pathways and identifying where mitigation strategies may be focused to reduce colony losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlie A LaLone
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, USA.
| | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Judy Wu-Smart
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Entomology, 105A Entomology Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Rebecca Y Milsk
- ORISE Research Participation Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Keith Sappington
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington D.C. 20460, USA
| | - Kristina V Garber
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington D.C. 20460, USA
| | - Justin Housenger
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington D.C. 20460, USA
| | - Gerald T Ankley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, USA
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Traynor KS, Wang Y, Brent CS, Amdam GV, Page RE. Young and old honeybee (Apis mellifera) larvae differentially prime the developmental maturation of their caregivers. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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38
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Galbraith DA, Yi SV, Grozinger CM. Evaluation of Possible Proximate Mechanisms Underlying the Kinship Theory of Intragenomic Conflict in Social Insects. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:1206-1214. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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Smith AR, Graystock P, Hughes WOH. Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2599. [PMID: 27812411 PMCID: PMC5088620 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging specialization allows social insects to more efficiently exploit resources in their environment. Recent research on honeybees suggests that specialization on pollen or nectar among foragers is linked to reproductive physiology and sensory tuning (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGPH). However, our understanding of the underlying physiological relationships in non-Apis bees is still limited. Here we show that the bumblebee Bombus terrestris has specialist pollen and nectar foragers, and test whether foraging specialization in B. terrestris is linked to reproductive physiology, measured as ovarian activation. We show that neither ovary size, sensory sensitivity, measured through proboscis extension response (PER), or whole-body lipid stores differed between pollen foragers, nectar foragers, or generalist foragers. Body size also did not differ between any of these three forager groups. Non-foragers had significantly larger ovaries than foragers. This suggests that potentially reproductive individuals avoid foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University , Washington , DC , United States
| | - Peter Graystock
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside , Riverside , CA , United States
| | - William O H Hughes
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex , Brighton , United Kingdom
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40
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Padilla M, Amsalem E, Altman N, Hefetz A, Grozinger CM. Chemical communication is not sufficient to explain reproductive inhibition in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160576. [PMID: 27853577 PMCID: PMC5099002 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive division of labour is a hallmark of eusociality, but disentangling the underlying proximate mechanisms can be challenging. In bumblebees, workers isolated from the queen can activate their ovaries and lay haploid, male eggs. We investigated if volatile, contact, visual or behavioural cues produced by the queen or brood mediate reproductive dominance in Bombus impatiens. Exposure to queen-produced volatiles, brood-produced volatiles and direct contact with pupae did not reduce worker ovary activation; only direct contact with the queen could reduce ovary activation. We evaluated behaviour, physiology and gene expression patterns in workers that were reared in chambers with all stages of brood and a free queen, caged queen (where workers could contact the queen, but the queen was unable to initiate interactions) or no queen. Workers housed with a caged queen or no queen fully activated their ovaries, whereas ovary activation in workers housed with a free queen was completely inhibited. The caged queen marginally reduced worker aggression and expression of an aggression-associated gene relative to queenless workers. Thus, queen-initiated behavioural interactions appear necessary to establish reproductive dominance. Queen-produced chemical cues may function secondarily in a context-specific manner to augment behavioural cues, as reliable or honest signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Padilla
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Center for Chemical Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Etya Amsalem
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Center for Chemical Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Naomi Altman
- Department of Statistics, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Abraham Hefetz
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Christina M. Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Center for Chemical Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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41
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Gonadal Maturation Changes Chemotaxis Behavior and Neural Processing in the Olfactory Circuit of Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Biol 2016; 26:1522-1531. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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42
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Jandt JM, Gordon DM. The behavioral ecology of variation in social insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 15:40-44. [PMID: 27436730 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the ecological relevance of variation within and between colonies has been an important and recurring theme in social insect research. Recent research addresses the genomic and physiological factors and fitness effects associated with behavioral variation, within and among colonies, in regulation of activity, cognitive abilities, and aggression. Behavioral variation among colonies has consequences for survival and reproductive success that are the basis for evolutionary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Jandt
- Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 251 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - D M Gordon
- Stanford University, Department of Biology, Gilbert Biological Sciences Building, rm 410, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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43
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Lockett GA, Almond EJ, Huggins TJ, Parker JD, Bourke AFG. Gene expression differences in relation to age and social environment in queen and worker bumble bees. Exp Gerontol 2016; 77:52-61. [PMID: 26883339 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial insects provide special insights into the genetic pathways influencing aging because of their long-lived queens and flexible aging schedules. Using qRT-PCR in the primitively eusocial bumble bee Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus), we investigated expression levels of four candidate genes associated with taxonomically widespread age-related pathways (coenzyme Q biosynthesis protein 7, COQ7; DNA methyltransferase 3, Dnmt3; foraging, for; and vitellogenin, vg). In Experiment 1, we tested how expression changes with queen relative age and productivity. We found a significant age-related increase in COQ7 expression in queen ovary. In brain, all four genes showed higher expression with increasing female (queen plus worker) production, with this relationship strengthening as queen age increased, suggesting a link with the positive association of fecundity and longevity found in eusocial insect queens. In Experiment 2, we tested effects of relative age and social environment (worker removal) in foundress queens and effects of age and reproductive status in workers. In this experiment, workerless queens showed significantly higher for expression in brain, as predicted if downregulation of for is associated with the cessation of foraging by foundress queens following worker emergence. Workers showed a significant age-related increase in Dnmt3 expression in fat body, suggesting a novel association between aging and methylation in B. terrestris. Ovary activation was associated with significantly higher vg expression in fat body and, in younger workers, in brain, consistent with vitellogenin's ancestral role in regulating egg production. Overall, our findings reveal a mixture of novel and conserved features in age-related genetic pathways under primitive eusociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Lockett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Edward J Almond
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Timothy J Huggins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Joel D Parker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Andrew F G Bourke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
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44
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Southey BR, Zhu P, Carr-Markell MK, Liang ZS, Zayed A, Li R, Robinson GE, Rodriguez-Zas SL. Characterization of Genomic Variants Associated with Scout and Recruit Behavioral Castes in Honey Bees Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146430. [PMID: 26784945 PMCID: PMC4718678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Among forager honey bees, scouts seek new resources and return to the colony, enlisting recruits to collect these resources. Differentially expressed genes between these behaviors and genetic variability in scouting phenotypes have been reported. Whole-genome sequencing of 44 Apis mellifera scouts and recruits was undertaken to detect variants and further understand the genetic architecture underlying the behavioral differences between scouts and recruits. The median coverage depth in recruits and scouts was 10.01 and 10.7 X, respectively. Representation of bacterial species among the unmapped reads reflected a more diverse microbiome in scouts than recruits. Overall, 1,412,705 polymorphic positions were analyzed for associations with scouting behavior, and 212 significant (p-value < 0.0001) associations with scouting corresponding to 137 positions were detected. Most frequent putative transcription factor binding sites proximal to significant variants included Broad-complex 4, Broad-complex 1, Hunchback, and CF2-II. Three variants associated with scouting were located within coding regions of ncRNAs including one codon change (LOC102653644) and 2 frameshift indels (LOC102654879 and LOC102655256). Significant variants were also identified on the 5’UTR of membrin, and 3’UTRs of laccase 2 and diacylglycerol kinase theta. The 60 significant variants located within introns corresponded to 39 genes and most of these positions were > 1000 bp apart from each other. A number of these variants were mapped to ncRNA LOC100578102, solute carrier family 12 member 6-like gene, and LOC100576965 (meprin and TRAF-C homology domain containing gene). Functional categories represented among the genes corresponding to significant variants included: neuronal function, exoskeleton, immune response, salivary gland development, and enzymatic food processing. These categories offer a glimpse into the molecular support to the behaviors of scouts and recruits. The level of association between genomic variants and scouting behavior observed in this study may be linked to the honey bee’s genomic plasticity and fluidity of transition between castes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce R. Southey
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ping Zhu
- Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center, College of Life Sciences, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Morgan K. Carr-Markell
- School of Integrative Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Zhengzheng S. Liang
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology and Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Amro Zayed
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruiqiang Li
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China and Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Gene E. Robinson
- Carle Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Department of Entomology, and Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Sandra L. Rodriguez-Zas
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Statistics, Neuroscience Program, and Carle Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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45
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Ronai I, Vergoz V, Oldroyd B. The Mechanistic, Genetic, and Evolutionary Basis of Worker Sterility in the Social Hymenoptera. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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46
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Tan K, Wang Y, Dong S, Liu X, Zhuang D, Chen W, Oldroyd BP. Associations between reproduction and work in workers of the Asian hive bee Apis cerana. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 82:33-37. [PMID: 26276684 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
If a honey bee (Apis spp.) colony becomes queenless, about 1/3 of young workers activate their ovaries and produce haploid male-producing eggs. In doing so queenless workers maximize their inclusive fitness because the normal option of vicarious production of relatives via their queen's eggs is no longer available. But if many workers are engaged in reproduction, how does a queenless colony continue to feed its brood and forage? Here we show that in the Asian hive bee Apis cerana hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) size is larger in queenless workers than in queenright workers and that bees undertaking brood-rearing tasks have larger HPG than same-aged bees that are foraging. In queenless colonies, workers with a smaller number of ovarioles are more likely to have activated ovaries. This reinforces the puzzling observation that a large number of ovarioles reduces reproductive success in queenless A. cerana. It further suggests that reproductive workers either avoid foraging or transition to foraging later in life than non-reproductive workers. Finally, our study also showed that ovary activation and larger-than-average numbers of ovarioles had no statistically detectable influence on foraging specialization for pollen or nectar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Tan
- Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650223, China; Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
| | - Yuchong Wang
- Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China
| | - Shihai Dong
- Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
| | - Xiwen Liu
- Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
| | - Di Zhuang
- Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
| | - Weiwen Chen
- Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650201, China.
| | - Benjamin P Oldroyd
- Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences A12, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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47
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McGlynn TP, Graham R, Wilson J, Emerson J, Jandt JM, Jahren AH. Distinct types of foragers in the ant Ectatomma ruidum: typical foragers and furtive thieves. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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48
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Khamis AM, Hamilton AR, Medvedeva YA, Alam T, Alam I, Essack M, Umylny B, Jankovic BR, Naeger NL, Suzuki M, Harbers M, Robinson GE, Bajic VB. Insights into the Transcriptional Architecture of Behavioral Plasticity in the Honey Bee Apis mellifera. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11136. [PMID: 26073445 PMCID: PMC4466890 DOI: 10.1038/srep11136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bee colonies exhibit an age-related division of labor, with worker bees performing discrete sets of behaviors throughout their lifespan. These behavioral states are associated with distinct brain transcriptomic states, yet little is known about the regulatory mechanisms governing them. We used CAGEscan (a variant of the Cap Analysis of Gene Expression technique) for the first time to characterize the promoter regions of differentially expressed brain genes during two behavioral states (brood care (aka “nursing”) and foraging) and identified transcription factors (TFs) that may govern their expression. More than half of the differentially expressed TFs were associated with motifs enriched in the promoter regions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), suggesting they are regulators of behavioral state. Strikingly, five TFs (nf-kb, egr, pax6, hairy, and clockwork orange) were predicted to co-regulate nearly half of the genes that were upregulated in foragers. Finally, differences in alternative TSS usage between nurses and foragers were detected upstream of 646 genes, whose functional analysis revealed enrichment for Gene Ontology terms associated with neural function and plasticity. This demonstrates for the first time that alternative TSSs are associated with stable differences in behavior, suggesting they may play a role in organizing behavioral state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah M Khamis
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adam R Hamilton
- Departments of Entomology and Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL 61801; and Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Yulia A Medvedeva
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tanvir Alam
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Intikhab Alam
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magbubah Essack
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Boris Umylny
- Lumenogix Inc., 2935 Rodeo Park Drive East, Santa Fe NM, 87505, USA
| | - Boris R Jankovic
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nicholas L Naeger
- Departments of Entomology and Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL 61801; and Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- DNAFORM Inc., Leading Venture Plaza-2, 75-1, Ono-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 230-0046, Japan
| | - Matthias Harbers
- 1] DNAFORM Inc., Leading Venture Plaza-2, 75-1, Ono-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 230-0046, Japan [2] RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Departments of Entomology and Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL 61801; and Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Vladimir B Bajic
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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Laubichler MD, Renn J. Extended evolution: A conceptual framework for integrating regulatory networks and niche construction. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:565-77. [PMID: 26097188 PMCID: PMC4744698 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This paper introduces a conceptual framework for the evolution of complex systems based on the integration of regulatory network and niche construction theories. It is designed to apply equally to cases of biological, social and cultural evolution. Within the conceptual framework we focus especially on the transformation of complex networks through the linked processes of externalization and internalization of causal factors between regulatory networks and their corresponding niches and argue that these are an important part of evolutionary explanations. This conceptual framework extends previous evolutionary models and focuses on several challenges, such as the path‐dependent nature of evolutionary change, the dynamics of evolutionary innovation and the expansion of inheritance systems. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 565–577, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred D Laubichler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.,Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Wood Hole, Massachusetts.,Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Renn
- Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany
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50
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Chardonnet F, Capdevielle-Dulac C, Chouquet B, Joly N, Harry M, Le Ru B, Silvain JF, Kaiser L. Food searching behaviour of a Lepidoptera pest species is modulated by the foraging gene polymorphism. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 217:3465-73. [PMID: 25274324 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.108258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The extent of damage to crop plants from pest insects depends on the foraging behaviour of the insect's feeding stage. Little is known, however, about the genetic and molecular bases of foraging behaviour in phytophagous pest insects. The foraging gene (for), a candidate gene encoding a PKG-I, has an evolutionarily conserved function in feeding strategies. Until now, for had never been studied in Lepidoptera, which includes major pest species. The cereal stem borer Sesamia nonagrioides is therefore a relevant species within this order with which to study conservation of and polymorphism in the for gene, and its role in foraging - a behavioural trait that is directly associated with plant injuries. Full sequencing of for cDNA in S. nonagrioides revealed a high degree of conservation with other insect taxa. Activation of PKG by a cGMP analogue increased larval foraging activity, measured by how frequently larvae moved between food patches in an actimeter. We found one non-synonymous allelic variation in a natural population that defined two allelic variants. These variants presented significantly different levels of foraging activity, and the behaviour was positively correlated to gene expression levels. Our results show that for gene function is conserved in this species of Lepidoptera, and describe an original case of a single nucleotide polymorphism associated with foraging behaviour variation in a pest insect. By illustrating how variation in this single gene can predict phenotype, this work opens new perspectives into the evolutionary context of insect adaptation to plants, as well as pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Chardonnet
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Claire Capdevielle-Dulac
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Bastien Chouquet
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Nicolas Joly
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Myriam Harry
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Bruno Le Ru
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Duduville Campus, Kasarani, PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jean-François Silvain
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Laure Kaiser
- Laboratoire Evolution Génome et Spéciation, CNRS UPR 9034, IRD UR 072 and Université Paris Sud Orsay, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France INRA, UMR 1392, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, France
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