Sixth European Conference of Apidology - Dissecting the hygienic behavior in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Congress

Summary *

The hygienic behavior is described as the ability of the honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to detect, uncap and remove diseased brood from the hive. This behavior is performed by middle-aged workers and has developed as an important form of social immunity in the colony. Previous studies showed that individual bees that express the hygienic behavior (hygienic bees) have a higher olfactory sensitivity and responsiveness than non-hygienic bees and this variability could be explained by a genetic propensity to engage the hygienic tasks. The aim of the present study was to explore the genetic basis of this trait in honey bees by analyzing the gene expression profiles of candidate genes involved in olfaction, learning and social behavior. We studied 4 candidate genes (octopamine receptor Oa1, smell impaired, rodgi and pheromone-binding protein). Total RNA and cDNA were obtained from the head of middle-aged hygienic and non-hygienic workers. Gene-expression profiles from each group of bees were obtained using real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting transcripts of each candidate gene, using the actin and Rp49 as reference genes. Hygienic bees tended to show higher Oa1 transcript levels than non-hygienic bees. The other candidate genes showed no change between these groups of bees. Together with the analysis of other candidate genes, already in progress, we will considerate the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in signal transduction, communication, neurophysiology associated to hygienic behavior and providing newly information for marker-assisted selection for this commercially significant trait. Information provided by the agent in SIGEVA