A dietary phytochemical alters caste-associated gene expression in honey bees

Mao, Wenfu; Schuler, Mary A.; Berenbaum, May R.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1500795

Cited by 87 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…LLC., St. Louis, MO, USA) treatment (Qc), 0.5 mM p -coumaric acid and 0.25 mM quercetin-combined (PQ), and no phytochemicals (Control, CD). The phytochemical concentrations selected for testing in this work, also used in previous studies [2,25], were designed to fit within the range of concentrations ingested by worker bees over the course of their adult lives. Phytochemical concentrations vary in honey bee diets depending on plant species, tissue type, season, and geographic locality.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The concentrations tested are within the natural range documented in honey, pollen and beebread, the three primary sources of ingested phytochemicals. The concentration of p -coumaric acid used, 0.5 mM (82 μg/g), is within the range of concentrations in local honey and beebread [2] and our tested concentration of quercetin (0.25 mM = 75.6 mg/kg), although higher than concentrations typically encountered in honey (up to 4.86 mg/kg) [26], is lower than concentrations in pollen (up to 529.8 mg/kg) [27,28] and in beebread (495.8 mg/kg) [29]. There were 24 different treatments in each experimental replicate, and each treatment had five replicates (Table 1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contemporary beekeeping practices have led to the creation of substitutes or supplements for honey and pollen, notably sucrose or fructose for honey and soy flour diet for pollen [1]. However, phytochemicals clearly serve important functions beyond carbohydrate and protein nutrition for honey bees [2,3,4] and their absence from dietary supplements or substitutes may have effects on honey bees that are as yet undetermined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other evidence suggests that phytochemicals in honey, pollen and propolis may affect life span. With respect to p -coumaric acid, Mao et al [2] found that rearing larvae in vitro on a royal jelly diet with p -coumaric acid reduced ovary development of adult bees. In view of the negative correlation between ovary development and survival rate in adult honey bees [17], this finding suggests that consuming p -coumaric acid may increase survival and promote longevity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of Dietary Phytochemicals in the Presence and Absence of Pesticides on Longevity of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Liao

Wen

Berenbaum

2017

Insects

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Because certain flavonols and phenolic acids are found in pollen and nectar of most angiosperms, they are routinely ingested by Apis mellifera, the western honey bee. The flavonol quercetin and the phenolic acid p-coumaric acid are known to upregulate detoxification enzymes in adult bees; their presence or absence in the diet may thus affect the toxicity of ingested pesticides. We conducted a series of longevity assays with one-day-old adult workers to test if dietary phytochemicals enhance longevity and pesticide tolerance. One-day-old bees were maintained on sugar syrup with or without casein (a phytochemical-free protein source) in the presence or absence of quercetin and p-coumaric acid as well as in the presence or absence of two pyrethroid insecticides, bifenthrin and β-cyfluthrin. Dietary quercetin (hazard ratio, HR = 0.82), p-coumaric acid (HR = 0.91) and casein (HR = 0.74) were associated with extended lifespan and the two pyrethroid insecticides, 4 ppm bifenthrin (HR = 9.17) and 0.5 ppm β-cyfluthrin (HR = 1.34), reduced lifespan. Dietary quercetin enhanced tolerance of both pyrethroids; p-coumaric acid had a similar effect trend, although of reduced magnitude. Casein in the diet appears to eliminate the life-prolonging effect of p-coumaric acid in the absence of quercetin. Collectively, these assays demonstrate that dietary phytochemicals influence honey bee longevity and pesticide stress; substituting sugar syrups for honey or yeast/soy flour patties may thus have hitherto unrecognized impacts on adult bee health.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of Dietary Phytochemicals in the Presence and Absence of Pesticides on Longevity of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Liao

Wen

Berenbaum

2017

Insects

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“…However, possible effects on the physiological or immune responses from bees after a prolonged intake of propolis have not been evaluated. Only Johnson et al (2012) was able to show that the oral administration caused overexpression of detoxification-related genes probably because flavonoids from propolis, honey and pollen represent a challenge toxic to bees (Mao, Schuler, & Berenbaum, 2015). The physiological condition of worker honeybees varies according to their lifespan temporal differentiation and the seasonality (Amdam & Omholt, 2002;Amdam & Seehuu, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Propolis Oral Intake on Physiological Condition of Young Worker Honey Bees, Apis Mellifera L.

Damiáni

Porrini

Lancia

et al. 2017

Journal of Apicultural Science

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A b s t r a c t Honey bees collect resin from various plant species and transform it into propolis that is incorporated into the nest. The role of resins in the bee health field is poorly understood. The aim was to evaluate the effects of forced consumption of propolis on the physiological condition and short-term survival of Apis mellifera worker bees. It was tested if the number of circulating hemocytes in hemolymph, the abdominal fat bodies and the hypopharyngeal glands development were affected by the feeding with propolis extracts in laboratory conditions during the warm and the cold seasons. Propolis added to sugar candy was consumed by workers for fourteen days without affecting the bee survival. The number of circulating hemocytes in hemolymph remained constant despite the differential diet during the experiment. However, the development of fat bodies and hypopharyngeal glands was altered by propolis ingestion. The abdominal fat body development in winter bees diminished after fourteen days of propolis consumption, while it increased in summer bees. The hypopharyngeal gland development decreased for the assayed period in workers from both seasons. Our results encourage us to continue exploring this research field and learn how long-term forced ingestion of a plant-derived compound, a non-nutritive substance, can modify physiological bee parameters. A broader understanding of the multiple roles of propolis in the health of the honey bee colonies could be obtained by studying the ways in which it is processed and metabolized and the effect that generates in another physiological responses.

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Neurogenomics of Behavioural Plasticity in Socioecological Contexts

Baker

Hofmann

Wong

2017

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Social and ecological challenges often elicit behavioural and physiological responses that are adaptive and subject to selection. The varying behavioural states and traits of animals are a direct output of the nervous system and underlying molecular substrates. Changes in gene expression in response to a variety of contexts such as mate choice, aggression and developmental experience can alter a number of cellular and neural pathways that lead to changes in behaviour. A common framework has emerged to understand the role of the transcriptome in animal behaviour. Behavioural plasticity describes both an individual's ability to modify behavioural states and correlated suites of behaviour in populations, which may constrain variance across contexts. By integrating the study of behavioural plasticity with genome scale, bioinformatics and candidate gene analyses, we are rapidly expanding our understanding of this kind of organismal flexibility, its relationship with the genome and its evolutionary implications. Key Concepts To understand animal behaviour fully, both the proximate (causation and ontogeny) and the ultimate (function and evolution) mechanisms of behaviour must be considered and integrated. Utilising both forward and reverse genetics, candidate genes underlying a behaviour can be better identified and characterised. The genome is plastic and flexible in response to social or environmental cues, which can lead to changes in behaviour. Comparative transcriptomics across species can help identify and characterise conserved mechanisms of animal behaviour. The relationship between behavioural evolution and the processes that generate structural variation in the genome is not well understood and needs to be considered. The proposed framework will streamline future studies to uncover not only the genetic and neural mechanisms of complex animal behaviours but also its adaptive function and evolution.

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A dietary phytochemical alters caste-associated gene expression in honey bees

Abstract: By adding honey and beebread to worker-destined larval diet, nurse honey bees introduce a phytochemical that alters caste-determining gene expression.

Cited by 87 publications

References 35 publications

Impacts of Dietary Phytochemicals in the Presence and Absence of Pesticides on Longevity of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Impacts of Dietary Phytochemicals in the Presence and Absence of Pesticides on Longevity of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Effect of Propolis Oral Intake on Physiological Condition of Young Worker Honey Bees, Apis Mellifera L.

Neurogenomics of Behavioural Plasticity in Socioecological Contexts

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