Beyond the antipredatory defence: Honey bee venom function as a component of social immunity

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe honey bee colonies, with the relevant number of immature brood and adults, and stable, high levels of humidity and temperatures of their nests, result in suitable environments for the development of microorganisms including pathogens. In response, honey bees evolved several adaptations to face the increased risks of epidemic diseases. As the antimicrobial venom peptides of Apis mellifera are present both on the cuticle of adult bees and on the nest wax it has been recently suggested that these substances act as a social antiseptic device. Since the use of venom by honey bees in the context of social immunity needs to be more deeply investigated, we extended the study of this potential role of the venom to different species of the genus Apis (A. mellifera, Apis dorsata, Apis cerana and Apis andreniformis) using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry techniques. In particular we investigated whether (similarly to A. mellifera) the venom is spread over the body cuticle and on the comb wax of these three Asian species. Our results confirm the idea that the venom functions are well beyond the classical stereotype of defence against predators, and suggest that the different nesting biology of these species may be related to the use of the venom in a social immunity context. The presence of antimicrobial peptides on the comb wax of the cavity-dwelling species and on the cuticle of workers of all the studied species represents a good example of "collective immunity" and a component of the "social immunity " respectively.

Pharmacophagy and pharmacophory: mechanisms of self-medication and disease prevention in the honeybee colony (Apis mellifera)

“…Only few studies analysed honeybee health-enhancing features of bee venom. Female honeybees smear venom proteins (melittin and apamin) on their body surface and on comb wax for self-and nest sanitation (Baracchi and Turillazzi 2010;Baracchi et al 2011). However, given the high antibiotic potential, there is a surprising paucity of studies on the antibiotic activity of bee venom or venom proteins including potential interactions with other cuticular compounds.…”

Seasonal benefits of a natural propolis envelope to honey bee immunity and colony health

“…These behavioral defenses in a honey bee colony include hygienic behavior and grooming (Wilson-Rich et al, 2008), antimicrobial secretions (e.g. the spread of venom on a bee's cuticle; Baracchi et al, 2011), and the collection of antimicrobial compounds (e.g. resins) from the environment (Simone et al, 2009).…”

Evidence for antiseptic behaviour towards sick adult bees in honey bee colonies

“…Like all animals, individual honeybees recruit physiological and immunological defence against disease agents (Evans et al, 2006;Schmid et al, 2008;Wilson-Rich et al, 2008). Moreover, as well as individual immunity, honeybees also show several physiological, behavioural and organizational colony-level adaptations such as spatial and behavioural compartmentalization of worker bees on the nest (Naug and Camazine, 2002;Naug, 2008), social fever (Starks et al, 2000), nest construction and enrichment with antimicrobial material (Simone et al, 2009;Baracchi and Turillazzi, 2010;Baracchi et al, 2011), grooming (Kolmes, 1989;Boecking and Spivak, 1999), hygienic behaviour (Rothenbuhler and Thompson, 1956;Spivak and Gilliam, 1998a,b;Richard et al, 2008), undertaking (Visscher, 1983) and self-removing (Kralj and Fuchs, 2006;Naug and Gibbs, 2009;Rueppell et al, 2010). Behaviour, in particular, plays an important role in infection control: removal, quarantine or exile of infected individuals can reduce the exposure of a population once disease takes hold (Clancy, 1996).…”