Correlation of proteome-wide changes with social immunity behaviors provides insight into resistance to the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, in the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Abstract

BackgroundDisease is a major factor driving the evolution of many organisms. In honey bees, selection for social behavioral responses is the primary adaptive process facilitating disease resistance. One such process, hygienic behavior, enables bees to resist multiple diseases, including the damaging parasitic mite Varroa destructor. The genetic elements and biochemical factors that drive the expression of these adaptations are currently unknown. Proteomics provides a tool to identify proteins that control behavioral processes, and these proteins can be used as biomarkers to aid identification of disease tolerant colonies.ResultsWe sampled a large cohort of commercial queen lineages, recording overall mite infestation, hygiene, and the specific hygienic response to V. destructor. We performed proteome-wide correlation analyses in larval integument and adult antennae, identifying several proteins highly predictive of behavior and reduced hive infestation. In the larva, response to wounding was identified as a key adaptive process leading to reduced infestation, and chitin biosynthesis and immune responses appear to represent important disease resistant adaptations. The speed of hygienic behavior may be underpinned by changes in the antenna proteome, and chemosensory and neurological processes could also provide specificity for detection of V. destructor in antennae.ConclusionsOur results provide, for the first time, some insight into how complex behavioural adaptations manifest in the proteome of honey bees. The most important biochemical correlations provide clues as to the underlying molecular mechanisms of social and innate immunity of honey bees. Such changes are indicative of potential divergence in processes controlling the hive-worker maturation.

Varroa destructor changes its cuticular hydrocarbons to mimic new hosts

“…Conversely, bees are under selection pressure for more sensitive olfaction to detect Vd for mite removal. Increased olfactory related gene expression is found in VSH bees and Vd-resistant French bees [14][15][16].…”

The chemical ecology of host-parasite interaction as a target of Varroa destructor control agents

“…Hygienic honey bee colonies uncapped cells that contained dummies impregnated with 26 -28 significantly faster than cells with control dummies (Swanson et al 2009). Similar odors from Varroa -infested brood have not yet been identified, but probably exist as VSH behavior, and Varroa resistant lines show differential expression of genes that are likely involved in chemoreception (Parker et al 2012;Guarna et al 2015).…”

RNA-Seq reveals that mitochondrial genes and long non-coding RNAs may play important roles in the bivoltine generations of the non-social Neotropical bee Tetrapedia diversipes

“…Genes from this superfamily are known to be involved in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, drugs, and xenobiotics (Endo et al 2016). Specifically in honeybees, DHRS11 has been found to play a role in host resistance against the varroa mite (Parker et al 2012), and in larval caste differentiation, it appears as one of the genes possibly necessary for worker ovary differentiation (Guidugli et al 2004;Lago et al 2016). Furthermore, the DHRS11 product is one of the proteins present in bee venom ).…”