Novel Insights into Dietary Phytosterol Utilization and Its Fate in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Abstract

Poor nutrition is an important factor in global bee population declines. A significant gap in knowledge persists regarding the role of various nutrients (especially micronutrients) in honey bees. Sterols are essential micronutrients in insect diets and play a physiologically vital role as precursors of important molting hormones and building blocks of cellular membranes. Sterol requirements and metabolism in honey bees are poorly understood. Among all pollen sterols, 24-methylenecholesterol is considered the key phytosterol required by honey bees. Nurse bees assimilate this sterol from dietary sources and store it in their tissues as endogenous sterol, to be transferred to the growing larvae through brood food. This study examined the duration of replacement of such endogenous sterols in honey bees. The dietary 13C-labeled isotopomer of 24-methylenecholesterol added to artificial bee diet showed differential, progressive in vivo assimilation across various honey bee tissues. Significantly higher survival, diet consumption, head protein content and abdominal lipid content were observed in the dietary sterol-supplemented group than in the control group. These findings provide novel insights into phytosterol utilization and temporal pattern of endogenous 24-methylenecholesterol replacement in honey bees.

Translational Research on Bee Pollen as a Source of Nutrients: A Scoping Review from Bench to Real World

“…BP lipids are mainly composed of phospholipids (mostly glycerophospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerols, and phosphatidylserines), and polyunsaturated fatty acids, but numerous sphingolipids (mainly ceramides), and glycolipids are also present in BP in smaller quantities [ 58 , 59 , 60 ]. Sterols are also widely present [ 54 ], since BP is the only source of these vital molecules for honey bees [ 61 ]. Phytosterols, viz.…”

The nutritional landscape in agroecosystems: a review on how resources and management practices can shape pollinator health in agricultural environments

“…24-Methylenecholesterol, sitosterol, and isofucosterol are the most abundant and common sterols detected across 122 plant species, and the diversity and composition of sterols can vary depending on the plant species and abiotic factors (Zu et al 2021). Studies have shown that some phytosterols such as 24-methylenecholesterol improve honey bee longevity and various physiological parameters (Chakrabarti and Sagili 2020b, Chakrabarti et al 2020a, 2020b), while others such as Δ5-avenasterol and β-sitosterol improve bumble bee larval development (Vanderplanck et al 2014). To our knowledge, research on sterol requirements for solitary bee development is currently entirely lacking and urgently needed.…”

Identification of Volatile Markers during Early Zygosaccharomyces rouxii Contamination in Mature and Immature Jujube Honey

“…Except for the chain alkanes in honey, jujube honey was not found to be rich in sterols. However, some sterols in jujube honey might be brought in from royal jelly by honeybee activity, and high concentrations of sterols were important precursors for honeybee molting hormones and cellular membranes [45]. On the other hand, the enrichment of hydrogen peroxide in jujube honey might be an important influencing factor in the formation of 2-methyl-3-pentanone.…”