The Carniolan Honeybee from Slovenia—A Complete and Annotated Mitochondrial Genome with Comparisons to Closely Related Apis mellifera Subspecies

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) from Slovenia, a homeland of this subspecies, was acquired in two contigs from WGS data and annotated. The newly obtained mitochondrial genome is a circular closed loop of 16,447 bp. It comprises 37 genes (13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes) and an AT-rich control region. The order of the tRNA genes resembles the order characteristic of A. mellifera. The mitogenomic sequence of A. m. carnica from Slovenia contains 44 uniquely coded sites in comparison to the closely related subspecies A. m. ligustica and to A. m. carnica from Austria. Furthermore, 24 differences were recognised in comparison between A. m. carnica and A. m. ligustica subspecies. Among them, there are three SNPs that affect translation in the nd2, nd4, and cox2 genes, respectively. The phylogenetic placement of A. m. carnica from Slovenia within C lineage deviates from the expected position and changes the perspective on relationship between C and O lineages. The results of this study represent a valuable addition to the information available in the phylogenomic studies of A. mellifera—a pollinator species of worldwide importance. Such genomic information is essential for this local subspecies’ conservation and preservation as well as its breeding and selection.

Study on the Effect of Bee Strain and Insemination Method on the Hygienic Behavior of Bee Colonies Tested Using the Pricking Method

“…The native habitat of the A. m. carnica bee is Southern Central Europe and parts of the Balkans, notably in Slovenia. It is also popular among beekeepers in parts of Central and Northern Europe, as well as other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and even New Zealand [10]. Honeybee colonies may suffer from many diseases and pests, including American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB), infestation with Varroa mites, Nosema, and others [11,12].…”