How Honeybees Defy Gravity with Royal Jelly to Raise Queens

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蜜蜂属六蜂种间MRJP2基因C-端重复序列的比较分析

构建了中华蜜蜂（Apis cerana cerana,中蜂）8日龄工蜂头部cDNA文库,获得了中蜂王浆主蛋白2（major royal jelly protein 2,MRJP2）的全长cDNA序列,该序列长1 605bp,包含一个编码468个氨基酸的开放阅读框（open reading frame,ORF）。在中蜂MRJP2的cDNA序列的C-端,首次发现存在串联重复片段长度多态性（variable numbers of tandem repeat,VNTR）。克隆并测定了蜜蜂属Apis内其他5个种的MRJP2基因的C-端重复序列,结果表明: 在蜜蜂属的其他5个种中,C-端重复片段的核心序列是以碱基高度突变方式而表现出个体之间的多态性,而重复片段长度基本一致。中蜂与西方蜜蜂A. mellifera,大蜜蜂A. dorsata与黑大蜜蜂A. laboriosa,以及小蜜蜂A. florea与黑小蜜蜂A. andreniformis分别形成3个进化枝。中蜂和西方蜜蜂与大蜜蜂和黑大蜜蜂之间的亲缘关系较近,而与小蜜蜂和黑小蜜蜂的亲缘关系较远。     

Quantification of Major Royal Jelly Protein 1 in Fresh Royal Jelly by Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Rabbit polyclonal antibody produced by a major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) specific peptide reacted only with a MRJP1. Indirect ELISA with the antibody revealed a MRJP1 level of 4.12–4.67 g/100 g in different company's royal jelly, which almost agreed with that of a hexametric form of MRJP1 (apisin) measured by high performance liquid chromatography. These results suggest that MRJP1 exists mainly as apisin in royal jelly.     

Origin and function of the major royal jelly proteins of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) as members of the yellow gene family

In the honeybee, Apis mellifera, the queen larvae are fed with a diet exclusively composed of royal jelly (RJ), a secretion of the hypopharyngeal gland of young worker bees that nurse the brood. Up to 15% of RJ is composed of proteins, the nine most abundant of which have been termed major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs). Although it is widely accepted that RJ somehow determines the fate of a female larva and in spite of considerable research efforts, there are surprisingly few studies that address the biochemical characterisation and functions of these MRJPs. Here we review the research on MRJPs not only in honeybees but in hymenopteran insects in general and provide metadata analyses on genome organisation of mrjp genes, corroborating previous reports that MRJPs have important functions for insect development and not just a nutritional value for developing honeybee larvae.     

Molecular characteristics and physiological functions of major royal jelly protein 1 oligomer

Royal jelly contains numerous components, including proteins. Major royal jelly protein (MRJP) 1 is the most abundant protein among the soluble royal jelly proteins. In its physiological state, MRJP 1 exists as a monomer and/or oligomer. This study focuses the molecular characteristics and functions of MRJP 1 oligomer. MRJP 1 oligomer purified using HPLC techniques was subjected to the following analyses. The molecular weight of MRJP 1 oligomer was found to be 290 kDa using blue native‐PAGE. MRJP 1 oligomer was separated into 55 and 5 kDa spots on 2‐D blue native/SDS‐PAGE. The 55 kDa protein was identified as MRJP 1 monomer by proteome analysis, whereas the 5 kDa protein was identified as Apisimin by N‐terminal amino acid sequencing, and this protein may function as a subunit‐joining protein within MRJP 1 oligomer. We also found that the oligomeric form included noncovalent bonds and was stable under heat treatment at 56°C. Furthermore, MRJP 1 oligomer dose dependently enhanced and sustained cell proliferation in the human lymphoid cell line Jurkat. In conclusion, MRJP 1 oligomer is a heat‐resistant protein comprising MRJP 1 monomer and Apisimin, and has cell proliferation activity. These findings will contribute to further studies analyzing the effects of MRJP 1 in humans.     

Partial venom gland transcriptome of a Drosophila parasitoid wasp, Leptopilina heterotoma, reveals novel and shared bioactive profiles with stinging Hymenoptera

Analysis of natural host-parasite relationships reveals the evolutionary forces that shape the delicate and unique specificity characteristic of such interactions. The accessory long gland-reservoir complex of the wasp Leptopilina heterotoma (Figitidae) produces venom with virus-like particles. Upon delivery, venom components delay host larval development and completely block host immune responses. The host range of this Drosophila endoparasitoid notably includes the highly-studied model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Categorization of 827 unigenes, using similarity as an indicator of putative homology, reveals that approximately 25% are novel or classified as hypothetical proteins. Most of the remaining unigenes are related to processes involved in signaling, cell cycle, and cell physiology including detoxification, protein biogenesis, and hormone production. Analysis of L. heterotoma's predicted venom gland proteins demonstrates conservation among endo- and ectoparasitoids within the Apocrita (e.g., this wasp and the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis) and stinging aculeates (e.g., the honey bee and ants). Enzyme and KEGG pathway profiling predicts that kinases, esterases, and hydrolases may contribute to venom activity in this unique wasp. To our knowledge, this investigation is among the first functional genomic studies for a natural parasitic wasp of Drosophila. Our findings will help explain how L. heterotoma shuts down its hosts' immunity and shed light on the molecular basis of a natural arms race between these insects.     

蜂王浆主蛋白研究进展

作为社会性昆虫,蜜蜂是研究社会行为和学习记忆的理想模式生物。王浆主蛋白（Major royal jelly protein, MRJP）是蜂王浆中蛋白质的主要成分,该家族一共有9个成员,MRJP1~MRJP9。所有mrjps均以串联排列的形式位于蜜蜂11号染色体上一个大约60 kb的DNA片段上。mrjp的同源体也存在于其他的膜翅目昆虫,均是通过yellow进化而来的。随着不断地进化,MRJPs家族进化出许多重要功能,其中最主要的就是营养功能。本文从MRJPs家族的基因及蛋白质结构、mRNA表达情况、进化和功能等方面进行综述,为今后开展相关研究提供理论支持。     

The MRJP/YELLOW protein family of Apis mellifera: identification of new members in the EST library

Major royal jelly proteins (named MRJP1-5) of honeybee (Apis mellifera), yellow proteins of Drosophila, together with putative proteins found in several bacteria, form a protein family termed the MRJP/yellow family. Members of the family exert diverse physiological functions and amongst eukaryotes appear to be restricted to the order Insecta. MRJPs constitute about 90% of total protein of royal jelly, which is secreted by nurse bees to feed the queen and growing larvae. We looked for mrjp and yellow homologues in a honeybee brain expressed sequence tags (EST) library. In addition to the five mrjp cDNAs previously characterized, we found three additional cDNAs encoding novel MRJPs and importantly, two cDNAs coding for orthologues of Drosophila yellow proteins. One yellow cDNA and all three cDNAs coding for the novel MRJPs were assembled completely, the sequence of the other yellow homologue was partially assembled. The data we present here supports the view that repeated duplications and functional divergence occurred during the evolution of MRJPs in honeybees, with even closely related MRJPs appearing to perform diverse physiological functions. Conversely, yellow protein orthologues appear to be conserved and thus candidates for maintaining the former function(s) of yellow proteins.     

中华蜜蜂自然分蜂中的亲属优惠行为

以3群中华蜜蜂Apiscerana cerana Fabricius为材料,研究自然分蜂中的亲属优惠行为。分蜂开始后,分别对参与分蜂的工蜂和留在原巢内的工蜂随机取样,用95%酒精保存待用。取下所有王台,放入培养箱中培养出房,每30min观察1次,记录处女王的出房顺序。运用3个MRJP(major royal jelly protein)标记分析蜂群的亲缘关系和亚家系组成。3群实验蜂群分别由13,12和9个亚家系组成。分蜂过程中,王台的全同胞姐妹工蜂绝大多数都选择留在原巢内,说明工蜂能够辨认出全同胞姐妹王台,并且给予优惠。参与分蜂的工蜂和留在原巢内的工蜂间亚家系分布差异极显著,说明一些亚家系分蜂性更强,而另一些亚家系分蜂性较弱。实验首次运用MRJP分子标记技术证明:在自然分蜂过程中,工蜂和王台之间存在亲属优惠行为,并且这种优惠行为可能会刺激其它工蜂产生分蜂趋向性。