利用VNTR分子标记鉴定蜜蜂群内蜂王交配次数和雄蜂母系来源

如何准确测定蜂王交配次数和雄蜂母系来源，是研究蜜蜂亚家系行为生物学的关键。本研究利用王浆主蛋白（MRJPs）的串联重复序列多态性（VNTR）分子标记分别鉴定了蜂王单雄人工授精、双雄人工授精和自然交尾的中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana蜂群中的蜂王交配次数和雄蜂母系来源。结果表明： 在蜂王单雄人工授精和双雄人工授精蜂群中，蜂王的交配次数分别为1和2；在蜂王自然交尾的2个蜂群中，蜂王的交配次数分别为8和5。另外，经鉴定发现：在以上实验蜂群中，所有雄蜂都是由蜂王产的未受精卵发育而来。因此，作为一种分子标记，蜜蜂MRJPs VNTR能简单、有效地鉴定蜂群内蜂王的交配次数和雄蜂母系来源。

Queen mating frequency and maternity of drones in honeybee colonies detected with VNTR molecular markers

The determination on the mating frequency of queens and maternity of drones is exactly among the key factors to understand the behavioral and biological characters of honeybee sub-family.In this study,the mating frequency of queens and maternity of drones were detected based on major royal jelly proteins(MRJPs)various number tandem repeat(VNTR)in Apis cerana cerana colonies,of which the queens were instrumentally inseminated with 1 or 2 drones,or mated naturally,respectively.The results showed that the mating frequencies of queens were 1 and 2 in colonies whose queens were instrumentally inseminated with 1 and 2 drones,respectively;in other two colonies whose queens mated naturally,the mating frequencies of queens were 8 and 5,respectively.In addition,all the drones originated from the unfertilized eggs laid by queens in all of these colonies,that is to say,the queens not workers,were the maternities of drones.Thus the MRJPs VNTR can be used as molecular markers to detect the mating frequency of queens and maternity of drones simply and effectively.