意大利蜜蜂刚出房与性成熟雄蜂的蛋白质组差异分析

【目的】对意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica刚出房雄蜂与性成熟雄蜂的蛋白质组进行比较,探讨雄蜂在性成熟过程中蛋白质表达变化,为进一步研究雄蜂发育生物学获得差异表达蛋白质方面的依据。【方法】采用双向电泳法建立意大利蜜蜂雄蜂发育过程中刚出房时与性成熟期的蛋白质表达谱,通过质谱分析与数据库检索,鉴定部分差异蛋白。【结果】在意大利蜜蜂刚出房雄蜂和性成熟雄蜂中分别检测到2 490和2 317个蛋白点,其中差异表达蛋白点有157个。在刚出房雄蜂中高度表达的蛋白点有102个;在性成熟雄蜂中高度表达的蛋白点有55个。对部分差异蛋白进行质谱分析,共鉴定了18个蛋白点,其中在刚出房雄蜂中上调表达的蛋白有肌钙蛋白、SEC13蛋白、DJ蛋白等,在性成熟雄蜂中上调表达的蛋白有副肌球蛋白、精氨酸激酶、肌动蛋白解聚因子等。【结论】意大利蜜蜂雄蜂在性成熟发育过程中,其体内大量蛋白表达发生了变化,其差异表达的蛋白质可能与骨骼、飞行肌以及精子发育等机能有关。     

Reproductive biology and morphology of Apis mellifera jemenitica (Apidae) queens and drones

The current study aimed to investigate the important reproductive biology and morphology of A.m. jemenitica queens and drones through measuring the weight of virgin and mated queens, size and weight of spermathecae, weight of ovaries, number of ovarioles, quantity and viability of semen in queen and drones. Accordingly, the average weights of 0.139 ± 0.01 g and 0.143 ± 0.013 g recorded for virgin and mated queens respectively. The sizes of spermathecae were 1.248 ± 0.103 mm and 1.25 ± 0.022 mm for virgin and mated queens respectively. The mean weight of ovaries was 0.013 ± 0.003 g and the numbers of ovarioles varied from 124 to 163 with the mean of 142.9 ± 9.47 and with no significant difference between virgin and mated queens. The average number of stored sperm per spermathecae of mated queen was estimated to be 4.202 ± 0.613 million with the viability of 80.39%. The average number of sperm per drone recorded was 8,763,950 ± 1,633,203.15 with viability of 79.54 ± 6.70%. In general, the current study revealed that the values recorded for reproductive biology and morphological characters of A. m. jemenitica queens and drones were relatively lower than values recorded for other Apis mellifera races. This mainly could be associated with the body size of the race which is known to be the smallest race among A. mellifera races. Moreover, the harsh environmental conditions of the regions, high temperature, low humidity and limited resources may have contributed for the smaller biological and morphological values. The information will serve as a base in future selection and breeding of program of the race.     

Antennal malformations in light ocelli drones of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Malformed antennae of Apis mellifera light ocelli drones were drawn, dissected and mounted permanently on slides containing Canada balsam, in order to count the olfactory discs present in each segment, in comparison with the number of those structures in normal antennae of their brothers. Some drones presented morphological abnormalities in a single segment of the right or left antenna, but others had two or more malformed segments in a same antenna. Drones with malformations in both antennae were also observed. The 4th and 5th flagellum segments were the most frequently affected. In a low number of cases the frequency of olfactory discs in malformed segments did not differ from that one recorded for normal segments. However, in most cases studied, the antennal malformations brought about a significant reduction in the number of olfactory discs from malformed segments.     

Glycogen in honeybee queens,workers and drones (Apis mellifera carnica Pollm.)

Honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica Pollm.) have low glycogen reserves in summer. Upon emergence drones have significantly larger amounts per unit weight when emerging, than workers; perhaps as adaption to the risk of not being fed as intensely as young workers. Maximum content was 0.23mg for workers (28d), and 0.59mg for drones (after emergence). Workers have relatively constant glycogen contents during their life, and very young drones have more glycogen than older ones. Young queens are similar to workers. In workers and queens in summer the greatest amounts of glycogen are found in the thorax. When the bees start flying (6th-8th day of life), drones have the highest amounts in the head (probably to supply their eyes), and upon maturity, drones have the least glycogen in the abdomen.Workers in winter show different glycogen values depending on whether they are active bees from the core area (0.23mg) or inactive ones from the outer surface of the winter cluster (0.37mg). They use glycogen from the thorax and the abdomen for their ongoing energy need.     

Characters that differ between diploid and haploid honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones

Diploid males have long been considered a curiosity contradictory to the haplo-diploid mode of sex determination in the Hymenoptera. In Apis mellifera, 'false' diploid male larvae are eliminated by worker cannibalism immediately after hatching. A 'cannibalism substance' produced by diploid drone larvae to induce worker-assisted suicide has been hypothesized, but it has never been detected. Diploid drones are only removed some hours after hatching. Older larvae are evidently not regarded as 'false males' and instead are regularly nursed by the brood-attending worker bees. As the pheromonal cues presumably are located on the surface of newly hatched bee larvae, we extracted the cuticular secretions and analyzed their chemical composition by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. Larvae were sexed and then reared in vitro for up to three days. The GC-MS pattern that was obtained, with alkanes as the major compounds, was compared between diploid and haploid drone larvae. We also examined some physical parameters of adult drones. There was no difference between diploid and haploid males in their weight at the day of emergence. The diploid adult drones had fewer wing hooks and smaller testes. The sperm DNA content was 0.30 and 0.15 pg per nucleus, giving an exact 2:1 ratio for the gametocytes of diploid and haploid drones, respectively. Vitellogenin was found in the hemolymph of both types of imaginal drones at 5 to 6 days, with a significantly lower titer in the diploids.     

基于Illumina HiSeq测序技术研究吡虫啉对意大利蜜蜂雄蜂的影响

[目的]雄蜂对蜂群繁衍有着非常重要的作用.本研究旨在探究吡虫啉对意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera Ligustica雄蜂生长发育和基因表达产生的影响.[方法]以意大利蜜蜂雄蜂为研究对象,分别以0.00001、0.0001和0.001 μg/μL浓度的吡虫啉对雄蜂幼虫进行连续饲喂处理.每天观察并记录幼虫的发育形态及死亡率,在雄蜂幼虫后期(移虫后6d)测量幼虫体重.利用Illumina HiSeq测序技术对经吡虫啉处理的雄蜂进行转录组测序,进而对差异表达基因进行深入分析.[结果]取食吡虫啉后的雄蜂幼虫,体重低于正常雄蜂,当浓度高于0.0001μg/μL时差异显著;雄蜂幼虫取食吡虫啉后出现死亡现象,且死亡率随吡虫啉浓度的升高而增大;差异表达基因分析结果上调与下调基因数量分别为390个和130个.GO富集分析结果上调基因共分布于55个GO条目,富集基因数量最多的是细胞进程、细胞、细胞组件、细胞膜、细胞膜组件、结合,下调基因共分布于48个GO条目,富集基因数量最多的是细胞进程、细胞、细胞组件.富集在有关生殖功能的差异表达基因中,上调基因数量为21个,下调基因数量为5个.KEGG代谢通路富集分析结果上调基因富集在159个通路上,其中富集基因数最多的是蛋白质消化吸收和神经活性配体-受体相互作用通路.下调基因富集在71个通路上,其中富集基因数最多的是溶酶体、胰液分泌、神经活性配体-受体相互作用通路.[结论]吡虫啉能抑制意大利蜜蜂雄蜂的生长发育,甚至造成幼虫死亡,同时,可以影响雄蜂的神经系统、代谢系统和生殖系统等.本研究结果为蜜蜂资源保护提供理论依据.     

基于Illumina HiSeq测序技术研究吡虫啉对意大利蜜蜂雄蜂的影响

[目的]雄蜂对蜂群繁衍有着非常重要的作用.本研究旨在探究吡虫啉对意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera Ligustica雄蜂生长发育和基因表达产生的影响.[方法]以意大利蜜蜂雄蜂为研究对象,分别以0.00001、0.0001和0.001 μg/μL浓度的吡虫啉对雄蜂幼虫进行连续饲喂处理.每天观察并记录幼虫的发育形态及死亡率,在雄蜂幼虫后期(移虫后6d)测量幼虫体重.利用Illumina HiSeq测序技术对经吡虫啉处理的雄蜂进行转录组测序,进而对差异表达基因进行深入分析.[结果]取食吡虫啉后的雄蜂幼虫,体重低于正常雄蜂,当浓度高于0.0001μg/μL时差异显著;雄蜂幼虫取食吡虫啉后出现死亡现象,且死亡率随吡虫啉浓度的升高而增大;差异表达基因分析结果上调与下调基因数量分别为390个和130个.GO富集分析结果上调基因共分布于55个GO条目,富集基因数量最多的是细胞进程、细胞、细胞组件、细胞膜、细胞膜组件、结合,下调基因共分布于48个GO条目,富集基因数量最多的是细胞进程、细胞、细胞组件.富集在有关生殖功能的差异表达基因中,上调基因数量为21个,下调基因数量为5个.KEGG代谢通路富集分析结果上调基因富集在159个通路上,其中富集基因数最多的是蛋白质消化吸收和神经活性配体-受体相互作用通路.下调基因富集在71个通路上,其中富集基因数最多的是溶酶体、胰液分泌、神经活性配体-受体相互作用通路.[结论]吡虫啉能抑制意大利蜜蜂雄蜂的生长发育,甚至造成幼虫死亡,同时,可以影响雄蜂的神经系统、代谢系统和生殖系统等.本研究结果为蜜蜂资源保护提供理论依据.     

Oxygen consumption and flight muscle activity during heating in workers and drones of Apis mellifera

Summary Instantaneous oxygen consumption, muscle potential frequency, thoracic and ambient temperature were simultaneously measured during heating in individual workers and drones of honey bees. Relationships between these parameters and effects of thoracic temperature on power input and temperature elevation were studied. Oxygen consumption increased above basal levels only when flight muscles became active. Increasing muscle potential frequencies correlated with elevated oxygen consumption and raised thoracic temperature. The difference between thoracic and ambient temperature and oxygen consumption were linearly related. Oxygen consumption per muscle potential (l O₂ · g _–1 ^thorax · MP^–1) was two-fold higher in drones than in workers. However, oxygen consumption for heating the thorax (l O₂ · g _–1 ^thorax · (T_th-T_a) · °C^–1) was nearly the same in workers and drones. Thoracic temperature affected the amount of oxygen consumed per muscle potential (R₁₀=1.5). Achieved temperature elevation per 100 MP was more temperature sensitive in drones (R₁₀=6–10) than in workers (R₁₀=3.6). Q₁₀ values for oxygen consumption were 3 in workers and 4.5–6 in drones. Muscle potential frequency decreased with a Q₁₀=1.8 in workers and 2.7 in drones. Heating behaviour of workers and drones was different. Drones generated heat less continuously than workers, and showed greater interindividual variability in predilection to heat. However, the maximal difference between ambient and thoracic temperature observed was 22 °C in drones and 14 °C in workers, indicating greater potential for drones.Abbreviations DL dorsal-longitudinal muscle - DV dorsoventral muscle - MP muscle potential - T _a ambient temperature - T _th thoracic temperature     

Decreased flight performance and sperm production in drones of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) slightly infested by Varroa destructor mites during pupal development

We developed a bioassay to measure the flying power of drone, in order to determine which drones could reach a drone congregation area. A wind tunnel was used to test unparasitized drones and drones slightly parasitized by one or two mites during pupal development, and counts were made of the number of spermatozoa that they produced. Drones parasitized with one mite flew as long as control drones (x= 6'55" and 6'48", respectively, P = 0.512); however, those that had been infested by two mites flew significantly less (x= 2'16", P<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation (P<0.01) between flight duration and the number of spermatozoa per drone in control group (r = 0.53), and in both the one mite (r = 0.43) and two mite (r = 0.54) groups. Drones infested during development with one or two mites produced 24 and 45% fewer sperm, respectively.     

Magnetoreception system in honeybees (Apis mellifera)

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) undergo iron biomineralization, providing the basis for magnetoreception. We showed earlier the presence of superparamagnetic magnetite in iron granules formed in honeybees, and subscribed to the notion that external magnetic fields may cause expansion or contraction of the superparamagnetic particles in an orientation-specific manner, relaying the signal via cytoskeleton (Hsu and Li 1994). In this study, we established a size-density purification procedure, with which quantitative amount of iron granules was obtained from honey bee trophocytes and characterized; the density of iron granules was determined to be 1.25 g/cm(3). While we confirmed the presence of superparamagnetic magnetite in the iron granules, we observed changes in the size of the magnetic granules in the trophycytes upon applying additional magnetic field to the cells. A concomitant release of calcium ion was observed by confocal microscope. This size fluctuation triggered the increase of intracellular Ca(+2) , which was inhibited by colchicines and latrunculin B, known to be blockers for microtubule and microfilament syntheses, respectively. The associated cytoskeleton may thus relay the magnetosignal, initiating a neural response. A model for the mechanism of magnetoreception in honeybees is proposed, which may be applicable to most, if not all, magnetotactic organisms.     

Stored sperm differs from ejaculated sperm by proteome alterations associated with energy metabolism in the honeybee Apis mellifera

Sperm are exposed to substantially different environments during their life history, such as seminal fluid or the female sexual tract, but remarkably little information is currently available about whether and how much sperm composition and function alters in these different environments. Here, we used the honeybee Apis mellifera and quantified differences in the abundance and activity of sperm proteins sampled either from ejaculates or from the female’s sperm storage organ. We find that stored and ejaculated sperm contain the same set of proteins but that the abundance of specific proteins differed substantially between ejaculated and stored sperm. Most proteins with a significant change in abundance are related to sperm energy metabolism. Enzymatic assays performed for a subset of these proteins indicate that specific protein activities differ between stored and ejaculated sperm and are typically higher in ejaculated compared to stored sperm. We provide evidence that the cellular machinery of sperm is plastic and differs between sperm within the ejaculate and within the female’s storage organ. Future work will be required to test whether these changes are a consequence of active adaptation or sperm senescence and whether they alter sperm performance indifferent chemical environments or impact on the cost of sperm storage by the female.However, these changes can be expected to influence sperm performance and therefore determine sperm viability or sperm competitiveness for storage or egg fertilization.     

Monthly changes in various drone characteristics of Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis mellifera syriaca

This study was conducted to investigate drone rearing activity and semen production of Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis mellifera syriaca . Tendency of worker bees of both subspecies towards egg laying under semiarid conditions were also monitored in the experiments. Differences were not observed in drone brood production between both honeybee subspecies throughout the investigation. Worker bees of both subspecies needed a significantly shorter time to start egg laying during February and March in comparison with the time those workers needed for laying eggs during the remaining months of the study. Syrian bee workers started egg laying earlier than Italian bee workers. Drones from laying workers were much smaller and produced less sperms with more abnormalities than normal drones. Drones produced from queens in May were heavier and produced more sperms with less abnormalities than those produced during the other months. The drone brood rearing of both subspecies tended to follow the same general cycle in 2005 and 2006. The study suggests that virgin queens have a better chance to receive adequate viable sperm amounts from drones in April and May in semiarid Mediterranean conditions.     

Viability assessment of honey bee, Apis mellifera, sperm using dual fluorescent staining

Since the development of instrumental insemination of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens in the 1930s, there has been interest in the evaluation and in vitro storage of semen. Several fluorescent stains, when used in combination, have been effectively used to assess sperm viability in mammalian and avian species. Our objectives were to test two combinations of living:dead fluorescent stains, SYBR-14 with propidium iodide (PI), or Calcein-AM with PI, and validate the use of these probes with honey bee sperm. SYBR-14 is a nuclear stain producing green fluorescence of the DNA in living sperm, Calcein-AM is a membrane-permeant esterase substrate staining entire sperm green, and PI is a traditional dead cell stain giving a contrasting red color. Both living stains fluoresced bee sperm, but the SYBR-14:PI produced a clearer distinction between the living and dead sperm. A graduated series of known living:dead sperm proportions was used to validate the accuracy of the stains for determining sperm viability in honey bees.     

Proteins within the seminal fluid are crucial to keep sperm viable in the honeybee Apis mellifera

Seminal fluid is a biochemically complex mixture of glandular secretions that is transferred to the females sexual tract as part of the ejaculate. Seminal fluid has received increasing scientific interest in the fields of evolutionary and reproductive biology, as it seems a major determinant of male fertility/infertility and reproductive success. Here we used the honeybee Apis mellifera, where seminal fluid can be collected as part of a male's ejaculate, and performed a series of experiments to investigate the effects of seminal fluid and its components on sperm viability. We show that honeybee seminal fluid is highly potent in keeping sperm alive and this positive effect is present over a 24 h time span, comparable to the timing of the sperm storage process in the queen. We furthermore show that the presence of proteins within the seminal fluid and their structural integrity are crucial for this effect. Finally, we activated sperm using fructose and provide evidence that the positive effect of seminal fluid proteins on sperm survival cannot be replicated using generic protein substitutes. Our data provide experimental insights into the complex molecular interplay between sperm and seminal fluid defining male fertility and reproductive success.     

The role of epistatic interactions underpinning resistance to parasitic Varroa mites in haploid honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones

The Red Queen hypothesis predicts that host–parasite coevolutionary dynamics can select for host resistance through increased genetic diversity, recombination and evolutionary rates. However, in haplodiploid organisms such as the honeybee (Apis mellifera), models suggest the selective pressure is weaker than in diploids. Haplodiploid sex determination, found in A. mellifera, can allow deleterious recessive alleles to persist in the population through the diploid sex with negative effects predominantly expressed in the haploid sex. To overcome these negative effects in haploid genomes, epistatic interactions have been hypothesized to play an important role. Here, we use the interaction between A. mellifera and the parasitic mite Varroa destructor to test epistasis in the expression of resistance, through the inhibition of parasite reproduction, in haploid drones. We find novel loci on three chromosomes which explain over 45% of the resistance phenotype. Two of these loci interact only additively, suggesting their expression is independent of each other, but both loci interact epistatically with the third locus. With drone offspring inheriting only one copy of the queen's chromosomes, the drones will only possess one of two queen alleles throughout the years‐long lifetime of the honeybee colony. Varroa, in comparison, completes its highly inbred reproductive cycle in a matter of weeks, allowing it to rapidly evolve resistance. Faced with the rapidly evolving Varroa, a diversity of pathways and epistatic interactions for the inhibition of Varroa reproduction could therefore provide a selective advantage to the high levels of recombination seen in A. mellifera. This allows for the remixing of phenotypes despite a fixed queen genotype.     

Intestinal enterobacteria of the hibernating Apis mellifera mellifera L. bees

Dynamics of enterobacteria of normal intestinal microflora was studied in Apis mellifera mellifera L. bees hibernating under snow in the Western Urals. The cell numbers (N) of the predominant species Klebsiella oxytoca increased from 10-10(6) CFU/bee in November 2004 to 10(4)-10(7) CFU/bee in March 2005; its frequency of occurrence (P) increased from 92 to 100%. Increase of Providencia rettgeri (11.2004: N up to 10(6), P 25%; 03.2005: N 10(2)-10(6), P 80%) was accompanied by the substitution of Morganella morganii (11.2004: N up to 10(6), P 25%) with Proteus vulgaris (03.2005: N up to 10(5), P 8%). By spring, Hafnia alvei and Citrobacter sp., which are pathogenic to bees, disappeared (11.2004: N up to 10(5), P 13 and 10%, respectively). Endophytic species Pantoea agglomerans, Leclecria sp., and other representatives of the "Enterobacter agglomerans" group were present in November and after the first emergence in spring (N up to 10(5); November: P 15%; April: P 23%). In April, the number of enterobacteria decreased to 10(5), and P. rettgeri became the predominant species (P 54%) instead of K. oxytoca (P 43%).     

Detection of viral sequences in semen of honeybees (Apis mellifera): evidence for vertical transmission of viruses through drones

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) can be attacked by many eukaryotic parasites, and bacterial as well as viral pathogens. Especially in combination with the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, viral honeybee diseases are becoming a major problem in apiculture, causing economic losses worldwide. Several horizontal transmission routes are described for some honeybee viruses. Here, we report for the first time the detection of viral sequences in semen of honeybee drones suggesting mating as another horizontal and/or vertical route of virus transmission. Since artificial insemination and controlled mating is widely used in honeybee breeding, the impact of our findings for disease transmission is discussed.     

Varying degrees of Apis mellifera ligustica introgression in protected populations of the black honeybee, Apis mellifera mellifera, in northwest Europe

The natural distribution of honeybee subspecies in Europe has been significantly affected by human activities during the last century. Non-native subspecies of honeybees have been introduced and propagated, so that native black honeybee (Apis mellifera mellifera) populations lost their identity by gene-flow or went extinct. After previous studies investigated the remaining gene-pools of native honeybees in France and Spain, we here assess the genetic composition of eight northwest European populations of the black honeybee, using both mitochondrial (restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the intergenic transfer RNAleu-COII region) and nuclear (11 microsatellite loci) markers. Both data sets show that A. m. mellifera populations still exist in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Scotland and Ireland, but that they are threatened by gene flow from commercial honeybees. Both Bayesian admixture analysis of the microsatellite data and DraI-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis of the intergenic region indicated that gene-flow had hardly occurred in some populations, whereas almost 10% introgression was observed in other populations. The most introgressed population was found on the Danish Island of Laeso, which is the last remaining native Danish population of A. m. mellifera and the only one of the eight investigated populations that is protected by law. We discuss how individual admixture analysis can be used to monitor the restoration of honeybee populations that suffer from unwanted hybridization with non-native subspecies.