POPULATION DIFFERENTIATION AND RACIAL ADMIXTURE IN THE AFRICANIZED HONEYBEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.)

To study the degree of interpopulational differentiation and racial admixture in Africanized honeybees, we collected worker bees from three regions of Brazil (the northeast, the state of Sao Paulo, and Porto Alegre) and from Uruguay and determined their genotypes for 10 enzyme loci. We also performed a morphometric analysis on forewing measurements of worker bees from the northeast and Porto Alegre regions of Brazil and from Paysandu, Uruguay. Comparative analysis of interpopulational heterogeneity snowed that there are significant differences, especially at the Mdh locus, among the populations from different regions. An increase in the frequency of the Mdh^B allele was observed from north to south, with predominance in the Uruguayan populations. A small component of interpopulational variability was detected in the populations studied. Racial admixture was calculated from information obtained for Mdh in Africa and Europe. The percentages of racial admixture differed slightly but significantly among Brazilian regions. The morphometric study based on canonical variables exhibited a similar pattern. The greater proportions of Apis mellifera adansonii alleles in the admixture may be explained by selection during the initial stage of migration of Africanized bees and by preferential mating between individuals of the same race. Differences in the proportions of A. m. adansonii alleles between regions indicate incipient populational differentiation of Africanized bees. We suggest that greater gene flow from the European races in the south of Brazil could be one of the causes of this phenomenon.     

意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera ligustica)与中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana ceraca)的生态位比较

为了明确中华蜜蜂和意大利蜜蜂在皖南山区生态适应性,研究两种蜜蜂的食物生态位、时间生态位和空间生态位及其差异,结果是中蜂与意蜂食物(蜜源植物)资源生态位宽度分别是 0.923、0.765,中蜂对蜜源植物采集喜好性差异小,而意蜂差异大,中蜂对意蜂生态位重迭为0.160,中蜂对意蜂生态位相似性为0.755;油菜花期,中蜂与意蜂时间资源生态位宽度分别是0.879、0.801,枇杷花期,分别是0.760、0.677,中蜂与意蜂的空间资源生态位宽度分别是0.797、0.670.中蜂3种生态位宽度均大于意蜂,中蜂三维生态位值是意蜂的1.61倍和1.57倍.表明中蜂在皖南山区生态适应性比意蜂强.     

The Africanized honey bee dispersal: A mathematical zoom

A general mathematical model for population dispersal featuring long range taxis is presented and exemplified by the dispersal episode of the Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera adansonii) throughout the American Continent. The mathematical model is a discrete-time and nonlocal model represented by an integrodifference recursion. A newtaxis concept is defined and introduced into the mathematical model by an appropriate modification of the redistribution kernel. The model is capable of predicting the natural barrier for the expansion of the Africanized honey bees in the southern part of the Continent due to low winter temperatures. It also describes a sensitive expansion velocity with respect to the quality of resources, which can explain the AHB’s astounding spread rate, by using two different kinds of population dynamics strategies, one for a resourceful environment and the other for poor regions. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Spectrum of plant species foraged by Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille in the North Sudanian phytogeographical region of Burkina Faso

Melissopalynological analysis of 60 honey samples collected from 50 Kenyan Top Bar Hives in the North Sudanian phytogeographical region of Burkina Faso established the plant species foraged by honeybees Apis mellifera adansonii. Forty-three pollen types from 29 families were identified in the honey samples. The most common families were Mimosaceae (9.30%), Asteraceae (6.98%) and Anacardiaceae (6.98%). The most frequently visited plants were Combretum (66.66%), Tridax procumbens (66.66), Acacia seyal-group (50%), Cleome viscosa-group (50%) and Cyperus esculentus (41.67%). The results showed that Apis mellifera adansonii is polylectic with a heterogeneous foraging behaviour. Pollen analysis showed that the honeys from the two main honey flows of Burkina Faso were polyfloral.     

2种蜜蜂和3种胡蜂蜂毒前肥大细胞脱粒肽原基因的克隆及同源性分析

从中华蜜蜂、意大利蜜蜂、大胡蜂、墨胸胡蜂和亚非马蜂5种雌成蜂毒腺中快速抽提总RNA,用RT-PCR方法分别扩增各得到大小约为350bp的cDNA片段,进一步将这5个片段克隆入pGEMT-easy载体,进行测序和序列分析。结果表明：所扩增得到的5个片段长度均为341bp,均包含一个完整的开放阅读框和3′端未编码区的188bp核苷酸序列,证实为5种蜂的蜂毒前肥大细胞脱粒肽原的cDNA。经序列比较,意大利蜜蜂、中华蜜蜂、大胡蜂、墨胸胡蜂和亚非马蜂前肥大细胞脱粒肽原核苷酸序列彼此间的同源性都为90％以上。中华蜜蜂、大胡蜂、墨胸胡蜂和亚非马蜂与意大利蜜蜂的前肥大细胞脱粒肽原氨基酸序列的同源性分别为96％、100％、94％和98％。尽管大胡蜂和墨胸胡蜂与意大利蜜蜂属于不同的科,但它们的肥大细胞脱粒肽却完全相同,而中华蜜蜂与意大利蜜蜂属于同一个属,它们的肥大细胞脱粒肽却不相同。中华蜜蜂和亚非马蜂肥大细胞脱粒肽第5号位的氨基酸为精氨酸,替代了意大利蜜蜂5号位的半胱氨酸,该位置的半胱氨酸与19号位的半胱氨酸组成意大利蜜蜂肥大细胞脱粒肽分子的一个对蛋白活性起重要作用的二硫键。     

Proteome and phosphoproteome of Africanized and European honeybee venoms

Honey bee venom toxins trigger immunological, physiological, and neurological responses within victims. The high occurrence of bee attacks involving potentially fatal toxic and allergic reactions in humans and the prospect of developing novel pharmaceuticals make honey bee venom an attractive target for proteomic studies. Using label‐free quantification, we compared the proteome and phosphoproteome of the venom of Africanized honeybees with that of two European subspecies, namely Apis mellifera ligustica and A. m. carnica. From the total of 51 proteins, 42 were common to all three subspecies. Remarkably, the toxins melittin and icarapin were phosphorylated. In all venoms, icarapin was phosphorylated at the ²⁰⁵Ser residue, which is located in close proximity to its known antigenic site. Melittin, the major toxin of honeybee venoms, was phosphorylated in all venoms at the ¹⁰Thr and ¹⁸Ser residues. ¹⁸Ser phosphorylated melittin—the major of its two phosphorylated forms—was less toxic compared to the native peptide.     

Racial Differences in Division of Labor in Colonies of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

We measured the age at onset of foraging in colonies derived from three races of European honey bees, Apis mellifera mellifera, Apis mellifera caucasica and Apis mellifera ligustica , using a cross-fostering design that involved six unrelated colonies of each race. There was a significant effect of the race of the introduced bees on the age at onset of foraging: cohorts of A. m. ligustica bees showed the earliest onset, regardless of the race of the colony they were introduced to. There also was a significant effect of the race of the host colony: cohorts of bees introduced into mellifera colonies showed the earliest onset of foraging, regardless of the race of the bees introduced. Significant inter-trial differences also were detected, primarily because of a later onset of foraging in trials conducted during the autumn (September–October). These results demonstrate differences among European races of honey bees in one important component of colony division of labor. They also provide a starting point for analyses of the evolution of division of labor under different ecological conditions.     

中国意大利蜜蜂微卫星遗传多态性

为了分析我国不同生态条件下意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica（简称意蜂）的基因特征,对品种间基因交流或基因渗入现象进行监测,完成对我国主要地区意蜂多样性水平的评价。本研究利用10对微卫星（SSR）引物分析了来自我国黑龙江等14个省市自治区31个采集点的意蜂样品的遗传多态性,并与来自德国的喀尼阿兰蜂A. m. carnica（简称喀蜂）和来自美国的意蜂A. m. ligustica进行比对。通过NTSYS-pc2.1和popGene32软件对SSR数据进行多态性分析。结果表明：10对SSR引物中8对表现出较高的遗传稳定性,可作为意蜂遗传多态性标记。遗传一致度在0.61以上时,浙江、四川、甘肃和云南地区的样品出现较严重分化,其他地区的意蜂样品则保持了美国原种意蜂的典型基因特征。东北和新疆地区的样品与德国喀蜂血统亲缘关系较近（遗传距离在0.18149以内）,分析主要原因可能是该地区的意蜂样品杂有黑蜂A. m. mellifera血统。据此提出应在保护各地意蜂原种特性及种群多态性的基础上,科学有效地进行高产品种的繁育。     

New allozyme variability in Italian honey bees

Adult workers of the honey bee, Apis mellifera ligustica, from Italy were assayed for enzyme polymorphism using a variety of electrophoretic conditions. Three polymorphic enzyme systems are described, two of which, malic enzyme and an esterase, were previously unknown in indigenous A. m. ligustica. In addition, a new allozyme for the Mdh locus is reported.     

蜜蜂表皮蛋白apidermin (apd)基因家族3个新成员的特性鉴定及昆虫APD家族序列特征的分析

Apidermin (APD)蛋白家族是一个新的昆虫结构性表皮蛋白家族。本研究结合生物信息学和RT-PCR扩增, 对意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica（简称“意蜂”）的apd-1-like, apd-3-like和中华蜜蜂Apis cerena cerena（简称“中蜂”）的apd-2 等3个新的apd基因的结构特征和表达进行了分析, 并分析了昆虫APD蛋白家族的序列特征。结果显示, 在西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera（简称“西蜂”）中, apd基因家族的6个成员串联排列在基因组序列第4号连锁群上, 它们在A. m. ligustica雄蜂头部中的转录水平差异明显, 且其启动子序列所含顺式元件也不同。中蜂apd-2和意蜂apd-1-like都含有3个外显子和2个内含子, 而意蜂apd-3-like则由4个外显子和3个内含子组成。蛋白序列分析结果显示, 目前已知的10条APD蛋白序列N末端均具有相似的信号肽序列, 其成熟蛋白分子量为6.0~37.0 kD, pI为6.2~10.8。其中西蜂的APD1-3、APD-like和东方蜜蜂Apis cerena的APD-2等5条较短的多肽中疏水氨基酸残基达52%~67%, 且Ala含量最为丰富（占25%~34%）; 而丽蝇蛹集金小蜂Nasonia vitripennis的APD 1-3和西蜂APD-1-like, APD-3-like等另外5条APD多肽富含Gly（21%~30%）, 其序列中疏水氨基酸残基含量为35%~41%。多肽序列多重比对和系统进化分析结果显示, APD家族可划分为2个亚家族。亚家族Ⅰ含有西蜂APD 1-3和东方蜜蜂APD-2等4条较短的多肽序列, 其N末端为一个长33 aa的保守基序; 亚家族Ⅱ由另外6条相对较长的多肽序列组成, 其N末端保守基序长50 aa, C末端保守基序长16 aa。本文所描述的APD蛋白家族序列特征有助于以后从其他昆虫中鉴定新的apd基因。     

Nest Defense Behavior in Colonies from Crosses Between Africanized and European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies with either European or Africanized queens mated to European or Africanized drones alone or in combination were tested for defensive behavior using a breath test. The most defensive colonies were those with European or Africanized queens mated to Africanized drones. In colonies where both European and Africanized patrilines existed, most of the workers participating in nest defense behavior for the first 30 s after a disturbance were of African patrilines. Nest defense behavior appears to be genetically dominant in honey bees.     

三种微小RNA在意大利蜜蜂工蜂蛹期发育过程中的表达谱及潜在功能

[目的]意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica是生产性能优良的西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera亚种.本研究旨在利用分子生物学手段揭示3种微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA) ame-miR-13b,ame-miR-100和ame-miR-bantam调控蛹期变态发育的分子机理.[方法]通过...     

噻虫胺及其混配制剂对意大利蜜蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性

【目的】明确新烟碱类杀虫剂噻虫胺及其2种混剂对意大利蜜蜂 Apis mellifera ligustica 和玉米螟赤眼蜂 Trichogramma ostriniae 的毒性。【方法】采用摄入法、接触法和药膜法分别测定3种制剂对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂成蜂的急性毒性。【结果】急性毒性测定结果表明,30%噻虫胺悬浮剂、30%吡蚜酮·噻虫胺悬浮剂和20%醚菊酯·噻虫胺悬浮剂对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂的急性摄入毒性均为剧毒,LC₅₀ 值(48 h)分别为0.0200（0.0143~0.0272）, 0.084（0.0658~0.1157）和0.1594（0.1200~0.2056） mg a.i./L;3种制剂对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂急性接触毒性均为高毒,LD₅₀ 值(48 h)分别为0.0155（0.0114~0.0197）, 0.0426（0.0335~0.0539）和0.1122（0.0796~0.1385）μg a.i./蜂。药膜法测定3种制剂对玉米螟赤眼蜂成蜂的LD₅₀ 值(24 h)分别为0.0232（0.0180~0.0295）, 0.1050（0.0940~0.1170）和0.0059（0.0054~0.0065） mg a.i./L;安全性评价结果表明,3种制剂对玉米螟赤眼蜂成蜂均存在极高风险性,安全系数分别为5.95×10^-4, 2.69×10^-3和9.50×10^-5。【结论】噻虫胺及其混剂对意大利蜜蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂均存在较高的毒性风险,在害虫综合治理中应谨慎使用。     

Mitochondrial Sequence Characterisation of Australian Commercial and Feral Honeybee Strains, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in the Context of the Species Worldwide

The history of honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) importations and management in Australia is largely anecdotal and therefore a survey and characterisation of this agriculturally important insect is of value. We give information on the genetic composition of 42 feral and commercial strains by sequencing sections of the ATPase 6, cytochrome oxidase III, cytochrome b and ND2 mitochondrial genes to determine the relationship of the strains to each other. Our phylogenetic analysis shows novel associations between A. m. mellifera, A. m. scutellata, A. m. ligustica and A. m. caucasica.     

Geographical overlap of two mitochondrial genomes in Spanish honeybees (Apis mellifera iberica)

Restriction enzyme cleavage maps of mitochondrial DNA from the Spanish honeybee, Apis mellifera iberica (Hymenoptera: Apidae), were compared with those from the European subspecies A. m. mellifera, A. m. ligustica, and A. m. carnica, and the African subspecies A. m. intermissa and A. m. scutellata. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the two African subspecies can be distinguished by restriction fragment polymorphisms revealed by Hinf I digests. Two distinct mtDNA types were found among Spanish honeybees: a west European mellifera-like type, which predominates in the north of Spain, and an African intermissa-like type, which predominates in the south. Spain appears to be a region of contact and hybridization between the two subspecies A. m. intermissa and A. m. mellifera, which respectively represent African and west European honeybee lineages. This natural boundary between European and African honeybee populations in the Old World may provide a model for predicting the eventual outcome of the colonization of North America by introduced African honeybees.     

Genetic dominance and worker interactions affect honeybee colony defense

Colonies of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were established thatvaried in the proportions of their workers that were of Europeanand hybrid (Africanized x European) descent. Colony defensiveresponses increased with higher proportions of hybrid workers.Colonies consisting exclusively of hybrid workers did not differin their response from "pure" Africanized colonies, suggestingthat the strong defensive behavior of Africanized workers isgenetically dominant. European workers became more defensivein colonies that also contained hybrid workers, whereas hybridworkers became less defensive in the same mixed colonies. Inmixed colonies hybrid workers were individually more likelythan Europeans to sting a leather target but not more likelyto guard the entrance.     

意大利蜜蜂对两种油菜花朵气味的偏爱性

【目的】明确意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica（简称“意蜂”）对两种油菜（甘蓝型胜利油菜 Brassica napus cv. Shengli和芥菜型马尾油菜 B. juncea cv. Mawei）的气味偏爱性及选择行为特征。【方法】本研究开展大田访花偏爱性试验、室外群体气味偏爱性试验以及室内“Y”型嗅觉仪行为反应和学习记忆试验,测定意蜂蜂群及青年采集蜂对甘蓝型胜利油菜和芥菜型马尾油菜两种油菜花朵的选择次数,并通过采集蜂训练时及训练后的喙伸反应率分析两种油菜花朵气味对采集蜂学习记忆能力的影响,最终评估意蜂蜂群及个体对这两种油茶花朵气味的选择性。【结果】大田试验12:00-13:00时间段,访问胜利油菜的意蜂数量显著高于访问马尾油菜的数量(P<0.05）。群体气味偏爱性试验14:00-15:00时间段意蜂访问胜利油菜的数量显著高于访问马尾油菜的数量（P<0.05）。行为反应试验结果显示意蜂选择胜利油菜的次数（3.86±2.83）显著高于访问马尾油菜的次数（2.28±1.87）（P<0.05）。在学习记忆试验中,随着训练次数的增加,意蜂对两种油菜花朵气味的喙伸反应率逐渐升高,相同的训练次数,意蜂对两种油菜气味的学习能力差异不显著（P>0.05）;训练结束后,随着时间的增加,意蜂对胜利油菜及马尾油菜的气味记忆逐渐下降,在24 h对胜利油菜的气味记忆明显高于对马尾油菜的气味记忆（P<0.05）。【结论】本研究证明意蜂较偏爱胜利油菜的花朵气味,花朵气味是影响其采集偏爱的重要因素,气味响应性试验可定量分析蜜蜂对花朵气味的嗅觉敏感性。     

The CO-I and CO-II region of honeybee mitochondrial DNA: evidence for variation in insect mitochondrial evolutionary rates

The sequence of a region of honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) mitochondrial DNA, which contains the genes for cytochrome c oxidase subunits I and II (CO-I and CO-II) and inferred genes for tRNA(Asp), tRNA(Leu)UUR, tRNA(Lys), and tRNA(Trp), is presented. The region includes the segment previously identified as incurring a length increase in some other bee strains, including Africanized bees. The sequence information of this study and of that by Vlasak et al. shows that several shifts of tRNA genes have occurred between Apis and Drosophila, but shifts of other kinds of genes have yet to be demonstrated. The CO-I and CO-II gene sequences are both more A+T rich than are the corresponding Drosophila genes. Parsimony analyses using the mouse and Xenopus sequences as outgroups show significantly more amino acid substitutions on the branch to Apis (120) than on that to Drosophila (44), indicating a difference in the long-term evolutionary rates of hymenopteran and dipteran mtDNA.     

Africanized honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) have a greater fidelity to sunflowers than European bees

A study of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., pollen collection by Africanized and European honey bees, Apis mellifera L., was conducted in a hybrid seed production field in Argentina. Africanized honey bees collected significantly larger proportions of sunflower pollen than did European honey bees. The result suggests that Africanized bees would be more efficient for commercial sunflower seed production.     

Olfactory associative behavioral differences in three honey bee Apis mellifera L. races under the arid zone ecosystem of central Saudi Arabia

Apis mellifera jemenitica is the indigenous race of honey bees in the Arabian Peninsula and is tolerant to local drought conditions. Experiments were undertaken to determine the differences in associative learning and memory of honey bee workers living in the arid zone of Saudi Arabia, utilizing the proboscis extension response (PER). These experiments were conducted on the indigenous race (A. m. jemenitica) along with two introduced European races (A. m. carnica and A. m. ligustica). The data revealed that A. m. jemenitica is amenable to PER conditioning and may be used in conditioning experiments within the olfactory behavioral paradigm. The results also demonstrated that the three races learn and retain information with different capacities relative to each other during the experimental time periods. Native Arabian bees (A. m. jemenitica) exhibited significantly lower PER percentage during second and third conditioning trials when compared to exotic races. Apis mellifera jemenitica also exhibited reduced memory retention at 2?h and 24?h when compared to A. m. carnica and A. m. ligustica. Therefore, the native Arabian bees were relatively slow learners with reduced memory retention compared to the other two races that showed similar learning and memory retention. Three or five conditioning trials and monthly weather conditions (October and December) had no significant effects on learning and memory in A. m. jemenitica. These results emphasized a novel line of research to explore the mechanism and differences in associative learning as well as other forms of learning throughout the year among bee races in the harsh arid conditions of Saudi Arabia. This is the first study in Saudi Arabia to demonstrate inter-race differences regarding olfactory associative learning between native Arabian bees and two introduced European honey bee races.