西方蜜蜂发育基因AmWnt1的克隆鉴定及时空表达分析

本研究旨在克隆鉴定西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera发育相关基因AmWnt1,分析其在不同发育时期和刚出房工蜂不同组织的表达特征,为进一步研究Wnt1基因功能提供理论参考。根据NCBI中AmWnt1基因序列信息,利用Primer 6.0设计引物,RT-PCR扩增AmWnt1基因完整的CDS序列,进行生物信息学预测,用推导的氨基酸序列构建系统进化树;利用荧光定量PCR检测该基因在卵（1日龄、2日龄和3日龄）、幼虫（1日龄、3日龄和5日龄）、预蛹（1日龄和3日龄）、蛹（0日龄、2日龄、4日龄、6日龄和8日龄）、刚出房工蜂、哺育蜂和采集蜂以及刚出房工蜂8个组织中相对表达量。克隆获得西方蜜蜂的Wnt1基因CDS序列,命名为AmWnt1,上传NCBI,获得GenBank登录号MT993937。全长1 239 bp,编码412个氨基酸,预测等电点为9.48,相对分子质量为46.40313 kDa。序列比对和系统进化树结果表明：AmWnt1蛋白与其它膜翅目昆虫聚为一类,其中和东方蜜蜂Apis cerana亲缘关系最近,序列相似度为99.50%。时空表达谱结果表明：AmWnt1基因在各个时期中均有表达,且在胚胎后期表达量最高,预蛹期和蛹前期表达量相对较高,其它时期表达量相对较低;AmWnt1基因在刚出房工蜂头、胸、触角表达量高于其它组织。AmWnt1可能参与西方蜜蜂胚胎晚期的神经系统发育和化蛹过程中的四肢发育等关键历程,为进一步研究AmWnt1功能提供了理论参考。     

Genome-wide analysis of alternative reproductive phenotypes in honeybee workers

A defining feature of social insects is the reproductive division of labour, in which workers usually forego all reproduction to help their mother queen to reproduce. However, little is known about the molecular basis of this spectacular form of altruism. Here, we compared gene expression patterns between nonreproductive, altruistic workers and reproductive, non-altruistic workers in queenless honeybee colonies using a whole-genome microarray analysis. Our results demonstrate massive differences in gene expression patterns between these two sets of workers, with a total of 1292 genes being differentially expressed. In nonreproductive workers, genes associated with energy metabolism and respiration, flight and foraging behaviour, detection of visible light, flight and heart muscle contraction and synaptic transmission were overexpressed relative to reproductive workers. This implies they probably had a higher whole-body energy metabolism and activity rate and were most likely actively foraging, whereas same-aged reproductive workers were not. This pattern is predicted from evolutionary theory, given that reproductive workers should be less willing to compromise their reproductive futures by carrying out high-risk tasks such as foraging or other energetically expensive tasks. By contrast, reproductive workers mainly overexpressed oogenesis-related genes compared to nonreproductive ones. With respect to key switches for ovary activation, several genes involved in steroid biosynthesis were upregulated in reproductive workers, as well as genes known to respond to queen and brood pheromones, genes involved in TOR and insulin signalling pathways and genes located within quantitative trait loci associated with reproductive capacity in honeybees. Overall, our results provide unique insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying alternative reproductive phenotypes in honeybee workers.     

西方蜜蜂Lozenge基因的克隆鉴定及时空表达分析

Lozenge蛋白（Lz蛋白）是昆虫的重要转录因子,在昆虫胚胎发育过程中发挥重要作用。为研究Lozenge在西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera中的作用,本研究克隆了Lozenge基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析,同时基于荧光定量PCR技术检测该基因在西方蜜蜂不同发育时期（卵期、幼虫期、蛹期和成年蜂）和10日龄哺育蜂各组织的表达谱。生物信息学分析结果显示,Lozenge基因的开放阅读框（ORF）为1 554 bp,共编码517个氨基酸,预测分子量为54.63918 kDa,等电点为6.08;结构域预测分析发现Lozenge蛋白含有一个Runt结构域,多物种蛋白序列对比发现该蛋白同源性高。时期表达谱表明,该基因在第1日卵和第2日卵的表达量远高于其他时期,在卵期表达量随时间依次递减,幼虫期表达量极低,蛹期表达量呈先增后减的趋势,而成年蜂中均有表达;组织表达谱显示,该基因在哺育蜂头部、上颚腺中的表达量较高,而在腹部的表达量低。这些结果表明,Lozenge基因可能在西方蜜蜂胚胎期细胞发育过程、哺育蜂蜂王浆合成和分泌过程中发挥重要作用,这些结果为该基因功能的深入研究提供了重要的理论参考。     

Effects of social environment and worker mandibular glands on endocrine-mediated behavioral development in honey bees

Previous studies suggest that older honey bee workers possess an inhibitory signal that regulates behavioral development in younger bees. To study how this inhibitor is transmitted, bees were reared for 7 days in double-screen cages, single-screen cages, or unrestricted in a typical colony (control bees). Double-screen cages prevented physical contact with colony members while single-screen cages allowed only antennation and food exchange. Bees reared in double-screen cages showed accelerated endocrine and behavioral development; they had significantly higher rates of juvenile hormone biosynthesis and juvenile hormone titers than did control bees and also were more likely to become precocious foragers. Relative to the other two groups, bees reared in single-screen cages showed intermediate juvenile hormone biosynthesis rates and titers, and intermediate rates of behavioral development. These results indicate that physical contact is required for total inhibition. We also began to test the hypothesis that worker mandibular glands are the sources of an inhibitory signal. Old bees with mandibular glands removed were significantly less inhibitory towards young bees than were sham-operated and unoperated bees. These results suggest that an inhibitor is produced by the worker mandibular glands. Accepted: 29 January 1998     

意大利蜜蜂蜂毒磷脂酶A2基因在杆状病毒-昆虫细胞系统中的表达

利用Bac to Bac系统将意大利蜜蜂蜂毒磷脂酶A₂（AmPLA₂）基因cDNA克隆至转移载体pFastBacHTa中,得到pBacHT-AmPLA₂,再将其转化入含穿梭载体Bacmid的受体大肠杆菌DH10Bac中,通过转座作用,得到含AmPLA₂基因的重组病毒rBacmid-AmPLA₂的DNA。提取其基因组DNA,用脂质体介导转染粉纹夜蛾细胞Tn-5B1-4,得到重组病毒rACV-Bac-AmPLA₂。用此重组病毒感染Tn-5B1-4细胞, 在细胞中表达AmPLA₂。SDS-PAGE电泳结果显示,与6×His Tag融合表达的产物蛋白分子量约为18 kD左右,表达量约占细胞总蛋白的5.35%。Western blot印迹显示,融合表达产物能与意大利蜜蜂蜂毒AmPLA₂抗血清发生免疫反应。生物活性测定显示,含表达产物的细胞蛋白粗提物对底物蛋黄的酶活力约为6.13 μmol·min^-1·mg^-1。     

意大利蜜蜂丙糖磷酸异构酶基因的克隆及其原核表达与纯化

从意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica的肌肉组织中提取总RNA,采用RT-PCR的方法克隆蜜蜂第16号染色体上的丙糖磷酸异构酶基因的cDNA序列,将测序结果(GenBank登录号EU76098)与推导的氨基酸序列分别与GenBank中的其他物种进行同源比对分析。结果表明,该基因全长744bp,为完整的阅读框,编码247个氨基酸,成熟蛋白的理论分子量为26.89kD。比对结果显示AmTPI与家蚕、德国小镰、黄粉虫、丽蝇蛹集金小蜂、水稻等物种的基因相似性达69%以上,蛋白相似性达59%以上。将目的基因克隆到pGEX-4T-2融合表达载体上,并在大肠杆菌中得到成功表达,4h的表达量为总蛋白的42.1%。为了进一步探讨产物的酶学特性,实验还对表达产物进行纯化与浓缩。实验还构建增强型荧光真核表达质粒,为进一步研究AmTPI在真核细胞中的表达情况奠定基础。     

Caste specialization in food storage in the dimorphic antColobopsis nipponicus (Wheeler)

Summary Food-storage abilities of both minor and major workers of the dimorphic antColobopsis nipponicus were examined to prove the hypothesis that major workers of this species have a trophic role in addition to a defensive one. Both worker subcastes accumulated water, that was supplied with water-soluble food, as well as fat, that probably originated from food given. However, the major workers accumulated much larger amounts of water and fat than did the minor workers. Difference in water accumulation increased as food supply increased. In spite of their difference in body weight, the residual amount of fat after starvation did not differ between the two subcastes. Although the amount of stored fat increased with colony size in both subcastes, the stored fat per dry weight of the major worker was significantly larger than that of the minor worker regardless of the colony size. When workers of a colony were starved, minor workers with a single major worker survived significantly longer than those without a major worker. In addition, about half the behavioral acts of major workers were regurgitation for minor workers. These results demonstrate that major workers ofC. nipponicus functioned as a trophic caste. On the basis of the results, quantitative relationships of storage abilities between the two worker subcastes are discussed.     

Identification of differential genes in the ovary relative to the testis and their expression patterns in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is a rare marine flatfish whose mature ovary and testis greatly differ in volume and weight. The length and weight of mature females are over twice greater than those of mature males. To obtain sufficient information on gonad differentiation and the relationship between gonad development and growth in the fish, we compared gene expression between the ovary and testis using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Testis cDNAs are subtracted from...