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Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees Apis mellifera L.

Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees Apis mellifera L.

Published on: December 12, 2012

Ubx promotes corbicular development in Apis mellifera.

Victor Medved¹, Zachary Y Huang, Aleksandar Popadic

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, , Detroit, MI, USA.

Biology Letters

|January 31, 2014

Summary

The Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene controls pollen basket development in honeybees. Depleting Ubx transforms the pollen basket into a bristle-covered structure, impacting pollen-packing efficiency.

Keywords:

Ubx honeybee pollen basket

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Area of Science:

* Evolutionary developmental biology
* Entomology
* Molecular genetics

Background:

* Corbiculate bees are characterized by the presence of a corbicula (pollen basket) on their hind legs.
* The genetic basis for the evolution of this specialized pollen-gathering apparatus remains largely unexplored.
* Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying corbiculate bee morphology can provide insights into insect evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

* To investigate the role of the Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene in the development of the corbicula in honeybees (Apis mellifera).
* To explore the conserved function of Ubx in pollen-gathering structures across different corbiculate bee genera.

Main Methods:

* RNA interference (RNAi) was used to deplete Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene expression in adult worker honeybees (Apis mellifera).
* Morphological analysis of the hind legs, specifically the corbicula and associated structures (pollen press, pollen comb), was conducted.
* Ubx gene expression patterns were examined in the hind legs of Bombus impatiens.

Main Results:

* Depletion of Ubx in Apis mellifera resulted in the transformation of the smooth corbicula into a bristle-covered structure.
* This transformation was accompanied by a reduction in the pollen press and a loss of the orderly pollen comb bristles.
* Ubx expression was observed in the T3 tibia and basitarsus of Bombus impatiens, suggesting conserved function.

Conclusions:

* The Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene plays a crucial role in specifying the identity and morphology of the corbicula in honeybees.
* The findings suggest a shared evolutionary origin for the pollen-gathering apparatus in corbiculate bees, linked to the acquisition of novel functions by Ubx.
* Ubx's role in Apis mellifera is instrumental for caste differentiation and behavioral adaptations related to pollen collection.