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A Novel Behavioral Assay to Investigate Gustatory Responses of Individual, Freely-moving Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris
Published on: July 21, 2016
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Sexual healing: mating induces a protective immune response in bumblebees
S M Barribeau1,2,3, P Schmid-Hempel2
1Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|August 20, 2016
Summary
Sexual reproduction is costly, potentially increasing infection risk. This study found mating activates bumblebee immunity, enhancing parasite resistance, contrary to expectations.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Immunology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Sexual reproduction is evolutionarily costly, with significant resource investment.
- Mating can trigger immune responses, potentially increasing susceptibility to pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if mating activates immune responses in bumblebees.
- To determine if mating affects susceptibility to a common bumblebee parasite.
Main Methods:
- Measuring gene expression of immune-related genes in mated and unmated bumblebees.
- Assessing parasite load and resistance in relation to mating status.
Main Results:
- Mating significantly activated immune gene expression in bumblebees.
- Activated immunity following mating enhanced resistance to the parasite.
Conclusions:
- Mating can enhance, rather than corrupt, immunity in certain species.
- This finding offers new insights into the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction.
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