Differential bumble bee gene expression associated with pathogen infection and pollen diet
Jonathan J Giacomini1, Lynn S Adler2, Benjamin J Reading3
1Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA. jonjgiacomini@gmail.com.
BMC Genomics
|March 29, 2023
Summary
Sunflower pollen consumption in bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) enhances immune responses and gut repair, reducing the impact of the pathogen Crithidia bombi. This dietary intervention offers a potential strategy for managing bee health and pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Immunology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Diet and parasitism significantly influence host gene expression, but mechanisms in wild species remain understudied.
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) pollen consumption was observed to reduce the severity of Crithidia bombi infections in Bombus impatiens bumble bees.
- The indirect effect of sunflower pollen on C. bombi infection, mediated by host physiological changes, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the physiological response of Bombus impatiens workers to sunflower pollen consumption and C. bombi infection.
- To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the medicinal effect of sunflower pollen against C. bombi.
Main Methods:
- Whole transcriptomes of B. impatiens workers were analyzed.
- Bees were inoculated with C. bombi or a sham control.
- Bees were fed either sunflower or wildflower pollen ad libitum.
- Gene expression profiles of abdominal tissues were sequenced using Illumina NextSeq 500 technology.
Main Results:
- Sunflower pollen upregulated immune transcripts (e.g., hymenoptaecin, Toll receptors) in infected bees.
- Sunflower pollen upregulated detoxification and gut epithelial repair transcripts in both infected and uninfected bees.
- Wildflower pollen-fed infected bees downregulated immune transcripts related to phagocytosis and the phenoloxidase cascade.
Conclusions:
- Dissimilar immune responses were observed between sunflower- and wildflower-fed infected bumble bees.
- Sunflower pollen elicits a response to physical gut epithelial damage and a strong detoxification response.
- Understanding these host responses can inform plant-pollinator interactions and bee pathogen management strategies.
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