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Gene expression in bumble bee larvae differs qualitatively between high and low concentration imidacloprid exposure
Rubén Martín-Blázquez1,2, Austin C Calhoun3, Ben M Sadd3
1Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. rmartinblazquez@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|June 9, 2023
Summary
Neonicotinoid pesticides like imidacloprid disrupt bumble bee larval gene expression, affecting vital pathways. Even low concentrations alter fundamental biological processes, impacting colony health.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Molecular Biology
- Insect Ecology
Background:
- Neonicotinoid pesticides, particularly imidacloprid, pose risks to bumble bee health.
- Sublethal effects on adult bees are documented, but larval molecular responses remain understudied.
- Larval development is crucial for bumble bee colony success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular effects of field-realistic imidacloprid concentrations on Bombus impatiens larvae.
- To identify differentially expressed genes and affected biological pathways in larvae exposed to imidacloprid.
- To compare the molecular impacts of low and high imidacloprid exposure levels.
Main Methods:
- Gene expression analysis (transcriptomics) of Bombus impatiens larvae.
- Exposure of larvae to two concentrations of imidacloprid (0.7 and 7.0 ppb) via food provisions.
- Monitoring of food provision uptake to contextualize gene expression results.
Main Results:
- Exposure to both imidacloprid concentrations altered gene expression in 678 genes.
- Higher imidacloprid concentration resulted in more differentially expressed genes, including those related to starvation response and cuticle formation.
- Lower imidacloprid concentration uniquely affected genes involved in neural development and cell growth.
Conclusions:
- Field-realistic neonicotinoid concentrations induce varying molecular consequences in bumble bee larvae.
- Even low-level imidacloprid exposure can disrupt fundamental biological processes essential for larval development and colony health.
- Transcriptomic analysis reveals significant molecular disruptions previously uncharacterized in developing bees exposed to pesticides.
