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Direct Diagnosis of Chalkbrood Disease by Smelling Infected Honey Bee Larvae via Bioelectronic Noses with a
Yoonji Choi1, Dain Lee2, Seungha Lee2
1Department of Physics and Astronomy and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Honey bees who play environmentally crucial roles have suffered from various fungal diseases. Despite efforts to sustain healthy colonies from such diseases, conventional methods often rely on visual inspections, delaying diagnoses. In this study, a bioelectronic nose mimicking the honey bee olfactory system is developed for the direct diagnosis of chalkbrood by smelling infected honey bee larvae. Here, specific olfactory receptors of Apis mellifera (AmOrs) recognizing phenethyl acetate, a chalkbrood odorant, were selected through investigating a library of AmOrs. Among candidate receptors, Apis mellifera olfactory receptor 13a (AmOr13a) was, for the first time, identified to exhibit the highest specificity to phenethyl acetate. To build a bioelectronic nose, a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT-FET) was hybridized with nanovesicles containing AmOr13a. Our device could be utilized for the real-time detection of phenethyl acetate down to 1 fM and 31.6 ppb in aqueous and gaseous environments, respectively. Moreover, it could discriminate similar floral odorants with a single-carbon-atomic resolution. Notably, this device allowed us to diagnose chalkbrood infection directly from honey bee larvae. In this respect, our bioelectronic nose can be a powerful tool as on-site assessment platforms and thus provide broad opportunities for basic studies on insect olfactory systems and applications in agricultural industries.
Insights
A novel bioelectronic nose mimics honey bee (Apis mellifera) olfactory receptors to detect chalkbrood disease. This technology enables rapid, on-site diagnosis of infected honey bee larvae, aiding colony health and agricultural applications.
Area of Science:
- Bioengineering
- Insect Olfaction
- Agricultural Technology
Background:
- Honey bee colonies face significant threats from diseases like chalkbrood.
- Current diagnostic methods rely on visual inspection, leading to delayed detection and treatment.
- Developing rapid, accurate diagnostic tools is crucial for bee health and pollination services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a bioelectronic nose mimicking the honey bee olfactory system for direct chalkbrood diagnosis.
- To identify specific honey bee olfactory receptors sensitive to chalkbrood odorants.
- To create a sensitive and selective biosensor for early disease detection in honey bees.
Main Methods:
- Screening of Apis mellifera olfactory receptors (AmOrs) for sensitivity to phenethyl acetate, a chalkbrood odorant.
- Development of a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT-FET) biosensor hybridized with nanovesicles containing the identified AmOr13a receptor.
- Testing the bioelectronic nose's detection limits and specificity in aqueous and gaseous environments.
Main Results:
- Identification of Apis mellifera olfactory receptor 13a (AmOr13a) with high specificity to phenethyl acetate.
- The CNT-FET based bioelectronic nose achieved real-time detection of phenethyl acetate down to 1 fM (aqueous) and 31.6 ppb (gaseous).
- The device successfully discriminated between similar floral odorants and diagnosed chalkbrood infection directly from honey bee larvae.
Conclusions:
- The developed bioelectronic nose offers a powerful tool for on-site assessment of honey bee health.
- This technology facilitates early diagnosis of chalkbrood, enabling timely intervention.
- The study opens avenues for research into insect olfactory systems and agricultural applications.
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