Intragenomic conflict associated with extreme phenotypic plasticity in queen-worker caste determination in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Caste determination of honey bees (Apis mellifera) exemplifies developmental plasticity, where differences in larval diet result in identical genotypes yielding either long-lived, reproductive queens or short-lived, facultatively sterile workers. Beyond environmental factors, intragenomic conflict between genes inherited from the mother (matrigenes) versus the father (patrigenes) is hypothesized to influence the underlying traits. In honey bees, the Kinship Theory of Intragenomic Conflict predicts selection on patrigenes to favor traits enhancing individual fitness, such as accelerated growth or increased body size-traits more active in queen-destined larvae. Although parent-of-origin effects have been reported in honey bees, the associated gene regulatory mechanisms rem

SUBMITTER: Bresnahan ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12175343 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature