Towards a molecular definition of worker sterility: differential gene expression and reproductive plasticity in honey bees.

ABSTRACT: We show that differences in the reproductive development of honey bee workers are associated with locus-specific changes to abundance of messenger RNA. Using a cross-fostering field experiment to control for differences related to age and environment, we compared the gene expression profiles of functionally sterile workers (wild-type) and those from a mutant strain in which workers are reproductively active (anarchist). Among the set of three genes that are significantly differentially expressed are two major royal jelly proteins that are up-regulated in wild-type heads. This discovery is consistent with sterile workers synthesizing royal jelly as food for developing brood. Likewise, the relative underexpression of these two royal jellies in anarchist workers is consistent with these worke

SUBMITTER: Thompson GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1847478 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature