Species differences in brain gene expression profiles associated with adult behavioral maturation in honey bees.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Honey bees are known for several striking social behaviors, including a complex pattern of behavioral maturation that gives rise to an age-related colony division of labor and a symbolic dance language, by which successful foragers communicate the location of attractive food sources to their nestmates. Our understanding of honey bees is mostly based on studies of the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, even though there are 9-10 other members of genus Apis, showing interesting variations in social behavior relative to A. mellifera. To facilitate future in-depth genomic and molecular level comparisons of behavior across the genus, we performed a microarray analysis of brain gene expression for A. mellifera and three key species found in Asia, A. cerana, A. florea and A. do

SUBMITTER: Sen Sarma M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1929079 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature