Developmental and loco-like effects of a swainsonine-induced inhibition of α-mannosidase in the honey bee, Apis mellifera.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Deficiencies in lysosomal a-mannosidase (LAM) activity in animals, caused either by mutations or by consuming toxic alkaloids, lead to severe phenotypic and behavioural consequences. Yet, epialleles adversely affecting LAM expression exist in the honey bee population suggesting that they might be beneficial in certain contexts and cannot be eliminated by natural selection.

Methods

We have used a combination of enzymology, molecular biology and metabolomics to characterise the catalytic properties of honey bee LAM (AmLAM) and then used an indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine to inhibit its activity in vitro and in vivo.

Results

We show that AmLAM is inhibited in vitro by swainsonine albeit at slightly higher concentrations than in other ani

SUBMITTER: Wedd L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5357340 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature