Analysis of miRNAs in the Heads of Different Castes of the Bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

ABSTRACT: Bumblebees are important insect pollinators for many wildflowers and crops. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs that regulate different biological functions in insects. In this study, the miRNAs in the heads of the three castes of the bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis were identified and characterized by small RNA deep sequencing. The significant differences in the expression of miRNAs and their target genes were analyzed. The results showed that the length of the small RNA reads from males, queens, and workers was distributed between 18 and 30 nt, with a peak at 22 nt. A total of 364 known and 89 novel miRNAs were identified from the heads of the three castes. The eight miRNAs with the highest expressed levels in males, queens, and workers were identical, although the or

SUBMITTER: Liu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6835379 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature