Digging into the Genomic Past of Swiss Honey Bees by Whole-Genome Sequencing Museum Specimens.

ABSTRACT: Historical specimens in museum collections provide opportunities to gain insights into the genomic past. For the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., this is particularly important because its populations are currently under threat worldwide and have experienced many changes in management and environment over the last century. Using Swiss Apis mellifera mellifera as a case study, our research provides important insights into the genetic diversity of native honey bees prior to the industrial-scale introductions and trade of non-native stocks during the 20th century-the onset of intensive commercial breeding and the decline of wild honey bees following the arrival of Varroa destructor. We sequenced whole-genomes of 22 honey bees from the Natural History Museum in Bern collected in Switzerla

SUBMITTER: Parejo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7720081 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature