| Grant number: | 99/00719-6 |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Projects - Thematic Grants |
| Start date: | November 01, 1999 |
| End date: | February 28, 2006 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biology |
| Principal Investigator: | Zilá Luz Paulino Simões |
| Grantee: | Zilá Luz Paulino Simões |
| Host Institution: | Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil |
| City of the host institution: | Ribeirão Preto |
| Principal investigators | Ademilson Espencer Egea Soares |
Abstract
The introduction of Apis mellifera queens from Africa, and the subsequent spreading of Africanized bees (hybrids between existent European lineages and the African matrices) caused profound changes in Brazilian apiculture. Even though it is quite clear now that Africanized bees and European ones exhibit differences in their reproductive strategies, few studies have addressed this question, and most of the innumerous research projects on Africanized bees concentrated on the impact on apiculture caused by these bees. The present project is an integrated approach which focuses primarily on parameters determining reproductive rates in these bees, in comparison to European lineages. This project proposes an integrated approach to the various levels concerning aspects of reproduction, from the individual-molecular level to behavioral aspects on the population level. Analyses of micro satellites and mitochondrial DNA will be carried out on specimens collected in 1968 during the initial phase of the spreading of the Africanized genotype, and these analyses will be compared with genotypes collected in recent times at the same locality. This population genetic study should give us an idea on reproductive barriers between subspecies of Apis mellifera. The investigation of reproductive barriers will involve detailed analyses of mechanisms acting on the individual level. We will focus primarily on gametogenesis and development of the reproductive tract in the male Sex drones) and in the female castes (queens and workers). Since gametogenesis in the hymenopterans. is an area which, in general, has received little attention, the studies focussing on Africanization will automatically produce a series of results and descriptions which are of general interest to this order, and also for our understanding of other social insects. Gametogenesis in the hymenopterans presents many peculiarities, such as a partially abortive meiosis in the male sex, compensating for their haploidy. In the female sex, the reproductive tract exhibits a strong morphological divergence between queens and workers. This divergence primarily results from progressive degeneration of ovarioles due to programmed cell death during the last larval instar... (AU)
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