Nutrition effect on the development of hypopharyngeal glands on Apis mellifera L. bees and and metallomic study of royal jelly

• Grant number: 14/14699-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi
• Grantee: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Luciana Francisco Fleuri ; Luis Antonio Justulin Junior ; Pedro de Magalhães Padilha

Abstract

Larval feeding plays an essential role in caste differentiation in the Apis mellifera honey bee, as it promotes the hormonal profile changes and maintenance of integrity of the future queen's ovary. This difference in development is given to their exclusive royal jelly diet, produced by nursing worker bees from the secretions of the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands. For these bees, the quantity and quality of pollen consumed are essential to the development of their glands, being directly related to the protein content consumed. Proteomics involves the study of the proteins properties and metallomic is related to genomics and proteomics because the synthesis and metabolic functions of genes and proteins does not occur without the presence of metal ions. The metalloproteins can be defined as those proteins that contain a metal cofactor incorporated by specific binding, characterized by high affinity. In this context, minerals such as zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are important for normal cellular functioning. Consequently, studying the variables that can affect the proper development of hypopharyngeal glands of workers is very important for the formation and maintenance of the colony, being the nutritional quality of pollen potential modulator of such development. In this project we are proposing the following actions, namely: to assess the proteic natural food (pollen) effect on developing of hypopharyngeal glands of bees throughout the year; evaluate the quality of bee pollen available nearby apiary throughout the year; evaluate the protein metallomic profile of royal jelly, throughout the year; evaluate the effect of supplementation of iron (Fe) in winter feeding for bees, and their reflections on hypopharyngeal gland and protein metallomic profile of royal jelly; and evaluate the effect of supplementation of zinc (Zn) in winter feeding for bees, and their reflections on hypopharyngeal gland and protein metallomic profile of royal jelly. It is expected that this project to get important information about the bees' nutrition, once this is an area with little scientific knowledge, which certainly can contribute to the advancement of the field and swarms better nutrition. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CARILLO, MARCELA PEDRAZA; ASTOLFI, ALINE; DAMASCENO RODRIGUES, EDGAR JUNIO; DE CASTRO LIPPI, ISABELLA CRISTINA; RIBEIRO DA SILVA, LETICIA GARBIN; GUIMARAES, MATHEUS GARDIM; JUSTULIN, LUIZ ANTONIO; ORSI, RICARDO DE OLIVEIRA. An observation of a potentially novel defensive behavior against pesticides: Messor oertzeni build a defensive wall against ant traps in the field (preliminary note). BULLETIN OF INSECTOLOGY, v. 75, n. 1, p. 160-pg., 2022-06-01. (14/14699-9)

CARILLO, MARCELA PEDRAZA; ASTOLFI, ALINE; DAMASCENO RODRIGUES, EDGAR JUNIO; DE CASTRO LIPPI, ISABELLA CRISTINA; RIBEIRO DA SILVA, LETICIA GARBIN; GUIMARAES, MATHEUS GARDIM; JUSTULIN, LUIZ ANTONIO; ORSI, RICARDO DE OLIVEIRA. High doses of inorganic zinc modulate the hypopharyngeal glands of Apis mellifera but promote abandonment of colonies when offered over long periods. BULLETIN OF INSECTOLOGY, v. 75, n. 1, p. 5-pg., 2022-06-01. (14/14699-9)