Genomic, transcriptomic and metagenomic in populations of native stingless bees aiming the search for detoxification genes

• Grant number: 18/24245-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2020
• End date: June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Imaculada Zucchi
• Grantee: Patricia Azevedo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/21097-3 - Bee-agriculture interactions: perspectives to sustainable use, AP.BTA.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/00844-3 - A high-quality genome assembly from short and long reads of an endangered Brazilian stingless bee, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The drastic decline of bees, be they native or exotic, is an imminent threat to ecosystem services of pollination, and consequently to world food security and the preservation and conservation of natural resources. Several factors have been associated with this decline, among them the use of insecticides deserves mention since Brazil is the world's largest consumer of pesticides. Thus, the present study proposes to assemble a genome and transcriptome of the native stingless honey bee Melipona scutellaris in order to study the gene expression of proteins linked to the detoxification of these insects submitted to xenobiotics. In addition, the objective is to identify and evaluate the intestinal microbial profile of these insects by relating the ingestion of active ingredients present in xenobiotics to microbial community mortality. To do so, the genome draft will be assembled using the 10x Genomics technique, which improves the ability to form very large sequences to facilitate the assembly of the transcriptome of bees submitted to sublethal doses of the imidacloprid insecticide using the Next Generation sequencing platform, which also provides high throughput sequencing. In addition, the objective of this study was to evaluate the intestinal microbiome of individuals submitted to sublethal doses of insecticides through the metagenome, which will also be obtained using a new generation platform. These analyzes get to elucidate some mechanisms of response to pesticides so that new strategies of conservation and management of native species are rethought against the results found. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(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)

LOURENCETTI, ANA PAULA SALOME; AZEVEDO, PATRICIA; MIOTELO, LUCAS; MALASPINA, OSMAR; NOCELLI, ROBERTA CORNELLO FERRERIA. Surrogate species in pesticide risk assessments: Toxicological data of three stingless bees species. Environmental Pollution, v. 318, p. 6-pg., 2023-02-01. (17/21097-3, 18/24245-6, 20/03527-3)

AZEVEDO, PATRICIA; BUTOLO, NICOLE PAVAN; DE ALENCAR, LUCIANO DELMONDES; LIMA, HELLEN MARIA SOARES; SALES, VICTOR RIBEIRO; MALASPINA, OSMAR; NOCELLI, ROBERTA CORNELIO FERREIRA. Optimization of in vitro culture of honeybee nervous tissue for pesticide risk assessment. TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO, v. 84, p. 14-pg., 2022-10-01. (17/21097-3, 18/24245-6)

BUTOLO, N. P.; AZEVEDO, P.; ALENCAR, L. D.; MALASPINA, O.; NOCELLI, R. C. F.. Impact of low temperatures on the immune system of honeybees. Journal of Thermal Biology, v. 101, OCT 2021. (18/24245-6, 17/21097-3)

SALES, VICTOR RIBEIRO; AZEVEDO, PATRICIA; ZUCCHI, MARIA IMACULADA; FERREIRA NOCELLI, ROBERTA CORNELIO. A systematic review of research conducted by pioneer groups in ecotoxicological studies with bees in Brazil: advances and perspectives. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 29, n. 42, p. 22-pg., 2022-07-06. (17/21097-3, 18/24245-6)