Chemical Diversity in a Stingless Bee-Plant Symbiosis

Author(s)

Silva-Junior, Eduardo A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Paludo, Camila R. ^{[3, 4]} ; Amaral, Juliano G. ^{[5, 1]} ; Gallon, Marilia E. ^[1] ; Gobbo-Neto, Leonardo ^[1] ; Nascimento, Fabio S. ^[3] ; Lopes, Norberto P. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut Ribeirao Preto, NPPNS, BR-14040903 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Ctr Univ Vale Araguaia, BR-78600000 Barra Do Garcas, MT - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Mato Grosso, Campus Univ Araguaia, BR-78600000 Barra Do Garcas, MT - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Bahia, Inst Multidisciplinar Saude, BR-45029094 Vitoria Da Conquista, BA - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACS OMEGA; v. 4, n. 12, p. 15208-15214, SEP 17 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Bees are essential pollinators on earth, supporting forest equilibrium and human agriculture. The chemistry of the stingless bee-plant symbiosis is a complex and not completely understood phenomenon. Here, we combined untargeted tandem mass spectrometry, molecular networking, and multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the chemical diversity in colonies of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis. Flavonoids were the most representative and diverse group of plant metabolites detected, indicating the importance of these biologically active natural products to the bees. We unveiled the metabolome, mapped the distribution of plant metabolites in stingless bee colonies, and digitized the chemical data into a public database. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50265-3 - Distribution and metabolism of natural and synthetic xenobiotics: from the comprehension of reactional process to tissue imaging generation
• Grantee: Norberto Peporine Lopes
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/05453-9 - Metabolomics analysis of Vernonia Schreb: aiming chemotaxonomic purposes
• Grantee: Marilia Elias Gallon
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master