Sequence and expression pattern of the germ line marker vasa in honey bees and stingless bees

Author(s)

Tanaka, Erica Donato ^{[1, 2]} ; Hartfelder, Klaus ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Univ Pompeu Fabra, Consejo Super Invest Cient, Inst Biol Evolut, E-08003 Barcelona - Spain

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol Celular & Mol Bioagentes Patogen, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; v. 32, n. 3, p. 582-U384, 2009.
• Web of Science Citations: 7

Abstract

Queens and workers of social insects differ in the rates of egg laying. Using genomic information we determined the sequence of vasa, a highly conserved gene specific to the germ line of metazoans, for the honey bee and four stingless bees. The vasa sequence of social bees differed from that of other insects in two motifs. By RT-PCR we confirmed the germ line specificity of Amvasa expression in honey bees. In situ hybridization on ovarioles showed that Amvasa is expressed throughout the germarium, except for the transition zone beneath the terminal filament. A diffuse vasa signal was also seen in terminal filaments suggesting the presence of germ line cells. Oocytes showed elevated levels of Amvasa transcripts in the lower germarium and after follicles became segregated. In previtellogenic follicles, Amvasa transcription was detected in the trophocytes, which appear to supply its mRNA to the growing oocyte. A similar picture was obtained for ovarioles of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata, except that Amvasa expression was higher in the oocytes of previtellogenic follicles. The social bees differ in this respect from Drosophila, the model system for insect oogenesis, suggesting that changes in the sequence and expression pattern of vasa may have occurred during social evolution. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 02/11729-7 - Sequenciamento e expressão do gene vasa em Apis mellifera: um marcador da linhagem germinativa e o estudo comparado da ovogênese em Melipona quadrifasciata
• Grantee: Erica Donato Tanaka
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 99/00719-6 - Africanized honeybees: an integrated analysis of the africanization process of Apis mellifera, focusing on determinants in fertility of drones, queens and workers
• Grantee: Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants