Caste-specific gene expression underlying the differential adult brain development in the honeybee Apis mellifera

Autor(es)

de Paula Junior, D. E. ^[1] ; de Oliveira, M. T. ^[1] ; Bruscadin, J. J. ^[1] ; Pinheiro, D. G. ^[2] ; Bomtorin, A. D. ^[3] ; Coelho Junior, V. G. ^[1] ; Moda, L. M. R. ^[1] ; Simoes, Z. L. P. ^[4] ; Barchuk, A. R. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Alfenas, UNIFAL MG, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Dept Biol Celular & Desenvolvimento, Rua Gabriel Monteiro Silva 700, Campus Sede, BR-37130000 Alfenas, MG - Brazil

^[2] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeir ao Preto, Dept Genet, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Insect Molecular Biology; v. 30, n. 1, p. 42-56, FEB 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 1

Resumo

Apis mellifera adult workers feature more developed key brain regions than queens, which allows them to cope with the broad range of duties they need to perform in a colony. However, at the end of larval development, the brain of queens is largely more developed than that of workers. Major morphogenetic changes take place after metamorphosis that shift caste-specific brain development. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this phenomenon is hormonally governed and involves differential gene expression. Our molecular screening approach revealed a set of differentially expressed genes in Pp (first pharate-adult phase) brains between castes mainly coding for tissue remodelling and energy-converting proteins (e.g. hex 70a and ATPsyn beta). An in-depth qPCR analysis of the transcriptional behaviour during pupal and pharate-adult developmental stage in both castes and in response to artificially augmented hormone titres of 18 genes/variants revealed that: i. subtle differences in hormone titres between castes might be responsible for the differential expression of the EcR and insulin/insulin-like signalling (IIS) pathway genes; ii. the morphogenetic activity of the IIS in brain development must be mediated by ILP-2, iii. which together with the tum, mnb and caspase system, can constitute the molecular effectors of the caste-specific opposing brain developmental trajectories. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/03171-5 - Análise causal do desenvolvimento de Apis mellifera: genes reguladores e redes hierárquicas de expressão gênica na especificação de tecidos e órgãos
• Beneficiário: Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 05/03926-5 - Genômica funcional de Apis mellifera: busca de novos genes e redes funcionais no contexto do desenvolvimento, da diferenciação de castas e da reprodução
• Beneficiário: Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático