Project description:This experiment compared gene expression in individual brains of field collected Polistes metricus in four adult behavioral states: solitary foundresses, foraging workers, queens, and pre-overwintering gynes.
Project description:This experiment examined brain gene expression differences between females in primitively eusocial Polistes metricus paper wasps. Specifically, we compared expression patterns between groups of females that differed in their reproductive dominance status. We compared dominant and subordinate foundresses, dominant and subordinate workers, and egg-laying queens. The purpose was to investigate how the social environment and dominance status affect brain gene expression in individual females, and to compare these results to previous studies on dominance and aggression on other animals.
Project description:This experiment examined ovary gene expression differences between females in primitively eusocial Polistes metricus paper wasps. Specifically, we compared expression patterns between groups of females that differed in their reproductive dominance status. We compared dominant and subordinate foundresses, dominant and subordinate workers, and egg-laying queens. The purpose was to investigate how the social environment and dominance status affect ovary gene expression in individual females.
Project description:Flenniken - Honey bee gene expression microarray experimental design<br>To minimize variability between samples all arrayed bees were obtained from a single brood comb from a naturally mated queen, therefore all the bees were age-matched half-sisters. The bees selected for microarray analysis of virus (Sindbis-eGFP) co-injected with either virus-specific-dsRNA (vs-dsRNA) or non-specific dsRNA (ns-dsRNA) exhibited the reduced virus phenotype that was seen in the majority of the bees assayed. The five representative bees from each condition (v, v+vs-dsRNA, v+ns-dsRNA, dsRNA, and mock/injected with buffer) selected for microarray analysis were free of pre-existing conditions (assessed by APM analysis) (Runckel, Flenniken et al., 2011). To facilitate gene expression comparisons between multiple treatment groups we utilized a reference-design strategy in which each Cy5-labeled experimental sample was hybridized with a standardized Cy3-labeled reference sample. A complex RNA mixture representing hundreds of bees of various ages exposed to difference treatment groups, served as the reference RNA sample.
Project description:Effects of behavioral maturation, diet quality and Queen Mandibular Pheromone on gene expression in the abdominal fat bodies of worker honey bees.
Project description:Expression profiling of honey bee brains as a function of treatments that accelerate the onset of foraging. Treatment groups included three treatments that accelerate the onset of foraging (methoprene [juvenile hormone analog], manganese, and cGMP) and two treatments that do not accelerate the onset of foraging (cAMP and vehicle control).
Project description:We used microarrays to monitor expression patterns of several thousand genes in the brains of same-aged (10 day old) virgin queens, sterile workers, and reproductive workers in honey bees (Apis mellifera).
Project description:Experimental infection of (2 days old) adult honey bee workers (30 bees per replicates, 3 replicates per treatments, from 3 different colonies (one colony per cage for each treatment)) with 10^9 genome equivalent of Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV) in 10µl of sugar solution and/or 10^5 fresh Nosema ceranae spores (control bees were given a similar bee extract in PBS, without pathogen). Bees were kept in cages of 30 bees in incubator (30°C/50%RH). At day 13 p.i., bees were flash frozen, and stored at -80°C. Brain mRNA profiles of 15 old bees were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicates except for bees infected by both Nosema ceranae and Black Queen Cell Virus (duplicates)
Project description:This experiment examines differences in gene expression between wildtype and an experimental strain (anarchistic) of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera). Mature wildtype and anarchistic workers tend to have non-active and active ovaries, respectively. Thus young workers from these strains are expected to show differential expression at loci involved in the regulation of worker reproduction, which occurs via arrhenotokous parthenogenesis.
Project description:This experiment examines differences in gene expression between wildtype and an experimental strain (anarchistic) of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera). Mature wildtype and anarchistic workers tend to have non-active and active ovaries, respectively. Thus young workers from these strains are expected to show differential expression at loci involved in the regulation of worker reproduction, which occurs via arrhenotokous parthenogenesis.