Dataset Information

Comparative proteomics reveal characteristics of life-history transitions in a social insect.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers are characterized by complex social behavior. Their life-history is dominated by a period of within-nest activity followed by a phase of long-distance flights and foraging. General insights into insect metabolism imply that foraging onset is associated with fundamental metabolic changes, and theory on social evolution suggests metabolic adaptations that are advantageous for the colony as a whole.

Results

Here we address the life-history characteristics of workers with LC-MS/MS based relative quantification of major proteins. Our approach includes: i. Calculation of a false positive rate for the identifications, ii. Support of relative protein quantification results obtained from spectral count by non-parametric statistics, and iii. Correction for Type 1 error inflation using a bootstrap iteration analysis. Our data are consistent with the use of glucose as the main fuel for honey bee flight. Moreover, the data delivers information on the expression of ATPsynthases/ATPases, and provide new insights into nurse- and forager-specific patterns of protection against oxidative stress.

Conclusion

The results show the suitability of this approach to investigate fundamental biochemical changes in an insect, and provide new evidence for metabolic specializations that occur during the social ontogeny of worker honey bees.

SUBMITTER: Wolschin F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1964756 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Comparative proteomics reveal characteristics of life-history transitions in a social insect.

Wolschin Florian F Amdam Gro V GV

Proteome science 20070717

<h4>Background</h4>Honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers are characterized by complex social behavior. Their life-history is dominated by a period of within-nest activity followed by a phase of long-distance flights and foraging. General insights into insect metabolism imply that foraging onset is associated with fundamental metabolic changes, and theory on social evolution suggests metabolic adaptations that are advantageous for the colony as a whole.<h4>Results</h4>Here we address the life-histor ...[more]

PMID: 17634121

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Project description:The switch between biological states during key life-history transitions requires major reprogramming at the behavioural level that is under the control of the brain. In this study we focused on major life-history transitions in bumblebee queens (Bombus terrestris) that involve switching from virgin to mated and reproductively mature. To reveal the molecular processes underpinning the behavioural changes that accompany these transitions, we characterised the neurogenomic state of queens that succeeded or failed in making these transitions. Analyses of shared transcription patterns suggested that failures are associated with larger molecular signatures than successes. This was observed at the level of total numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proportions of these genes that were up-regulated, and applies to both mating and reproductive maturation. ‘Failed Reproductive’ queens were the most distinct phenotype, associated with the highest number of DEGs (1,578) and two networks of co-expressed genes. Mating status influenced gene expression the least, followed by the transition between the two successful phenotypes (mating to reproductive maturation) and reproductive maturation. However, this pattern was not mirrored in terms of functional specialisations, for Gene Ontology (GO) terms, KEGG pathways and co-expression networks associated with DEGs. Out of the 21 highly connected (hub) genes associated with co-expression networks, 9 are involved in neural processes and 4 are regulators of gene expression. This study shows that different life-history transitions trigger distinct molecular profiles, within a single caste of a eusocial insect. Failure to surmount key life-history transitions has the largest effect on a queen’s neurogenomic state, and it triggers a massive overall up-regulation of gene expression. Hence, failure is an important outcome that must be taken into account when analysing the molecular regulation of important life-history transitions.

Dataset Information

Comparative proteomics reveal characteristics of life-history transitions in a social insect.

Background

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Comparative proteomics reveal characteristics of life-history transitions in a social insect.

Similar Datasets

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