Project description:Olfactory learning and floral scents are co-adaptive traits in the plant-pollinator relationship. However, how scent relates to cognition and learning in the diverse group of Neotropical stingless bees is largely unknown. Here we evaluated the ability of Melipona eburnea to be conditioned to scent using the proboscis extension reflex (PER) protocol. Stingless bees did not show PER while harnessed but were able to be PER conditioned to scent when free-to-move in a mini-cage (fmPER). We evaluated the effect of: 1) unconditioned stimulus (US) reward, and 2) previous scent-reward associations on olfactory learning performance. When using unscented-US, PER-responses were low on day 1, but using scented-US reward the olfactory PER-response increased on day 1. On day 2 PER performance greatly increased in bees that previously had experienced the same odor and reward combination, while bees that experienced a different odor on day 2 showed poor olfactory learning. Bees showed higher olfactory PER conditioning to guava than to mango odor. The effect of the unconditioned stimulus reward was not a significant factor in the model on day 2. This indicates that olfactory learning performance can increase via either taste receptors or accumulated experience with the same odor. Our results have application in agriculture and pollination ecology.
| S-EPMC6920981 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Transcriptome of Malaysian stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama)
Project description:A new study of a surviving syntype of Trigona meadewaldoi Cockerell, 1915, was undertaken and several widely employed names for Neotropical stingless bees recognized as junior synonyms. A lectotype is designated for Trigona meadewaldoi and the following new synonymies established: Tetragona francoi Moure, 1946, and Trigona (Frieseomelitta) freiremaiai Moure, 1963. These nomenclatural matters are here settled and the species thoroughly characterized in advance of a forthcoming phylogenetic consideration of the genus Frieseomelitta von Ihering, 1912.
Project description:Comparative-genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. In the vast majority of cases, the phenotypic and evolutionary relevance of regulatory change is unknown. We haveu sed a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a testbed in the search to identify organismal correlates of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron.