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Gong LL, Ma YF, Zhang MQ, Feng HY, Zhou YY, Zhao YQ, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, He M, He P. The melanin pigment gene black mediates body pigmentation and courtship behaviour in the German cockroach Blattella germanica. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 114:271-280. [PMID: 38623047 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485324000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black (Bgblack) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin. Sex-specific variation in the pigmentation pattern was apparent, with females exhibiting darker coloration on the abdomen and thorax than males. Bgblack knockdown also resulted in wing deformation and negatively impacted the contact sex pheromone-based courtship behaviour of males. This study provides evidence for black function in multiple aspects of B. germanica biology and opens new avenues of exploration for novel pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Hong-Yan Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yang-Yuntao Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Seid Street, Dokki 12618, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
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Chen J, Guan Z, Sun L, Fan X, Wang D, Yu X, Lyu L, Qi G. N 6-methyladenosine modification of RNA controls dopamine synthesis to influence labour division in ants. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17322. [PMID: 38501589 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of RNA has been reported to remodel gene expression in response to environmental conditions; however, the biological role of m6A in social insects remains largely unknown. In this study, we explored the role of m6A in the division of labour by worker ants (Solenopsis invicta). We first determined the presence of m6A in RNAs from the brains of worker ants and found that m6A methylation dynamics differed between foragers and nurses. Depletion of m6A methyltransferase or chemical suppression of m6A methylation in foragers resulted in a shift to 'nurse-like' behaviours. Specifically, mRNAs of dopamine receptor 1 (Dop1) and dopamine transporter (DAT) were modified by m6A, and their expression increased dopamine levels to promote the behavioural transition from foragers to nurses. The abundance of Dop1 and DAT mRNAs and their stability were reduced by the inhibition of m6A modification caused by the silencing of Mettl3, suggesting that m6A modification in worker ants modulates dopamine synthesis, which regulates labour division. Collectively, our results provide the first example of the epitranscriptomic regulation of labour division in social insects and implicate m6A regulatory mechanism as a potential novel target for controlling red imported fire ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziying Guan
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lina Sun
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinlin Fan
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Desen Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lihua Lyu
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guojun Qi
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Ghanem S, Akülkü İ, Güzle K, Khan Z, Mayack C. Regulation of forager honey bee appetite independent of the glucose-insulin signaling pathway. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 4:1335350. [PMID: 38469335 PMCID: PMC10926362 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2024.1335350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Introduction To maintain energetic homeostasis the energetic state of the individual needs to communicate with appetite regulatory mechanisms on a regular basis. Although hunger levels indicated by the energetic state and appetite levels, the desire for food intake, tend to be correlated, and on their own are well studied, how the two cross-talk and regulate one another is less known. Insects, in contrast to vertebrates, tend to have trehalose as the primary sugar found in the hemolymph, which could possibly serve as an alternative monitor of the energetic state in comparison to the glucose-insulin signaling pathway, found in vertebrates. Methods We investigate how manipulating hemolymph sugar levels alter the biogenic amines in the honey bee brain, appetite levels, and insulin like peptide gene expression, across three age classes, to determine how the energetic state of the honey bee might be connected to appetite regulation. Results We found that only in the forager bees, with a lowering of hemolymph trehalose levels, there was an increase in octopamine and a decrease in tyramine levels in the honey bee brain that corresponded with increased appetite levels, while there was no significant changes in Insulin Like Peptide-1 or 2 gene expression. Discussion Our findings suggest that hemolymph trehalose levels aid in regulating appetite levels, in forager bees, via octopamine and tyramine, and this regulation appears to be functioning independent of the glucose insulin signaling pathway. Whether this potentially more direct and rapid appetite regulatory pathway can be generalized to other insects, which also undergo energy demanding activities, remains to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Ghanem
- Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - İrem Akülkü
- Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Kübra Güzle
- Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Zaeema Khan
- Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Christopher Mayack
- Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- US Department of Agriculture, Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit (ISPHRU), Western Regional Research Center (WRRC) in the Pacific West Area (PWA), Davis, CA, United States
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Galante H, Czaczkes TJ. Invasive ant learning is not affected by seven potential neuroactive chemicals. Curr Zool 2024; 70:87-97. [PMID: 38476136 PMCID: PMC10926265 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Argentine ants Linepithema humile are one of the most damaging invasive alien species worldwide. Enhancing or disrupting cognitive abilities, such as learning, has the potential to improve management efforts, for example by increasing preference for a bait, or improving ants' ability to learn its characteristics or location. Nectar-feeding insects are often the victims of psychoactive manipulation, with plants lacing their nectar with secondary metabolites such as alkaloids and non-protein amino acids which often alter learning, foraging, or recruitment. However, the effect of neuroactive chemicals has seldomly been explored in ants. Here, we test the effects of seven potential neuroactive chemicals-two alkaloids: caffeine and nicotine; two biogenic amines: dopamine and octopamine, and three nonprotein amino acids: β-alanine, GABA and taurine-on the cognitive abilities of invasive L. humile using bifurcation mazes. Our results confirm that these ants are strong associative learners, requiring as little as one experience to develop an association. However, we show no short-term effect of any of the chemicals tested on spatial learning, and in addition no effect of caffeine on short-term olfactory learning. This lack of effect is surprising, given the extensive reports of the tested chemicals affecting learning and foraging in bees. This mismatch could be due to the heavy bias towards bees in the literature, a positive result publication bias, or differences in methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Galante
- Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Animal Comparative Economics Laboratory, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tomer J Czaczkes
- Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Animal Comparative Economics Laboratory, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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Chen J, Mu X, Liu H, Yong Q, Ouyang X, Liu Y, Zheng L, Chen H, Zhai Y, Ma J, Meng L, Liu S, Zheng H. Rotenone impairs brain glial energetics and locomotor behavior in bumblebees. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167870. [PMID: 37865240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are essential pollinators of both wildflowers and crops and face multiple anthropogenic stressors, particularly the utilization of pesticides. Rotenone is an extensively applied neurotoxic pesticide that possesses insecticidal activities against a wide range of pests. However, whether environmentally realistic exposure levels of rotenone can damage neurons in bumblebee brains is still uncertain. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we revealed that rotenone induced cell-specific responses in bumblebee brains, emphasizing the disruption of energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in glial cells. Correspondingly, the gene regulatory network associated with neurotransmission was also suppressed. Notably, rotenone could specially reduce the number of dopaminergic neurons, impairing bumblebee's ability to fly and crawl. We also found impaired intestinal motility in rotenone-treated bumblebees. Finally, we demonstrated that many differentially expressed genes in our snRNA-seq data overlapped with rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease risk genes, especially in glial cells. Although rotenone is widely used owing to its hypotoxicity, we found that environmentally realistic exposure levels of rotenone induced disturbed glial energetics and locomotor dysfunction in bumblebees, which may lead to an indirect decline in this essential pollinator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieteng Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China; College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaohuan Mu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qiyao Yong
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaoman Ouyang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jie Ma
- BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao 266555, China
| | | | | | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China.
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Liu F, Zhao H, Li Q, Wu L, Cao D, Zhang Y, Huang ZY. MicroRNA ame-let-7 targets Amdop2 to increase sucrose sensitivity in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Front Zool 2023; 20:41. [PMID: 38110949 PMCID: PMC10726540 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00519-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As an important catecholamine neurotransmitter in invertebrates and vertebrates, dopamine plays multiple roles in the life of the honey bee. Dopamine receptors (DA), which specifically bind to dopamine to activate downstream cascades, have been reported to be involved in honey bee reproduction, division of labour, as well as learning and motor behaviour. However, how dopamine receptors regulate honey bee behavior remains uninvestigated. RESULTS The expression level of Amdop2 in the brain increased with the age of worker bees, which was just the opposite trend of ame-let-7. Inhibition of ame-let-7 through feeding an inhibitor upregulated Amdop2 expression; conversely, overexpression of ame-let-7 through a mimic downregulated Amdop2. Moreover, knockdown of Amdop2 in forager brain led to significantly higher sucrose responsiveness, which is similar to the phenotype of overexpression of ame-let-7. Finally, we confirmed that ame-let-7 directly targets Amdop2 in vitro by a luciferase reporter assay. CONCLUSIONS ame-let-7 is involved in the dopamine receptor signaling pathway to modulate the sucrose sensitivity in honey bees. Specifically, it down-regulates Amdop2, which then induces higher responses to sucrose. These results further unraveled the diverse mechanisms of the dopamine pathway in the regulation of insect behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510260, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hongxia Zhao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510260, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510260, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixian Wu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510260, People's Republic of China
| | - Dainan Cao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510260, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Yunnan Academy of Biodiversity, Southwest Forestry University, 650224, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zachary Y Huang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Liu X, Zhang Z, Hu B, Chen K, Yu Y, Xiang H, Tan A. Single-cell transcriptomes provide insights into expansion of glial cells in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 37984500 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of cell types in the brain and how these change during different developmental stages, remains largely unknown. The life cycle of insects is short and goes through 4 distinct stages including embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages. During postembryonic life, the larval brain transforms into a mature adult version after metamorphosis. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a lepidopteran model insect. Here, we characterized the brain cell repertoire of larval and adult B. mori by obtaining 50 708 single-cell transcriptomes. Seventeen and 12 cell clusters from larval and adult brains were assigned based on marker genes, respectively. Identified cell types include Kenyon cells, optic lobe cells, monoaminergic neurons, surface glia, and astrocyte glia. We further assessed the cell type compositions of larval and adult brains. We found that the transition from larva to adult resulted in great expansion of glial cells. The glial cell accounted for 49.8% of adult midbrain cells. Compared to flies and ants, the mushroom body kenyon cell is insufficient in B. mori, which accounts for 5.4% and 3.6% in larval and adult brains, respectively. Analysis of neuropeptide expression showed that the abundance and specificity of expression varied among individual neuropeptides. Intriguingly, we found that ion transport peptide was specifically expressed in glial cells of larval and adult brains. The cell atlas dataset provides an important resource to explore cell diversity, neural circuits and genetic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hui Xiang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology and School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
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Thomsen AM, Borrie WT, Miller KK, Cardilini APA. Listen to Us: Perceptions of Animal Voice and Agency. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3271. [PMID: 37893995 PMCID: PMC10603673 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In many contexts, the interests of nonhuman animals (hereafter "animals") are often overlooked or considered to be a lower priority than those of humans. While strong arguments exist for taking animal moral claims seriously, these largely go unheard due to dominant anthropocentric attitudes and beliefs. This study aimed to explore how animal interests might be best represented in the human world. We conducted interviews to investigate people's perceptions of what it means to speak for other animals and who can reliably represent animal interests. Using Grounded Theory analytical methods, we identified one major theme: "Animal voice", and its subthemes: "Animals do/do not have a voice", "Human language constructs realities and paradigms", and "Let animals speak". Our findings illustrate how human language constructs contribute to shaping the realities of animals by contextually defining them as voiceless. This has serious implications for animals, society, and the environment. Drawing parallels with the relevant literature, our results reflect calls for the social and political recognition of animal voice as fundamental to animal representation. We recommend future research to focus on developing ethical and compassionate approaches to understanding animal subjective experiences to empower and amplify animal voices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja M. Thomsen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia; (W.T.B.); (K.K.M.); (A.P.A.C.)
| | - William T. Borrie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia; (W.T.B.); (K.K.M.); (A.P.A.C.)
- PAN Works, Marlborough, MA 01752, USA
| | - Kelly K. Miller
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia; (W.T.B.); (K.K.M.); (A.P.A.C.)
| | - Adam P. A. Cardilini
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia; (W.T.B.); (K.K.M.); (A.P.A.C.)
- PAN Works, Marlborough, MA 01752, USA
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Yu Q, Liu Y, Liu S, Li S, Zhai Y, Zhang Q, Zheng L, Zheng H, Zhai Y, Wang X. Lactobacillus melliventris promotes hive productivity and immune functionality in Bombus terrestris performance in the greenhouse. INSECT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 37830269 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are important pollinators in agricultural ecosystems, but their abundance is declining globally. There is an urgent need to protect bumblebee health and their pollination services. Bumblebees possess specialized gut microbiota with potential to be used as probiotics to help defend at-risk bumblebee populations. However, evidence for probiotic benefits on bumblebees is lacking. Here, we evaluated how supplementation with Lactobacillus melliventris isolated from bumblebee gut affected the colony development of Bombus terrestris. This native strain colonized robustly and persisted long-term in bumblebees, leading to a significantly higher quality of offspring. Subsequently, the tyrosine pathway was upregulated in the brain and fat body, while the Wnt and mTOR pathways of the gut were downregulated. Notably, the field experiment in the greenhouse revealed the supplementation of L. melliventris led to a 2.5-fold increase in the bumblebee survival rate and a more than 10% increase in the number of flowers visited, indicating a better health condition and pollination ability in field conditions. Our study represents a first screening for the potential use of the native gut member, L. melliventris, as probiotic strains in hive supplement for bumblebee breeding, which may be a practical approach to improve immunity and hive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Shaogang Li
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingchao Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Latshaw JS, Mazade RE, Petersen M, Mustard JA, Sinakevitch I, Wissler L, Guo X, Cook C, Lei H, Gadau J, Smith B. Tyramine and its Amtyr1 receptor modulate attention in honey bees ( Apis mellifera). eLife 2023; 12:e83348. [PMID: 37814951 PMCID: PMC10564449 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals must learn to ignore stimuli that are irrelevant to survival and attend to ones that enhance survival. When a stimulus regularly fails to be associated with an important consequence, subsequent excitatory learning about that stimulus can be delayed, which is a form of nonassociative conditioning called 'latent inhibition'. Honey bees show latent inhibition toward an odor they have experienced without association with food reinforcement. Moreover, individual honey bees from the same colony differ in the degree to which they show latent inhibition, and these individual differences have a genetic basis. To investigate the mechanisms that underly individual differences in latent inhibition, we selected two honey bee lines for high and low latent inhibition, respectively. We crossed those lines and mapped a Quantitative Trait Locus for latent inhibition to a region of the genome that contains the tyramine receptor gene Amtyr1 [We use Amtyr1 to denote the gene and AmTYR1 the receptor throughout the text.]. We then show that disruption of Amtyr1 signaling either pharmacologically or through RNAi qualitatively changes the expression of latent inhibition but has little or slight effects on appetitive conditioning, and these results suggest that AmTYR1 modulates inhibitory processing in the CNS. Electrophysiological recordings from the brain during pharmacological blockade are consistent with a model that AmTYR1 indirectly regulates at inhibitory synapses in the CNS. Our results therefore identify a distinct Amtyr1-based modulatory pathway for this type of nonassociative learning, and we propose a model for how Amtyr1 acts as a gain control to modulate hebbian plasticity at defined synapses in the CNS. We have shown elsewhere how this modulation also underlies potentially adaptive intracolonial learning differences among individuals that benefit colony survival. Finally, our neural model suggests a mechanism for the broad pleiotropy this gene has on several different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Latshaw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Reece E Mazade
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Mary Petersen
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Julie A Mustard
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | | | - Lothar Wissler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Xiaojiao Guo
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Chelsea Cook
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Hong Lei
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Brian Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
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11
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Huang Y, Li N, Yang C, Lin Y, Wen Y, Zheng L, Zhao C. Honeybee as a food nutrition analysis model of neural development and gut microbiota. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105372. [PMID: 37652394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Research on the relationships between the gut microbiota and the neurophysiology and behavior of animals has grown exponentially in just a few years. Insect behavior may be controlled by molecular mechanisms that are partially homologous to those in mammals, and swarming insects may be suitable as experiment models in these types of investigations. All core gut bacteria in honeybees can be cultivated in vitro. Certain gut microflora of bees can be genetically engineered or sterilized and colonized. The bee gut bacteria model is established more rapidly and has a higher flux than other sterile animal models. It may help elucidate the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases and identify effective molecular therapeutic targets against them. In the present review, we focused on the contributions of the honeybee model in learning cognition and microbiome research. We explored the relationship between honeybee behavior and neurodevelopment and the factors determining the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota affects the host. In particular, we concentrated on the correlation between gut microbiota and brain development. Finally, we examined strategies for the effective use of simple animal models in animal cognition and microbiome research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Huang
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Na Li
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Chengfeng Yang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yan Lin
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yuxi Wen
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Lingjun Zheng
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Chao Zhao
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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12
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Cabirol A, Moriano-Gutierrez S, Engel P. Neuroactive metabolites modulated by the gut microbiota in honey bees. Mol Microbiol 2023. [PMID: 37718573 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees have emerged as a new model to study the gut-brain axis, as they exhibit complex social behaviors and cognitive abilities, while experiments with gnotobiotic bees have revealed that their gut microbiota alters both brain and behavioral phenotypes. Furthermore, while honey bee brain functions supporting a broad range of behaviors have been intensively studied for over 50 years, the gut microbiota of bees has been experimentally characterized only recently. Here, we combined six published datasets from metabolomic analyses to provide an overview of the neuroactive metabolites whose abundance in the gut, hemolymph and brain varies in presence of the gut microbiota. Such metabolites may either be produced by gut bacteria, released from the pollen grains during their decomposition by bacteria, or produced by other organs in response to different bacterial products. We describe the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of such metabolites on brain function and behavior and provide further hypotheses to explore in this emerging field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Cabirol
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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13
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Su S, Giurfa M. Response to comment on "Food Wanting is Mediated by Transient Activation of Dopaminergic Signaling in the Honeybee Brain". Science 2023; 381:eadg6207. [PMID: 37535721 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg6207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
In a technical comment, Barron et al. (1) criticized the work of Huang et al. (2) putting the accent on the quantification of dopamine levels via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), yet also including data interpretation through alternative hypotheses aimed at invalidating the original ones proposed by Huang et al. We thank the authors of this technical comment, which allows us to clarify technical aspects of our work that may have been unclear, and for promoting discussion around the conclusions of our work. Below we provide answers to the points raised in their comment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songkun Su
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Martin Giurfa
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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14
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Barron A, Fahrbach SE, Mercer AR, Mesce KA, Schulz DJ, Smith BH, Søvik E. Comment on "Food wanting is mediated by transient activation of dopaminergic signaling in the honey bee brain". Science 2023; 381:eadg3916. [PMID: 37535717 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg3916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Huang et al. (1) make an exciting claim about a human-like dopamine-regulated neuromodulatory mechanism underlying food-seeking behavior in honey bees. Their claim is based on experiments designed to measure brain biogenic amine levels and manipulate receptor activity. We have concerns that need to be addressed before broad acceptance of their results and the interpretation provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Barron
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Susan E Fahrbach
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Alison R Mercer
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Karen A Mesce
- Departments of Entomology and Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - David J Schulz
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Brian H Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Eirik Søvik
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Volda University College, 6100 Volda, Norway
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15
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Li Y, Wang X, Dong H, Xia Q, Zhao P. Transcriptomic Analysis of Starvation on the Silkworm Brain. INSECTS 2023; 14:658. [PMID: 37504664 PMCID: PMC10380768 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Starvation imposes significant stress on animal survival and development, resulting in organ damage within the organism. The brain, being one of the most vital organs in animals, plays a crucial role in coordinating the physiological functions of other organs. However, performing brain experiments on the human body is challenging. In this work, we selected the silkworm, a model Lepidoptera organism, due to its favorable characteristics. A comprehensive transcriptome analysis was conducted on the brain of silkworm subjected to starvation treatment. The analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed significant alterations in 330 genes following the period of starvation. Through an enrichment analysis, we successfully identified pathways associated with metabolism, hormones, immunity, and diseases. Our findings highlight the transcriptional response of the brain to starvation, providing valuable insights for comprehending the impact of starvation stress in other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Haonan Dong
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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16
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Ai H, Farina WM. In search of behavioral and brain processes involved in honey bee dance communication. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1140657. [PMID: 37456809 PMCID: PMC10342208 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1140657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees represent an iconic model animal for studying the underlying mechanisms affecting advanced sensory and cognitive abilities during communication among colony mates. After von Frisch discovered the functional value of the waggle dance, this complex motor pattern led ethologists and neuroscientists to study its neural mechanism, behavioral significance, and implications for a collective organization. Recent studies have revealed some of the mechanisms involved in this symbolic form of communication by using conventional behavioral and pharmacological assays, neurobiological studies, comprehensive molecular and connectome analyses, and computational models. This review summarizes several critical behavioral and brain processes and mechanisms involved in waggle dance communication. We focus on the role of neuromodulators in the dancer and the recruited follower, the interneurons and their related processing in the first mechano-processing, and the computational navigation centers of insect brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Ai
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Walter M. Farina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, CONICET-UBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Weaver KJ, Raju S, Rucker RA, Chakraborty T, Holt RA, Pletcher SD. Behavioral dissection of hunger states in Drosophila. eLife 2023; 12:RP84537. [PMID: 37326496 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hunger is a motivational drive that promotes feeding, and it can be generated by the physiological need to consume nutrients as well as the hedonic properties of food. Brain circuits and mechanisms that regulate feeding have been described, but which of these contribute to the generation of motive forces that drive feeding is unclear. Here, we describe our first efforts at behaviorally and neuronally distinguishing hedonic from homeostatic hunger states in Drosophila melanogaster and propose that this system can be used as a model to dissect the molecular mechanisms that underlie feeding motivation. We visually identify and quantify behaviors exhibited by hungry flies and find that increased feeding duration is a behavioral signature of hedonic feeding motivation. Using a genetically encoded marker of neuronal activity, we find that the mushroom body (MB) lobes are activated by hedonic food environments, and we use optogenetic inhibition to implicate a dopaminergic neuron cluster (protocerebral anterior medial [PAM]) to α'/β' MB circuit in hedonic feeding motivation. The identification of discrete hunger states in flies and the development of behavioral assays to measure them offers a framework to begin dissecting the molecular and circuit mechanisms that generate motivational states in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina J Weaver
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Geriatrics Center, Biomedical Sciences and Research Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Sonakshi Raju
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Biomedical Sciences and Research Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Rachel A Rucker
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Tuhin Chakraborty
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Geriatrics Center, Biomedical Sciences and Research Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Robert A Holt
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Biomedical Sciences and Research Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Scott D Pletcher
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Geriatrics Center, Biomedical Sciences and Research Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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18
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Li Y, Wang X, Xie X, Liu Q, Dong H, Hou Y, Xia Q, Zhao P. Enhanced locomotor behaviour is mediated by activation of tyrosine hydroxylase in the silkworm brain. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 32:251-262. [PMID: 36636859 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Animal behaviour regulation is a complex process involving many factors, and the nervous system is an essential factor in this process. In many species, pathogens can alter host behaviour by affecting the host's nervous system. An interesting example is that the silkworm shows enhanced locomotor behaviour after being infected with the nucleopolyhedrosis virus. In this study, we analysed the transcriptome of the silkworm brain at different time points after infection and found that various genes related to behaviour regulation changed after infection. In-depth analysis showed that the tyrosine hydroxylase gene might be a key candidate gene, and the content of dopamine, its downstream metabolite, increased significantly in the brain of silkworms infected with the virus. After the injection of tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor into the infected silkworm, the dopamine content in the silkworm brain decreased and the locomotor behaviour caused by the virus was blocked successfully. These results confirm that tyrosine hydroxylase is involved in regulating enhanced locomotor behaviour after virus infection in silkworms. Furthermore, the tyrosine hydroxylase gene was specifically overexpressed in the brain of the silkworm, and the transgenic silkworm was enhanced in locomotor behaviour and foraging behaviour. These results suggest that the tyrosine hydroxylase gene plays a vital role in regulating insect behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqian Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingsong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haonan Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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19
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Paoli M, Lai Y, Giurfa M. Neuroethology: Perceived danger inhibits the wanting system of bees. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R407-R410. [PMID: 37220733 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A dopaminergic wanting system drives foraging in honey bees. A new study shows that encounters with the Asian hornet, a fierce bee predator, decrease brain dopamine levels and thus foraging. Stop signals, used to terminate the waggle dances of receivers, have the same effect, showing the power of bee communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Paoli
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Yuan Lai
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Martin Giurfa
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.
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20
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Moreno E, Arenas A. Changes in resource perception throughout the foraging visit contribute to task specialization in the honey bee Apis mellifera. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8164. [PMID: 37208362 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35163-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Division of labor is central to the ecological success of social insects. Among foragers of the honey bee, specialization for collecting nectar or pollen correlates with their sensitivity to sucrose. So far, differences in gustatory perception have been mostly studied in bees returning to the hive, but not during foraging. Here, we showed that the phase of the foraging visit (i.e. beginning or end) interacts with foraging specialization (i.e. predisposition to collect pollen or nectar) to modulate sucrose and pollen sensitivity in foragers. In concordance with previous studies, pollen foragers presented higher sucrose responsiveness than nectar foragers at the end of the foraging visit. On the contrary, pollen foragers were less responsive than nectar foragers at the beginning of the visit. Consistently, free-flying foragers accepted less concentrated sucrose solution during pollen gathering than immediately after entering the hive. Pollen perception also changes throughout foraging, as pollen foragers captured at the beginning of the visit learned and retained memories better when they were conditioned with pollen + sucrose as reward than when we used sucrose alone. Altogether, our results support the idea that changes in foragers' perception throughout the foraging visit contributes to task specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Moreno
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Arenas
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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21
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Huang J, Wang T, Qiu Y, Hassanyar AK, Zhang Z, Sun Q, Ni X, Yu K, Guo Y, Yang C, Lü Y, Nie H, Lin Y, Li Z, Su S. Differential Brain Expression Patterns of microRNAs Related to Olfactory Performance in Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera). Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14051000. [PMID: 37239360 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the nerve regulation of honey bees (Apis mellifera). This study aims to investigate the differences in expression of miRNAs in a honey bee's brain for olfactory learning tasks and to explore their potential role in a honey bee's olfactory learning and memory. In this study, 12 day old honey bees with strong and weak olfactory performances were utilized to investigate the influence of miRNAs on olfactory learning behavior. The honey bee brains were dissected, and a small RNA-seq technique was used for high-throughput sequencing. The data analysis of the miRNA sequences revealed that 14 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) between the two groups, strong (S) and weak (W), for olfactory performance in honey bees were identified, which included seven up-regulated and seven down-regulated. The qPCR verification results of the 14 miRNAs showed that four miRNAs (miR-184-3p, miR-276-3p, miR-87-3p, and miR-124-3p) were significantly associated with olfactory learning and memory. The target genes of these DEmiRNAs were subjected to the GO database annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. The functional annotation and pathway analysis showed that the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, oxidative phosphorylation, biosynthesis of amino acids, pentose phosphate pathway, carbon metabolism, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis may be a great important pathway related to olfactory learning and memory in honey bees. Our findings together further explained the relationship between olfactory performance and the brain function of honey bees at the molecular level and provides a basis for further study on miRNAs related to olfactory learning and memory in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingnan Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Tianbao Wang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yuanmei Qiu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Aqai Kalan Hassanyar
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhaonan Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Laboratory of Evolution and Diversity Biology, UMR5174, University Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, CNRS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Qiaoling Sun
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaomin Ni
- Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kejun Yu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yongkang Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Changsheng Yang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yang Lü
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Mudanjiang Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mudanjiang 157041, China
| | - Hongyi Nie
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yan Lin
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhiguo Li
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Songkun Su
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Academy of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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22
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Dong S, Gu G, Lin T, Wang Z, Li J, Tan K, Nieh JC. An inhibitory signal associated with danger reduces honeybee dopamine levels. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2081-2087.e4. [PMID: 37059097 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Positive and negative experiences can alter animal brain dopamine levels.1 When first arriving at a rewarding food source or beginning to waggle dance and recruit nestmates to food, honeybees have increased brain dopamine levels, indicating a desire for food.2 We provide the first evidence that an inhibitory signal, the stop signal, which counters waggle dancing and is triggered by negative events at the food source, can decrease head dopamine levels and dancing, independent of the dancer having any negative experiences. The hedonic value of food can therefore be depressed simply by the receipt of an inhibitory signal. Increasing the brain dopamine levels reduced the aversive effects of an attack, increasing the time that bees spent subsequently feeding and waggle dancing and decreasing their stop signaling and time spent in the hive. Because honeybees regulate food recruitment and its inhibition at the colony level, these results highlight the complex integration of colony information with a basic and highly conserved neural mechanism in mammals and insects.2 VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Gaoying Gu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tao Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianjun Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Ken Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China.
| | - James C Nieh
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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da Silva RC, Aguiar JMRBV, Oi CA, Batista JE, Giurfa M, do Nascimento FS. Sex and lifestyle dictate learning performance in a neotropical wasp. iScience 2023; 26:106469. [PMID: 37091245 PMCID: PMC10113769 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In contrast to extensive investigations on bee cognition, the cognitive capacities of wasps remain largely unexplored despite their key role as pollinators and predators of insect pests. Here we studied learning and memory in the neotropical wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus using a Pavlovian conditioning in which harnessed wasps respond with conditioned movements of their mouthparts to a learned odorant. We focused on the different castes, sexes, and ages coexisting within a nest and found that adults of M. cerberus learned and memorized efficiently the odor-sugar associations. In contrast, newly emerged females, but not males, were unable to learn odorants. This difference concurs with their different lifestyle as young males perform regular excursions outside the nest while young females remain in it until older age. Our results thus highlight the importance of socio-ecological constraints on wasp cognition and set the basis for mechanistic studies on learning differences across ages and castes.
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Crossley M, Benjamin PR, Kemenes G, Staras K, Kemenes I. A circuit mechanism linking past and future learning through shifts in perception. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd3403. [PMID: 36961898 PMCID: PMC10038338 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add3403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Long-term memory formation is energetically costly. Neural mechanisms that guide an animal to identify fruitful associations therefore have important survival benefits. Here, we elucidate a circuit mechanism in Lymnaea, which enables past memory to shape new memory formation through changes in perception. Specifically, strong classical conditioning drives a positive shift in perception that facilitates the robust learning of a subsequent and otherwise ineffective weak association. Circuit dissection approaches reveal the neural control network responsible, characterized by a mutual inhibition motif. This both sets perceptual state and acts as the master controller for gating new learning. Pharmacological circuit manipulation in vivo fully substitutes for strong paradigm learning, shifting the network into a more receptive state to enable subsequent weak paradigm learning. Thus, perceptual change provides a conduit to link past and future memory storage. We propose that this mechanism alerts animals to learning-rich periods, lowering the threshold for new memory acquisition.
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De Agrò M, Matschunas C, Czaczkes TJ. Bundling and segregation affect pheromone deposition, but not choice, in an ant. eLife 2022; 11:79314. [PMID: 36412093 PMCID: PMC9681204 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioural economists have identified many psychological manipulations which affect perceived value. A prominent example of this is bundling, in which several small gains (or costs) are experienced as more valuable (or costly) than if the same total amount is presented together. While extensively demonstrated in humans, to our knowledge this effect has never been investigated in an animal, let alone an invertebrate. We trained individual Lasius niger workers to two of three conditions in which either costs (travel distance), gains (sucrose reward), or both were either bundled or segregated: (1) both costs and gains bundled, (2) both segregated, and (3) only gains segregated. We recorded pheromone deposition on the ants' return trips to the nest as measure of perceived value. After training, we offer the ants a binary choice between odours associated with the treatments. While bundling treatment did not affect binary choice, it strongly influenced pheromone deposition. Ants deposited c. 80% more pheromone when rewards were segregated but costs bundled as compared with both costs and rewards being bundled. This pattern is further complicated by the pairwise experience each animal made, and which of the treatments it experiences first during training. This demonstrates that even insects are influenced by bundling effects. We propose that the deviation between binary choice and pheromone deposition in this case may be due to a possible linearity in distance perception in ants, while almost all other sensory perception in animals is logarithmic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo De Agrò
- Animal Comparative Economics laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Matschunas
- Animal Comparative Economics laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tomer J Czaczkes
- Animal Comparative Economics laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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26
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Garcia JE, Dyer AG. Why do animals want what they like? Science 2022; 376:456-457. [PMID: 35482878 DOI: 10.1126/science.abp8609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
As in mammals, honey bee motivation for wanting rewards is modulated by dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jair E Garcia
- BIDs Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Adrian G Dyer
- BIDs Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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