Task Group Differences in Cuticular Lipids in the Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Task Group Differences in Cuticular Lipids in the Honey Bee Apis mellifera
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DOI：
10.1007/s10886-011-9909-4
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发表时间：
2011-02-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Martin, Stephen J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kather, Ricarda;Drijfhout, Falko P.;Martin, Stephen J.
社会性昆虫的定义是它们在众多的巢友中分工的能力。这是通过一个复杂的化学通讯系统来实现的，该系统允许殖民地组织任务活动，以最大限度地提高殖民地的生产力。然而，社会性昆虫在形态相同的个体中区分任务组的机制仍然未知。使用蜜蜂，意大利蜜蜂，作为我们的模式物种，我们调查了蜜蜂的表皮脂质（正构烷烃，脂肪酸和烯烃）的任务特定模式的存在。表皮脂质在昆虫的识别过程中起着重要的作用。我们发现蜜蜂的正构烷烃和烯烃谱中具有特定任务的特征，但脂肪酸谱中没有特定任务的模式。觅食，特别是相对于护士和新出现的蜜蜂，正构烷烃水平升高，这表明防水性增加。新出现的蜜蜂有低水平的表皮脂质，支持白板理论，并可能解释他们接受外国殖民地。
Social insects are defined by their ability to divide labor among their numerous nestmates. This is achieved via a complex system of chemical communication that allows colonies to organize task activity so as to maximize the productivity of the colony. However, the mechanism by which social insects distinguish task groups among morphologically identical individuals remains unknown. Using the honey bee, Apis mellifera, as our model species, we investigated the presence of task-specific patterns in the cuticular lipids (n-alkanes, fatty acids, and alkenes) of bees. Cuticular lipids are known to play an essential role in the recognition processes of insects. We found task-specific features in the n-alkane and alkene profiles of bees, but no task-specific patterns in the fatty acid profile. Foragers, in particular, had elevated levels of n-alkanes relative to nurse and newly emerged bees, suggesting increased waterproofing. Newly emerged bees had low levels of cuticular lipids, supporting the Blank Slate theory and potentially explaining their acceptance into foreign colonies.