SGER: Manipulation of gene expression in honey bees with RNAi

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With the advent of technologies spawned by the Human Genome Project, the behavioral sciences are poised to make revolutionary advances. However, one problem that currently prevents the behavioral community from embracing genomics is that techniques of manipulating gene expression are only possible for a few species. Treatment with double-stranded (ds) RNA is providing to be a very effective techinique for interfering with gene expression in C. elegans and D. melanogaster. The 'RNAi' effect is highly specific and is strongerand more consistent than treatment with antisense oligonucelotides. Dr. Robinson seeks to extend the use of RNAi to the honey bee, a model organism in sociobiology that lacks technology for germ-line transformation. Dr. Robinson will test the hypothese that dsRNA from the period (per) gene suppreses per mRNA and causes changes in two behavioral processes: locomotor behavior circadiean rhythms in the laboratory, and division of labor, i.e., the transition from working in the hive to foraging, in the field. The bee per system is an ideal test case for progmatic reasons related to the molecular and behavioral assays available in my laboratory and the observation from Drosophila that per is not a lethal gene. Testing the effect of RNAi on the bee per system also is compelling for two scientific reasons. First, it will provide insight into the striking and previously unimagined changes in per mRNA levels in the bee brain that occur in association with division of labor. Second, it will provide a powerful demonstration of the versatiality of the RNAi technique. If RNAi does not suppress per mRNA in bees, this result also will be of high impact, because it will provide the first cautionary note in the literature that RNAi may not be the panacea that we all hope it will be.