Temporal expression patterns and functions of serotonin receptor subtypes in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

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The indolealkylamine serotonin (5-HT) has been shown to control and modulate many physiological and behavioral functions in insects by interacting with various 5-HT receptor subclasses. The honey bee, Apis mellifera, is known to express at least three 5-HT receptor subtypes: Am5-HT1, Am5-HT2α, and Am5-HT7. Am5-HT2β is a fourth and so far noncharacterized 5-HT receptor candidate of the bee. Our project within the planned DFG Research Unit aims to unravel the physiological roles of individual 5-HT receptor subtypes of the honey bee. The honey bee is excellently suited to uncover the functions of 5-HT receptors in behavior, because it has an enormous behavioral repertoire, and because serotonin is involved in the modulation of learning capabilities and division of labor. To approach these goals, we propose 1) to quantify 5-HT receptor mRNA expression levels during brain development, behavioral maturation and during the course of the day and 2) to analyze the physiological and behavioral consequences of interference with 5-HT receptor expression or activation. 3) The physiological relevance of 5-HT receptor dimerization/oligomerization and of truncated splice variants of the Am5-HT2α and Am5-HT2β receptors will be studied. 4) To further characterize the serotonergic system of the bee, we also propose to continue the analysis of Am5-HT2β.