DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Molecular characterization of photoperiod effects on social ontogeny in a bumble bee

论文研究：光周期对熊蜂社会个体发育影响的分子表征

• 批准号: 0910217
• 负责人: Zuleyma Tang-Martinez
• 金额: $ 1.21万
• 依托单位: University of Missouri-Saint Louis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-06-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0910217&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Molecular; characterization; photoperiod

Photoperiod, defined as the cyclical change of sunlight, is one of the most reliable external signals that individuals can perceive to predict environmental changes. Bumble bees maintain a tight association of their life cycle (e.g., colony growth and development; behavior) with seasonal changes in light. The main hypothesis of this project is that photoperiod is a cue that a bumble bee colony uses to shift through consecutive steps during its life cycle. This hypothesis will be evaluated from three different perspectives using the North American native bumble bee Bombus impatiens. First, this study will determine the effects of photoperiod on colony development through manipulations of the Light/Dark cycle. Second, the effect of photoperiod on individual behavior will be quantified using video recording analysis. Third, the study will characterize differences in the molecular components of the circadian clock using gene expression and clock protein localization in the bumble bee brain. It is expected that treatments with increasing day length will produce larger colonies and a synchronized production of new males and queens. At the molecular level is it predicted that changes in photoperiod will correlate with changes in clock gene expression profiles and will affect the localization of clock proteins in the brain. This project will integrate behavioral research and molecular analysis to yield a basic but complete overview of the effects of photoperiod on the social organization and life cycle of B. impatiens. Bumblebees are important pollinators of crops and other plants. In recent decades there has been a worldwide reduction in the populations of bumble bees, and of pollinators in general. Few studies have addressed how photoperiod can affect pollinators and their movements into new environments due to climate change. The investigator is actively involved in outreach activities and this project will involve training of a graduate student, mentorship of undergraduates and public seminars.

光周期是指太阳光的周期性变化，是个体能够感知到的预测环境变化的最可靠的外部信号之一。大黄蜂在它们的生命周期中保持着紧密的联系（例如，群体生长和发育;行为）随光照的季节变化。这个项目的主要假设是，光周期是一个线索，一个熊蜂群体使用通过连续的步骤在其生命周期中转移。这一假设将从三个不同的角度进行评估，使用北美本土熊蜂凤仙花。首先，本研究将通过操纵光/暗循环来确定光周期对菌落发育的影响。其次，将使用视频记录分析来量化光周期对个体行为的影响。 第三，该研究将利用大黄蜂大脑中的基因表达和时钟蛋白定位来表征生物钟分子组成部分的差异。预计随着日照长度的增加，处理将产生更大的菌落，并同步产生新的雄性和蜂王。在分子水平上，预测光周期的变化将与生物钟基因表达谱的变化相关，并将影响生物钟蛋白在大脑中的定位。本计画将整合行为研究与分子分析，以获得光周期对B的社会组织与生命周期影响的基本但完整的概观。凤仙花熊蜂是农作物和其他植物的重要传粉者。 近几十年来，世界范围内的熊蜂和传粉者的数量普遍减少。很少有研究涉及到光周期如何影响传粉者及其由于气候变化而进入新环境的运动。调查员积极参与外联活动，该项目将包括培训一名研究生、指导本科生和举办公共研讨会。