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.

光周期定义为阳光的周期性变化，是个人可以认为可以预测环境变化的最可靠的外部信号之一。大黄蜂保持其生命周期（例如菌落生长和发育；行为）与季节性变化的紧密联系。该项目的主要假设是，光周期是大黄蜂菌落在其生命周期中转移连续步骤的提示。该假设将使用北美本地大黄蜂炸弹凤仙花从三种不同的角度进行评估。首先，这项研究将通过操纵光/黑暗周期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，该研究将使用大黄蜂大脑中的基因表达和时钟蛋白定位来表征昼夜节律时钟分子成分的差异。预计白天长度增加的处理将产生更大的菌落，并同步生产新的雄性和皇后。在分子水平上，它预测光周期的变化将与时钟​​基因表达曲线的变化相关，并会影响大脑时钟蛋白的定位。该项目将整合行为研究和分子分析，以产生光周期对芽孢杆菌的社会组织和生命周期的影响的基本但完整的概述。大黄蜂是农作物和其他植物的重要传粉媒介。 近几十年来，大黄蜂的种群和授粉媒介的种群在全球范围内减少了。很少有研究涉及光周期如何影响授粉媒介及其向新环境的运动，这是由于气候变化。调查人员积极参与外展活动，该项目将涉及培训研究生，本科生的指导和公共研讨会。