Evolutional study on neuroendocrine system for regulating reproduction in social insects

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To compare the regulation systems of reproduction in eusocial hymenopterans, factors regulating the brain levels of dopamine, as a candidate of gonadotoropin, were investigated. In honey bees as a highly eusocial species, dopamine promoted the ovarian development and mating flight behaviors in females and enhanced in the brain levels by food containing richly tyrosine (a precursor of dopamine), especially royal jelly. In male honey bees, on the other hand, dopamine promoted mating flight and enhanced in the brain levels and its receptor gene expression by juvenile hormone. The dopamine regulation system by juvenile hormone could be shared by both sexes in primitively eusocial species (bumble bees) and solitary species (carpenter bees).