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The molecular impacts of chronic pesticide exposure on bee learning and memory

长期接触农药对蜜蜂学习和记忆的分子影响

基本信息

批准号：
1803150
负责人：
金额：
--
依托单位：
University of Nottingham
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Studentship
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2016 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-1803150
关键词：
molecular impacts chronic pesticide exposure

项目摘要

Background: Recently, concern has been raised regarding the impact of a common class of pesticide known as neonicotinoids on honey bees and native bee pollinators. These neonicotinoids are widely used as seed treatments in agriculture. However, it is unclear whether neonicotinoids have a significant lethal or sub-lethal effect on bees at realistic field levels. There is a growing concern regarding chronic exposure to neonicotinoids through nectar, pollen, and water picked up by foraging bees and carried back to the hive. Chronic exposure can disrupt bees' reproduction, mobility, navigation, feeding, foraging, memory, learning, and overall hive activity. These chemicals are also suspected of affecting the honey bees' immune systems, making them more vulnerable to parasites and pathogens. Another key suspect in the recent decline of honey bee colonies is the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. It has become the most serious pest for the European honey bee Apis mellifera, which lacks natural defences to be able to deal with the mite. The mite also vectors of a number of viruses which can dramatically affect colony health, and is now recognised as one of the primary causes of honey bee decline. In order to control varroa, beekeepers apply chemical varroacides to infected hives. Several products are registered in the UK including Oxalic acid, Thymol, formic acid, two pyrethroid insecticides - tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin, and a proprietary blend consisting of Camphor Racemic, Eucalyptus Oil, Menthol Levo, Thymol. Additionally, Coumaphos and Amitraz are registered for use in the USA. There is evidence that some of these chemicals are hazardous to bees and contribute to bee decline, and as with the neonicotinoids may have significant impact on the bees homing ability and foraging rates. Amitraz has also been cited as a synergist that amplifies the toxic effects of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids. Experimental approaches: This project will examine the sub-lethal effects of bee hive chemicals on bee mobility, navigation, memory and learning. These experiments will be conducted using a novel thermal-visual arena place learning assay platform, where bees must find a hidden 'safe' target (that is a cool tile) in an otherwise unappealing warm environment, using available spatial cues on the walls of the arena. The effects of low dose pesticide application on the ability to learn and return to the safe zone will be assessed using proprietary tracking software, whereas the sub-lethal effects of pesticides on short and long term memory will be assessed by studying the direct effects on the bees memory pathways, which are relatively well characterised at the biochemical and molecular level. Training: The techniques and facilities for carrying out this research are available at Rothamsted and the student will work alongside other graduate students and post-docs. The student will develop bioinformatics skills relating to bee genomes, will become conversant with standard molecular techniques (PCR, gel electrophoresis etc) that are widely applicable and will also benefit from learning more specialised techniques e.g, insect behaviour assays, pesticide application techniques etc). The student will also participate in the Institutes extensive postgraduate training programme.

背景：最近，一种被称为新烟碱的常见杀虫剂对蜜蜂和本地蜜蜂传粉者的影响引起了关注。这些新烟碱在农业上被广泛用作种子处理剂。然而，在现实的田间水平上，新烟碱类化合物对蜜蜂是否具有显著的致死或亚致死效应尚不清楚。人们越来越关注通过觅食的蜜蜂采集并带回蜂箱的花蜜、花粉和水而长期接触新烟碱。长期接触会扰乱蜜蜂的繁殖、活动、导航、觅食、记忆、学习和整个蜂箱活动。这些化学物质也被怀疑会影响蜜蜂的免疫系统，使它们更容易受到寄生虫和病原体的攻击。最近蜜蜂种群减少的另一个关键嫌疑人是寄生蠕虫瓦罗亚破坏者。它已经成为欧洲蜜蜂最严重的害虫，因为它缺乏自然防御能力来对付这种螨虫。这种螨类还传播一些病毒，这些病毒可以极大地影响蜂群的健康，现在被认为是蜜蜂衰落的主要原因之一。为了控制蜂痘，养蜂人对受感染的蜂箱使用化学变色剂。几种产品在英国注册，包括草酸、百里香酚、甲酸、两种拟除虫菊酯杀虫剂--氟氰菊酯和氟氰菊酯，以及一种由樟脑外消旋体、桉树油、薄荷醇、百里香酚组成的专利混合物。此外，Coumaphos和Amitraz在美国注册使用。有证据表明，其中一些化学物质对蜜蜂有害，并导致蜜蜂衰退，与新烟碱一样，新烟碱可能会对蜜蜂的归巢能力和觅食速度产生重大影响。双甲胺也被认为是一种增效剂，可以放大拟除虫菊酯和新烟碱的毒性作用。实验方法：这个项目将检验蜂箱化学物质对蜜蜂的机动性、导航、记忆和学习的亚致死影响。这些实验将使用一个新颖的热视觉竞技场地点学习分析平台进行，蜜蜂必须使用竞技场墙壁上可用的空间线索，在一个原本没有吸引力的温暖环境中找到一个隐藏的“安全”目标(也就是一个很酷的瓷砖)。低剂量使用杀虫剂对学习和返回安全区能力的影响将使用专有跟踪软件进行评估，而杀虫剂对短期和长期记忆的亚致命影响将通过研究对蜜蜂记忆途径的直接影响来评估，这些途径在生物化学和分子水平上具有相对较好的特征。培训：开展这项研究的技术和设施可在Rothamsted获得，学生将与其他研究生和博士后一起工作。学生将发展与蜜蜂基因组相关的生物信息学技能，熟悉广泛应用的标准分子技术(聚合酶链式反应、凝胶电泳等)，并将受益于学习更专业的技术，如昆虫行为分析、杀虫剂应用技术等。学生还将参加学院广泛的研究生培训方案。