The Genetic Architecture of Behavioral Development f Foraging Behavior In Honey Bees

基因技术的最新进展为研究行为的遗传学提供了工具。这些技术已被用于研究蜜蜂的觅食行为。一些蜜蜂专门收集花粉，而另一些蜜蜂则收集花蜜。蜜蜂觅食行为的差异已被证明是至少三个主要基因的结果。这些基因还影响其他行为特征，如蜜蜂如何感知糖的味道，它们收集的花粉和花蜜的大小，以及它们开始觅食的年龄。这项建议的目的是更好地了解已确定的基因的影响和相互作用。将对因觅食行为差异而被选中的蜜蜂品系进行遗传分析。这些研究将通过DNA和行为分析来确定觅食行为的不同组成部分与觅食行为发展之间的遗传关系。这些研究将有助于更好地理解行为特征的遗传组织。蜜蜂与包括人类在内的其他动物有许多共同的神经生理特征。然而，蜜蜂更容易研究，因为它们可以繁殖、解剖和探测。从蜜蜂行为遗传学中学到的东西可以很容易地转移到课堂上，并用作更广泛地理解遗传学和行为的模型。

Recent advances in genetic technology have provided tools for studying the genetics of behavior. These techniques have been applied to studying the foraging behavior of honey bees. Some bees specialize on collecting pollen while others collect nectar. Variation among bees for foraging behavior has been shown to be a consequence of at least 3 major genes. These genes affect other behavioral traits as well, such as how bees perceive the taste of sugar, the sizes of the pollen and nectar loads they collect, and the age at which they begin foraging. The objective of this proposal is to better understand the effects and interactions of the genes that have been identified. Genetic analyses will be performed on strains of honey bees that were selected for their differences in foraging behavior. The genetic relationships between the different components of foraging behavior and the development of foraging behavior will be determined using DNA and behavioral analyses.These studies will lead to a better understanding of the genetic organization of behavioral traits. Honey bees share many neuro-physiological characteristics in common with other animals, including humans. However, honey bees are much easier to study because they can be bred, dissected, probed. What is learned from honey bee behavioral genetics can easily be transferred into the classroom and used as a model for a broader understanding of genetics and behavior.