Temporal expression patterns and functions of serotonin receptor subtypes in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

吲哚乙胺5羟色胺(5-羟色胺)通过与多种5-羟色胺受体亚类相互作用，控制和调节昆虫的许多生理和行为功能。已知蜜蜂至少表达三种5-羟色胺受体亚型：AM5-HT1、AM5-HT2α和AM5-HT7。AM5-HT2β是蜜蜂的第四个5-羟色胺受体候选受体，也是迄今为止尚未鉴定的候选受体。我们在计划中的DFG研究单位内的项目旨在揭示蜜蜂个体5-羟色胺受体亚型的生理作用。蜜蜂非常适合揭示5-羟色胺受体在行为中的功能，因为它有巨大的行为能力，而且5-羟色胺参与了学习能力和劳动分工的调节。为了达到这些目标，我们建议1)量化5-羟色胺受体在大脑发育、行为成熟和一天中的表达水平，2)分析干扰5-羟色胺受体表达或激活的生理和行为后果。3)研究5-羟色胺受体二聚/寡聚和AM5-HT2α和AM5-HT2β受体剪接变异体的生理学相关性。4)为了进一步研究蜜蜂的5-羟色胺能系统，我们还建议继续分析AM5-HT2β。

The indolealkylamine serotonin (5-HT) has been shown to control and modulate many physiological and behavioral functions in insects by interacting with various 5-HT receptor subclasses. The honey bee, Apis mellifera, is known to express at least three 5-HT receptor subtypes: Am5-HT1, Am5-HT2α, and Am5-HT7. Am5-HT2β is a fourth and so far noncharacterized 5-HT receptor candidate of the bee. Our project within the planned DFG Research Unit aims to unravel the physiological roles of individual 5-HT receptor subtypes of the honey bee. The honey bee is excellently suited to uncover the functions of 5-HT receptors in behavior, because it has an enormous behavioral repertoire, and because serotonin is involved in the modulation of learning capabilities and division of labor. To approach these goals, we propose 1) to quantify 5-HT receptor mRNA expression levels during brain development, behavioral maturation and during the course of the day and 2) to analyze the physiological and behavioral consequences of interference with 5-HT receptor expression or activation. 3) The physiological relevance of 5-HT receptor dimerization/oligomerization and of truncated splice variants of the Am5-HT2α and Am5-HT2β receptors will be studied. 4) To further characterize the serotonergic system of the bee, we also propose to continue the analysis of Am5-HT2β.