Characterization of antimicrobial peptide genes from Japanese honeybee Apis cerana japonica (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

Two antimicrobial peptide cDNA clones, abaecin (named AcjAba) and defensin (named AcjDef2) were isolated from the Japanese honeybee, Apis cerana japonica, using rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) methods. Deduced amino acid sequences of AcjAba and AcjDef2 in A. c. japonica showed high identity with those in the European honeybee, Apis mellifera (97.1%, and 93.0%, respectively). In the mature peptide region, only one amino acid residue (Val) of A. mellifera abaecin was replaced with (Ile) of A. c. japonica abaecin. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was carried out to investigate the expression profiles of AcjAba and AcjDef2 after inoculation with Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood. The transcription of AcjAba and AcjDef2 was not significantly up-regulated in response to exposure to P. larvae. As social insects, honeybees have evolved behavioral traits during their evolutionary history to reduce threats from invading pathogens. The relationship between the defensive behaviors and innate immune systems of Japanese honeybees is discussed.

Comparative susceptibility and immune responses of Asian and European honey bees to the American foulbrood pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae

“…Pathogen levels and genetic variability across intraspecies/interspecies of host species might affect immune responses to bacterial infection. Yoshiyama and Kimura (2010) could not observe transcript levels of abaecin and defensin2 in A. cerana japonica even though the larvae were challenged with numerous of P. larvae (100 spores/μL). Evans and Pettis (2005) suggested that higher immune response may not be worthwhile for the larvae because there was a developmental cost to defend themselves against pathogens and parasites that would decrease the production at the colony level.…”

“…Pathogen levels and genetic variability across intraspecies/interspecies of host species might affect immune responses to bacterial infection. Yoshiyama and Kimura () could not observe transcript levels of abaecin and defensin2 in A. cerana japonica even though the larvae were challenged with numerous of P. larvae (100 spores/μL).…”

“…The major protein components of both species had different molecular weights, isoelectric points, and immunological characteristics (Takenaka & Takenaka, 1996). Many studies have shown the effect of royalisin against Gramnegative bacteria and some Gram-positive (Ilyasov et al, 2012) including the agent causing AFB (Bíliková et al, 2001;Bachanová et al, 2002;Yoshiyama & Kimura, 2010;Bílikova et al, 2015). In this study, we used royal jelly collected from A. mellifera therefore this might affect the AFB resistance of A. cerana as it may be somewhat different when compared in nature.…”

Stingless Bee Honey, the Natural Wound Healer: A Review

“…There is some conundrum whether this may impact the healing process when applying honey to the wound. These microorganisms cannot hinder the healing process since most of them have been identified as non-pathogenic which are from the Bacillus genus [58,59] and actinomycete Streptomyces [60]. In contrast, several notorious bacteria like Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium , and Coliform species tend to disturb the healing process [61,62].…”