Effects of Flight on Gene Expression and Aging in the Honey Bee Brain and Flight Muscle

Abstract

Honey bees move through a series of in-hive tasks (e.g., “nursing”) to outside tasks (e.g., “foraging”) that are coincident with physiological changes and higher levels of metabolic activity. Social context can cause worker bees to speed up or slow down this process, and foragers may revert back to their earlier in-hive tasks accompanied by reversion to earlier physiological states. To investigate the effects of flight, behavioral state and age on gene expression, we used whole-genome microarrays and real-time PCR. Brain tissue and flight muscle exhibited different patterns of expression during behavioral transitions, with expression patterns in the brain reflecting both age and behavior, and expression patterns in flight muscle being primarily determined by age. Our data suggest that the transition from behaviors requiring little to no flight (nursing) to those requiring prolonged flight bouts (foraging), rather than the amount of previous flight per se, has a major effect on gene expression. Following behavioral reversion there was a partial reversion in gene expression but some aspects of forager expression patterns, such as those for genes involved in immune function, remained. Combined with our real-time PCR data, these data suggest an epigenetic control and energy balance role in honey bee functional senescence.

Effects of flight activity and age on oxidative damage in the honey bee,Apis mellifera

“…After transitioning from nurse to forager, oxidative capacity increases to meet the high energetic demands of flight (Harrison, 1986), and increased oxygen consumption presumably accelerates ROS production. Transitioning from nurse to forager induces upregulation of oxidative stress defense and repair pathways (Margotta et al, 2013;Harrison, 1986;Williams et al, 2008;Wolschin and Amdam, 2007). After flight bouts, antioxidant mechanisms likely clear ROS, but this ability declines in aged nurses and foragers (Williams et al, 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, the environmental conditions that colonies are maintained in increase oxidative stress (Simone-Finstrom et al, 2016). In contrast, brain total antioxidant activity is independent of age (Williams et al, 2008), and the brain appears to mitigate damage more effectively than flight muscle (Margotta et al, 2013). Although all aerobic metabolism produces ROS, it is unclear whether the intense power requirements needed for prolonged honey bee flight increase ROS production and associated cellular damage.…”

A network pharmacology-based study on Alzheimer disease prevention and treatment of Qiong Yu Gao

“…In china, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma not only can be used alone for saving lives by reinforcing vital energy, but only plays an irreplaceable role in plenty of formulas such as Sijunzi decoction, Buzhongyiqi decoction, etc. [11] MEL is the honey of Apis cerana Fabricius and is commonly used for improving immune function, delaying aging and benefiting beauty [12,13]. Actually, all of the four ingredients in QYG belong to medicinal and edible food/medicine.…”

A Network Pharmacology-Based Study on Alzheimer disease prevention and treatment of Qiong Yu Gao

“…In china, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma not only can be used alone for saving lives by reinforcing vital energy, but only plays an irreplaceable role in plenty of formulas such as Sijunzi decoction, Buzhongyiqi decoction, etc 12 . MEL is the honey of Apis Cerana Fabricius and is commonly used for improving immune function, delaying aging and benefiting beauty 13,14 . Actually, all of the four ingredients in QYG belong to medicinal and edible food/medicine.…”