Insights into social insects from the genome of the honeybee Apis mellifera

Abstract

Here we report the genome sequence of the honeybee Apis mellifera, a key model for social behaviour and essential to global ecology through pollination. Compared with other sequenced insect genomes, the A. mellifera genome has high A+T and CpG contents, lacks major transposon families, evolves more slowly, and is more similar to vertebrates for circadian rhythm, RNA interference and DNA methylation genes, among others. Furthermore, A. mellifera has fewer genes for innate immunity, detoxification enzymes, cuticle-forming proteins and gustatory receptors, more genes for odorant receptors, and novel genes for nectar and pollen utilization, consistent with its ecology and social organization. Compared to Drosophila, genes in early developmental pathways differ in Apis, whereas similarities exist for functions that differ markedly, such as sex determination, brain function and behaviour. Population genetics suggests a novel African origin for the species A. mellifera and insights into whether Africanized bees spread throughout the New World via hybridization or displacement.

Developing reduced SNP assays from whole‐genome sequence data to estimate introgression in an organism with complex genetic patterns, the Iberian honeybee (Apis mellifera iberiensis)

“…In the postgenomics era, rapid innovations in high‐throughput sequencing technologies make it possible to construct extensive whole‐genome data sets, especially in model organisms with small genomes like the honeybee (Weinstock et al., 2006). However, while whole‐genome sequencing is increasingly inexpensive (~200 €/honeybee), it is still not affordable for conservation management applications.…”

Functional endogenous viral elements in the genome of the parasitoid wasp Cotesia congregata : insights into the evolutionary dynamics of bracoviruses

“…In C. congregata, the dispersed PL4 and PL9 loci and the macrolocus had previously been visualized on the short arm of chromosome 5 by in situ hybridization [14]. Homologues of wasp genes either flanking or within the macrolocus and PL4 (see electronic supplementary material, table S5) belong to the same linkage group in the genome of A. mellifera [42]. This might suggest PL4 and PL9 were originally a part of the macrolocus, from which they were later separated by chromosomal rearrangements.…”

Functional Annotation of Cotesia congregata Bracovirus: Identification of Viral Genes Expressed in Parasitized Host Immune Tissues

“…However, no correlation was established between the presence of this ARE motif and the transcription level recorded by 454 sequencing. We might explain this observation by the fact that wasp genomes are enriched in AT nucleotides, leading to an increase in the false-positive detection of U-rich motifs (54)(55)(56).…”