For a honey bee, few things are more important than recognizing your nestmates. Being able to tell a nestmate from an invader could mean the difference between a honey-stocked hive and a long, lean winter.
New research from Washington University in St. Louis shows that honey bees rely on chemical cues related to their shared gut microbial communities, instead of genetic relatedness, to identify members of their colony.
Most people only pay attention to the genetics of the actual bee, said Yehuda Ben-Shahar, professor of biology in Arts & Sciences and corresponding author of the study published Oct. 14 in Science Advances. What we show is that it is genetic, but its the genetics of the bacteria.
Honey bees recognize and respond to chemical signals from other bees that they detect from skin compounds known as cuticular hydrocarbons, or CHCs. This study determined that a bees particular CHC profile is dependent on its microbiome the bacteria that make up its gut microbial community and is not something innate or genetic to the bee alone.
Different colonies do in fact have colony-specific microbiomes, which has never been shown before, said Cassondra L. Vernier, postdoctoral associate at the University of Illinois, who earned her biology PhD working with Ben-Shahar at Washington University.
Bees are constantly sharing food with one another and exchanging this microbiome just within their colony, said Vernier, first author of the new study.
Co-authors include Gautam Dantas, professor of pathology and immunology and of molecular microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Joel Levine at the University of Toronto Mississauga. The work was conducted in part with bees housed at Tyson Research Center, the environmental field station for Washington University.
The importance of this paper is that its one of the first papers that actually shows that the microbiome is involved in the basic social biology of honey bees and not just affecting their health, Vernier said. The microbiome is involved in how the colony as a whole functions, and how they are able to maintain nest defenses, rather than just immune defense within an individual.
The gut microbial community or microbiome supplies humans and other animals with vitamins, helps digest food, regulates inflammation and keeps disease-causing microbes in check. Increasingly a topic of research interest, scientists have discovered many ways that the microbiome blurs the borders between a host and its bacteria.
The microbiome has been found to influence communication in several different organisms including, notably, large animals like hyenas.
For honey bees, this study shows that the microbiome plays a critical role in defining the tightly regulated chemical signals for group membership.
Until recently, most scientists thought that honey bees identified nestmates by picking up on a homogenized scent that they recognize from members of their own colony a kind of hive B.O., Ben-Shahar joked.
Bee colonies are usually composed of highly related individuals. But the chemical signals that allow bees to recognize each other are not determined by genetics alone. Researchers know this because baby bees can be placed into other colonies without being rejected up until a certain age and level of development.
It has to be something that they acquire during their lifetime that defines their nestmate recognition cues, Vernier said.
In previous work, Vernier and Ben-Shahar showed that bees develop different scent profiles as they age, and that gatekeeper bees respond differently to foragers returning to the hive compared with younger bees that have never ventured outside.
That research established a relationship between nestmate recognition and the clearly defined, age-dependent division of labor typical to honey bee hives.
Only when a bee is old enough to interact with others outside of the hive does it become recognizable to others. That was a clue for the researchers.
If you grow a honey bee in isolation, it will never develop a complete microbiome, Vernier said. It actually has to acquire most of it from interactions with other bees.
For this study, researchers determined that forager bees from different honey bee colonies have different gut microbial communities and CHC profiles by sequencing gut samples and analyzing cuticular extracts. The scientists also conducted cross-hive fostering experiments, raising groups of newly hatched bees in either their own colonies or unrelated colonies.
In the fostering experiments, the researchers found that both source- and host-colony related factors contribute to variations in the overall gut microbial community of individual bees. Of the 14 microbial taxa that significantly differed between treatments, six were similar between bees that shared the same hive environment while they grew up regardless of actual genetic relatedness.
The researchers also found that they could manipulate the microbiome of sister bees by feeding different microbes to newly hatched bees. In addition to developing different gut microbial communities, the bees also grew to have different CHC profiles.
They were unrecognizable to their siblings, Vernier said. Manipulating the microbiome was enough to cause sister bees to develop different scent profiles.
This new work is significant in part because it shows an integral role for the microbiome in the essential, everyday social interactions of honey bees, the Earths most important pollinators, researchers said.
For bees, some of the most complex aspects of their social behavior basically depends on bacteria more than anything else! Ben-Shahar said.
It doesnt matter how related they are, he said. Their ability to say you belong to this group basically depends on getting the right bacteria at the right time. Otherwise, they are blind to it.
And bee ID is key.
The biggest enemy to honey bees is other bees.
During fall, when plants stop producing nectar, there is a period of time when robbing is very prevalent in colonies, Vernier said. Robbing bees will find other colonies, and if theyre able to get in and take some honey, they will go back to their own nests and signal, Hey, go over there. Theres a nest thats not good at guarding, and we can steal their honey.
Robber bees will take that honey and leave the other colony to starve, she said. Its a very strong pressure.
Robbing deprives both the host bees and their associated bacteria with important resources which may have been the original drive to form this special bacteria-animal partnership, the researchers said.
Ben-Shahar and Verniers previous research with honey bees showed that graduating to forager status was a requirement for social membership. Read more.
See the original post here:
'Honey bee, it's me' - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom
- F.D.A. Says Millions Got Unapproved Drugs, Should the new bioequivalence and bioanalytical guidelines for 2010, be made more stringent [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2010]
- F.D.A. Says Millions Got Unapproved Drugs, Should the new bioequivalence and bioanalytical guidelines for 2010, be made more stringent [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2010]
- GSK, MedTrust launch iPhone/iPad app for cancer trials [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2010]
- GSK, MedTrust launch iPhone/iPad app for cancer trials [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2010]
- 22 Million Australian Cloud computing initiative to benefit life science researchers [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2010]
- GE Healthcare announces SaaS Electronic Medical Records Management [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2010]
- 22 Million Australian Cloud computing initiative to benefit life science researchers [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2010]
- GE Healthcare announces SaaS Electronic Medical Records Management [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2010]
- How useful would be the Single-patient clinical trials for improving the hopes of Personalized medicine [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2010]
- How useful would be the Single-patient clinical trials for improving the hopes of Personalized medicine [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2010]
- Life Sciences at Oracle Open World 2010 [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- ChIP Enrichment Analysis can speed up drug discovery [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- GE’s healthymagination initiative lead Smart Patient Room to improve patient safety goes live at Bassett Medical Center [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- The SaaS impact on solution selling for ISVs (via Inner Lining) [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- Oracle starts the Oracle Health Sciences Institute (OHSI), in partnership with Sun Labs [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- 70% of Pharmaceutical organisations outsource at least one PV activity. This level is expected to increase to 80% by 2012 [Last Updated On: October 26th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 26th, 2010]
- Insurance coverage for healthcare IT software, to protect healthcare IT companies from damages inflicted by their software [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- India announce Heart Surgery for $1000 USD [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- Indian Healthcare IT market & Oracle’s presence in Indian Healthcare [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- Insurance coverage for healthcare IT software, to protect healthcare IT companies from damages inflicted by their software [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- India announce Heart Surgery for $1000 USD [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- Indian Healthcare IT market & Oracle’s presence in Indian Healthcare [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2010]
- Harvard Medical Schools new automated safety surveillance system provides faster early warnings in the postmarket evaluation of medical device safety [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- SalesForce.com partner introduces CRM for clinical trial management on Force Platform [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Widespread fraud in the Clinical Trial of Drugs is pervasive event in United States [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Scott Stern Kellogg School of Management speaks about “New Drug Development: From Laboratory to Blockbuster to Generic,” [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- MNC Pharma tries to capture the $1.9 billion Indian OTC market by selling Drugs through India’s 170000 post offices [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- collaborative clinical trials management software for Central Laboratories [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Clinical Trial and Pharmacovigilance process automation [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Microsoft in Clinical Trials Management System (CTMS) and Electronic Data Capture (EDC) [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Oracle Business Intelligence Enteprise Edition (OBIEE) for Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- trends in the life sciences and pharma research and development outsourcing (RDO) [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2010]
- Sanofi-Aventis ties up with Oxford Univ for oncology research in India [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2010]
- PharmaNet unveils touch screen capable data capture platform for Phase I Clinical Trials [Last Updated On: December 20th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 20th, 2010]
- Adverse Events in Hospitals- United States Department of Health Report slams current measures in US hospitals [Last Updated On: December 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 21st, 2010]
- IBM Files Application to Patent The Patent [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2011]
- How to improve R&D productivity: the pharmaceutical industry’s grand challenge [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2011]
- AstraZeneca Announce Real-World Evidence Data Collaboration [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2011]
- How to improve R&D productivity: the pharmaceutical industry’s grand challenge [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2011]
- AstraZeneca Announce Real-World Evidence Data Collaboration [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2011]
- Medication adherence improves, When Patients Share Their Stories [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Questions for the CRO [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Clinical Research Sites Struggle With Increasing Trial Complexity yet most depend on, Google (or other search sites) as the primary information tool [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Medication adherence improves, When Patients Share Their Stories [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Questions for the CRO [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Clinical Research Sites Struggle With Increasing Trial Complexity yet most depend on, Google (or other search sites) as the primary information tool [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2011]
- Law of the land can help or destroy the Pharmacovigilance system [Last Updated On: March 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 27th, 2011]
- Law of the land can help or destroy the Pharmacovigilance system [Last Updated On: March 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 27th, 2011]
- Coast To Coast AM - 15.11.2011 - 1/4 - Regenerative Medicine/Dulce Base - Video [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2011]
- Coast To Coast AM - 15.11.2011 - 4/4 - Regenerative Medicine/Dulce Base - Video [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2011]
- HIV Resistant Genes...Rhesus Negative, Excess PK [Last Updated On: November 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 30th, 2011]
- Indian Government’s new dose of strong medicine to bring cheers to Foreign Pharma CEOs who cut their teeth by struggling to convince Indian pharma to change sales practices [Last Updated On: December 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 18th, 2011]
- Indian Government’s new dose of strong medicine to bring cheers to Foreign Pharma CEOs who cut their teeth by struggling to convince Indian pharma to change sales practices [Last Updated On: December 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 18th, 2011]
- Drug Reps Soften Their Sales Pitches, as pharma learns from Disney [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2012]
- Drug Reps Soften Their Sales Pitches, as pharma learns from Disney [Last Updated On: January 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 15th, 2012]
- Oracle Unveils Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank as Part of Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2012]
- Oracle Unveils Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank as Part of Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2012]
- One Way to Teach Your Boss About Social Media [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- “The Banks Can Do It, Why Can’t Hospitals?” [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- Internet on any Display Device, or internet on TV at low cost can it transform Healthcare or Clinical Research [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- Is Life Sciences the New Frontier for Analytics? [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- Internet on any Display Device, or internet on TV at low cost can it transform Healthcare or Clinical Research [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- Is Life Sciences the New Frontier for Analytics? [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- Regenerative Medicine: Current Concepts and Changing Trends - Video [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2012]
- bluebird bio Appoints David Davidson, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2012]
- privacy controlled social networking to connect patients with caregivers [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2012]
- SOCIAL CRM and its Impact on Pharmaceutical Industry [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2012]
- SOCIAL CRM and its Impact on Pharmaceutical Industry [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2012]
- privacy controlled social networking to connect patients with caregivers [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2012]
- British Government launches Government Cloud Store with 257 Cloud Computing Suppliers [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- Patient Adherence Investments by Pharma Companies Current Scenario [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- Pharma looks to mobile strategies to effectively reach prescribers | mHIMSS [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- British Government launches Government Cloud Store with 257 Cloud Computing Suppliers [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- Pharma looks to mobile strategies to effectively reach prescribers | mHIMSS [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- Patient Adherence Investments by Pharma Companies Current Scenario [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2012]
- Predictive Analytics for Patient Adherence [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2012]
- Predictive Analytics for Patient Adherence [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2012]
- Genetic manipulation boosts growth of brain cells linked to learning, enhances effects of antidepressants [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2012]
- Can “Clinical Data Integration on the Cloud” be a reality? [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]
- Can “Clinical Data Integration on the Cloud” be a reality? [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]