Analysis of the intercaste transcriptional profile of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) by mRNA differential display

In colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 workers can be found with four ganglion nerve cells, a morphological characteristic of the queen. It is hypothesized that these workers, called intercastes, or phenocopies, are phenotypically-like workers, but genotypically identical to queens due...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological research 2009, Vol.42 (1), p.107-110
Main Authors: Siquieroli, Ana Carolina S, Vieira, Carlos U, Carvalho-Zilse, Gislene A, Goulart, Luiz R, Kerr, Warwick E, Bonetti, Ana M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bees - genetics
BIOLOGY
determination of castes
Female
Genotype
intercastes
Melipona sp
Phenotype
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reverse Transcription - genetics
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Social Dominance
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 workers can be found with four ganglion nerve cells, a morphological characteristic of the queen. It is hypothesized that these workers, called intercastes, or phenocopies, are phenotypically-like workers, but genotypically identical to queens due to this specific trait. Workers with the same number of ganglion as queens seem to be intercastes between queens and workers. Our objective was to analyze the mRNA pro files of workers, queens, and intercastes of M. scutellaris through DDRT-PCR. Three hundred (300) pupae with white eyes were collected and externally identified according to the number of abdominal nerve ganglions: workers (5 ganglions), queens (4 ganglions) and intercastes (4 ganglions). The analysis identified differentially expressed transcripts that were present only in workers, but absent in intercastes and queens, confirming the hypothesis, by demonstrating the environmental effect on the queen genotype that generated phenotype-like workers.
ISSN:0716-9760
0717-6287
0716-9760
DOI:10.4067/s0716-97602009000100011