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1 July 2018 Changes in Metabolic Activities and Gene Expression Associated with Gamma Irradiation of Honeybee Apis mellifera Workers
Rehab M. Sayed, Sameh G. Sawires, Mohamed Kh. Abdel-Rafei
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Abstract

This study was carried out to explore the possible stimulatory effect of a low dose of gamma irradiation on the expression profile of a number of genes and suspected metabolic mediators involved in honeybee (Apis mellifera) foraging activity. Honeybee workers were subjected to two gamma ray doses (0.2 and 2Gy) and the expression levels of Apis mellifera foraging gene (Amfor), juvenile hormone (JH), Octopamine receptor 1 (OctR1), heat shock protein- 70 (HSP- 70) and Troponin T (TpnT) mRNA levels were estimated using RT-PCR. In addition, the indicators of metabolic and flight rate changes such as citrate synthase (CS), pyruvate kinase (PK) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) were estimated. The results revealed a marked increase in the expression of Amfor, JH, OctR1, HSP-70 and TpnT genes in the bees irradiated with the low dose of radiation (0.2Gy) as compared to the non-irradiated control workers and those irradiated with the higher dose (2Gy). In addition, CS, PK and ATPase activities were significantly elevated in workers treated with 0.2Gy when compared to the control workers and workers irradiated with the higher dose (2Gy). Finally, it could be concluded that low dose irradiation of bees enhanced the expression profile of genes regulating foraging activity and provoked the metabolic mediators required for foraging activity.

Rehab M. Sayed, Sameh G. Sawires, and Mohamed Kh. Abdel-Rafei "Changes in Metabolic Activities and Gene Expression Associated with Gamma Irradiation of Honeybee Apis mellifera Workers," Entomological News 127(5), 426-441, (1 July 2018). https://doi.org/10.3157/021.127.0506
Received: 31 May 2017; Accepted: 14 August 2017; Published: 1 July 2018
KEYWORDS
Apis mellifera
enzymatic activities
foraging enhancement
gamma radiation
gene expression
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