Antennae hold a key to Varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour in honey bees

@article{Mondet2015AntennaeHA,
  title={Antennae hold a key to Varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour in honey bees},
  author={Fanny Mondet and C{\'e}dric Alaux and Dany Severac and Marine Rohmer and Alison R. Mercer and Yves Le Conte},
  journal={Scientific Reports},
  year={2015},
  volume={5}
}
In honey bees, Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) behaviour, which involves the detection and removal of brood parasitised by the mite Varroa destructor, can actively participate in the survival of colonies facing Varroa outbreaks. This study investigated the mechanisms of VSH behaviour, by comparing the antennal transcriptomes of bees that do and do not perform VSH behaviour. Results indicate that antennae likely play a key role in the expression of VSH behaviour. Comparisons with the antennal… 
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73 Citations

Expression monitoring of relevant sensitivity genes in honey bee antennae and their relationship with Hygienic Behavior

Investigation of the expression level of selected genes through RealTime-PCR in honeybee antennae finds that Obp3 is the least expressed among the tested genes, but its expression pattern is linked to the HB value; in particular, highly hygienic colonies express Ob p3 significantly at higher rate with respect to the lower HB group of colonies.

Viral infections alter antennal epithelium ultrastructure in honey bees.

Brood Affects Hygienic Behavior in the Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

It is hypothesized that selection for hygienic behavior in honey bees has influenced brood signaling, and predicted that in a common social environment, removal rates differ among brood with different selective breeding histories, and the removal rates of brood positively correlate to the hygiene level of the brood's colony of origin.

Age-performance and intensity of grooming behavior toward Varroa destructor in resistant and susceptible Apis mellifera colonies

It is demonstrated that bee age and genetic origin are critical factors of grooming behavior in honey bees and therefore resistance to honey bees against Varroa destructor is guaranteed.

Varroa-specific hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera scutellata in Kenya

When ten, eight, and five mites were singly introduced in closely neighboring brood cells, hygienic bees were more responsive in the high mite density regime of eight and ten mites, an indication of a possibility that chemicals play a role in identification of Varroa-infested brood cells.

Proteome Analysis of the Hemolymph, Mushroom Body, and Antenna Provides Novel Insight into Honeybee Resistance against Varroa Infestation.

It is illustrated that the enhanced social immunities and olfactory and neuronal sensitivity play key roles in the combat against Varroa infestation to aid in resistance to a parasite responsible for decline in honeybee health.

Honey bees performing varroa sensitive hygiene remove the most mite-compromised bees from highly infested patches of brood

This study identifies features that distinguish cells uncapped by bees performing VSH from infested cells that VSH bees ignore, and is the first to identify cell surrounds as a potential source of signals influencing the behaviour of beesperforming VSH.

Odorant cues linked to social immunity induce lateralized antenna stimulation in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Compared odour profiles of Varroa-infested brood to healthy brood and found an overall interactive effect between developmental stage and infestation, but specific odours did not drive these differences.

Behavioral and molecular studies of quantitative differences in hygienic behavior in honeybees

The better HB colony performance is primarily achieved by a high number of bees engaging in the hygienic tasks that associate with distinct molecular processes in the brain, suggesting that different gene products and pathways may mediate the quantitative genetic differences of HB.

Specific Cues Associated With Honey Bee Social Defence against Varroa destructor Infested Brood

It is shown that varroa-infested brood produce uniquely identifiable cues that could be used by VSH-performing bees to identify with high specificity which brood cells to sacrifice, which is a disease resistance strategy analogous to programmed cell death.
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