“You are what you eat”
is a common adage among humans, but a new study explains why it might be more
apt for honeybees
In a paper published Thursday in PLOS Genetics,
researchers found specific molecules in the pollen and honey mixture that
honeybee larvae feed on cause physical changes that determine whether females
develop into long-living, reproductive queens or the mostly sterile workers
that nourish larvae and collect food.
Researchers have long
known that these differences are not determined at birth, but rather are a
product of diet. Larvae that eat royal jelly, a substance secreted by the
glands of nurse bees, develop into queens, while those that feed on a
combination of pollen and honey called bee bread become workers.
Previous research
focused on the role of the protein and sugar-rich royal jelly in caste
development, but this study found a new mechanism: small molecules in plants
called microRNA. These molecules can affect the size and colorfulness of
plants, and also play a crucial role in bee development. Transferred to a bee
through bee bread, the microRNA can affect genes in ways that delay physical
development and keep the bees sterile.
Font: The New York Times
