Meeting Abstract

P2.122  Monday, Jan. 5  Vitellogenin modulates foraging behavior in selected strains of honey bees (Apis mellifera) IHLE, Kate/E*; PAGE, Robert/E Jr.; FONDRK, M/K; AMDAM, Gro/V; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University, Tempe; Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas kateihle@asu.edu

Vitellogenin, a yolk precursor gene, is proposed to have a role in pacing the foraging onset and in biasing the foraging loads of honey bee workers. In unselected worker bees vitellogenin knockdown induced through RNA interference (RNAi) results in early foraging onset and preferential nectar collection. Two hypotheses, the reproductive ground plan hypothesis (RGPH) and the double-repressor hypothesis (DRH), provide potential frameworks for explaining the role of vitellogenin in the regulation of honey bee worker behavior. While these hypotheses are potentially compatible, their direct relationship has been untested. We used selected strains of honey bees with different endocrine sensitivity to vitellogenin, combined with RNAi to investigate the predictions of and relationship between the RPGH and DRH. Vitellogenin knockdown differentially affects the selected strains, demonstrating that the behavioral response to vitellogenin activity is conditional on the sensitivity of the endocrine repressor system as predicted by the DRH. We also show that vitellogenin knockdown influences foraging behavior in accord with the forager RGPH. These results demonstrate the compatibility of the DRH and RGPH, and show a consistent influence of vitellogenin activity on worker behavior.