Nature of brood signal activating the protein synthesis of hypopharyngeal gland in honey bees, Apis mellifera (Apidae: Hymenoptera)

• Published in: Apidologie Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 455 - 464
• Main Authors: Huang, Z.Y. (University of Guelph (Canada). Department of Environmental Biology), Otis, G.W, Teal, P.E.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 1989; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Animal and plant ecology; Animal biology; Animal production studies; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Apidae; APIS MELLIFERA; Autoecology; BEE BROODS; BEHAVIOUR; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; COMPORTAMIENTO; COMPORTEMENT; COUVAIN; CRIA DE ABEJAS; DIET; DIETA; Ecology, environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GLANDE; GLANDS; GLANDULAS; Hymenoptera; Invertebrate Zoology; Life Sciences; PROTEIN SYNTHESIS; Protozoa. Invertebrata; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; SINTESIS DE PROTEINAS; SYNTHESE PROTEIQUE; Chemical communication; Animal communication; Apis mellifica; Brood; Secretion; Insecta; Apidae; Biosynthesis; Social insect; Feeding; Proteins; Apoidea; Arthropoda; Exocrine gland; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Aculeata
• ISSN: 0044-8435; 1297-9678
• DOI: 10.1051/apido:19890601

Evidence suggests the existence of a signal from honey bee brood which activates the protein synthesis of hypopharyngeal glands of nurse honey bees. An in vitro bioassay, modified from Brouwers, was used to measure protein synthesis in glands from bees reared under different treatments. By using colonies divided into brood-right and broodless portions with single or double screens, it was found that the signal can only be obtained by worker bees if they have direct access to the brood. Alternative hypotheses, such as the signal being a highly volatile chemical, or a stimulus transferable through antennal signaling or through trophallaxis, were ruled out by the experimental design. Regression analysis showed that there was a quadratic relationship between total protein content and synthetic activity of hypopharyngeal glands, which indicated that both undeveloped and hypertrophied glands were less actively synthesizing protein than those glands of intermediate sizes.