Differential expression of HR38 in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee brain depends on the caste and division of labor.
We used a cDNA microarray to identify genes expressed in a caste (worker)- and division of labor (nurse bees or foragers)-dependent manner in the honeybee brain. Among the identified genes, one encoded a putative orphan receptor (HR38) homologue that mediates ecdysteroid-signaling. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated that expression of this gene is higher in forager brains, as compared to nurse bees and queens. In the forager brain, expression was concentrated in a subset of the mushroom body neurons, suggesting that ecdysteroid-signaling in the mushroom bodies might be involved in the division of labor of the workers.
Yamazaki
Yurika
Y
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Shirai
Kenichi
K
Paul
Rajib Kumar
RK
Fujiyuki
Tomoko
T
Wakamoto
Akiko
A
Takeuchi
Hideaki
H
Kubo
Takeo
T
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D049750:Genome, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors