Expression of two ecdysteroid-regulated genes, Broad-Complex and E75, in the brain and ovary of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.).
We previously demonstrated that two ecdysteroid-regulated genes, Mblk-1/E93 and E74, are expressed selectively in Kenyon cell subtypes in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) brain. To further examine the possible involvement of ecdysteroid-regulated genes in brain function as well as in oogenesis in the honeybee, we isolated cDNAs for two other ecdysteroid-regulated genes, Broad-Complex (BR-C) and E75, and analyzed their expression in the worker brain as well as in the queen abdomen. In situ hybridization revealed that BR-C, like Mblk-1/ E93, is expressed selectively in the large-type Kenyon cells of the mushroom bodies in the worker brain, whereas E75 is expressed in all mushroom body neuron subtypes, suggesting a difference in the mode of response to ecdysteroid among Kenyon cell subtypes. In the queen ovary, both BR-C and E75 are expressed preferentially in the follicle cells that surround egg cells at the late stage, suggesting their role in oogenesis. These results suggest that BR-C and E75 are involved in the regulation of brain function as well as in reproductive physiology in the adult honeybee.
Paul
Rajib Kumar
RK
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Takeuchi
Hideaki
H
Kubo
Takeo
T
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D026461:Ecdysteroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D026461:Ecdysteroids