title: Social pleiotropy and the molecular  evolution of honey bee vitellogenin.
abstract: In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Kent et al. (2011) describe the adaptive evolution of honey bee vitellogenin that belongs to a phylogenetically conserved group of egg yolk precursors. This glyco-lipoprotein leads a double life: it is central to egg production in the reproductive queen caste, and a regulator of social behaviour in the sterile worker caste. Does such social pleiotropy constrain molecular evolution? To the contrary; Kent et al. show that the vitellogenin gene is under strong positive selection in honey bees. Rapid change has taken place in specific protein regions, shedding light on the evolution of novel vitellogenin functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 5003 1432 Aas, Norway.
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Havukainen
authors.forename: Øyvind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Halskau
authors.forename: Gro V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Amdam
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014819:Vitellogenins