title: Identification and characterization of an Egr ortholog as a neural immediate early gene in the European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.).
abstract: To date, there are only few reports of immediate early genes (IEGs) available in insects. Aiming at identifying a conserved IEG in insects, we characterized an Egr homolog of the honeybee (AmEgr: Apis mellifera Egr). AmEgr was transiently induced in whole worker brains after seizure induction. In situ hybridization for AmEgr indicated that neural activity of a certain mushroom body (a higher brain center) neuron subtype, which is the same as that we previously identified using another non-coding IEG, termed kakusei, is more enhanced in forager brains. These findings suggest that Egr can be utilized as an IEG in insects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugajin
authors.forename: Takekazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunieda
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001516:Bees / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1
keywords: Egr-family; Honeybee; Immediate early gene