title: Using Errors by Guard Honeybees (Apis mellifera) to Gain New Insights into Nestmate Recognition Signals.
abstract: Although the honeybee (Apis mellifera) is one of the world most studied insects, the chemical compounds used in nestmate recognition, remains an open question. By exploiting the error prone recognition system of the honeybee, coupled with genotyping, we studied the correlation between cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of returning foragers and acceptance or rejection behavior by guards. We revealed an average recognition error rate of 14% across 3 study colonies, that is, allowing a non-nestmate colony entry, or preventing a nestmate from entry, which is lower than reported in previous studies. By analyzing CHCs, we found that CHC profile of returning foragers correlates with acceptance or rejection by guarding bees. Although several CHC were identified as potential recognition cues, only a subset of 4 differed consistently for their relative amount between accepted and rejected individuals in the 3 studied colonies. These include a unique group of 2 positional alkene isomers (Z-8 and Z-10), which are almost exclusively produced by the bees Bombus and Apis spp, and may be candidate compounds for further study.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University of Firenze, Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Duccio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pradella
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK and.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University of Firenze, Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy, CISM, Mass Spectrometry Centre, University of Firenze, Firenze, Viale G. Pieraccini 6, 50139 Firenze, Italy francescaromana.dani@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Francesca R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Dani
mesh_terms: D000475:Alkenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005838:Genotype; D007536:Isomerism; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000475:Alkenes; D008055:Lipids
keywords: Apis mellifera; CHC; alkene isomers; nestmate recognition; recognition bioassay