Proteomic and metabolomic analysis reveals rapid and extensive nicotine detoxification ability in honey bee larvae.
Despite potential links between pesticides and bee declines, toxicology information on honey bee larvae (Apis mellifera) is scarce and detoxification mechanisms in this development stage are virtually unknown. Larvae are exposed to natural and synthetic toxins present in pollen and nectar through consumption of brood food. Due to the characteristic intensive brood care displayed by honey bees, which includes progressive feeding throughout larval development, it is generally assumed that larvae rely on adults to detoxify for them and exhibit a diminished detoxification ability. We found the opposite. We examined the proteomic and metabolomic responses of in vitro reared larvae fed nicotine (an alkaloid found in nectar and pollen) to understand how larvae cope on a metabolic level with dietary toxins. Larvae were able to effectively detoxify nicotine through an inducible detoxification mechanism. A coordinated stress response complemented the detoxification processes, and we detected significant enrichment of proteins functioning in energy and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as in development pathways, suggesting that nicotine may promote larval growth. Further exploration of the metabolic fate of nicotine using targeted mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that, as in adult bees, formation of 4-hydroxy-4-(3-pyridyl) butanoic acid, the result of 2'C-oxidation of nicotine, is quantitatively the most significant pathway of nicotine metabolism. We provide conclusive evidence that larvae are capable of effectively catabolising a dietary toxin, suggesting that increased larval sensitivity to specific toxins is not due to diminished detoxification abilities. These findings broaden the current understanding of detoxification biochemistry at different organizational levels in the colony, bringing us closer to understanding the capacity of the colony as a superorganism to tolerate and resist toxic compounds, including pesticides, in the environment.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: ezette.durand@up.ac.za.
Esther E
EE
du Rand
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: hhuman@zoology.up.ac.za.
Hannelie
H
Human
Proteomics Unit, Central Analytical Facility, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa. Electronic address: salome@anatech.co.za.
Salome
S
Smit
Department of Biochemistry, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: mervyn.beukes@up.ac.za.
Mervyn
M
Beukes
Department of Biochemistry, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: zeno.apostolides@up.ac.za.
Zeno
Z
Apostolides
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: swnicolson@zoology.up.ac.za.
Susan W
SW
Nicolson
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: cwwpirk@zoology.up.ac.za.
Christian W W
CW
Pirk
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D055442:Metabolome; D009538:Nicotine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation
D009538:Nicotine
Apis mellifera; Detoxification; Energy metabolism; Larvae; Nicotine