RNA-Seq of Apis mellifera adult antennae
Antennal samples were collected on day 18 to evaluate the long-term effects of early olfactory experiences on gene expression. Each sample, composed of 30 antennae (10 from each colony), was homogenized, and total RNA was extracted using TRIzol and resuspended in DEPC-treated water. RNA integrity and quality were checked using agarose gel electrophoresis and an Agilent Bioanalyzer. For sequencing, 10 cDNA libraries were prepared using the NEB Next Ultra RNA Library Prep Kit, with an insert size of 250-300 base pairs. The libraries were sequenced by Novogene Corporation using Illumina NovaSeq 4000, achieving a depth of at least 20 million paired-end reads per library.