Navigation Links
Honey bee genome holds clues to social behavior

By studying the humble honey bee, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have come a step closer to understanding the molecular basis of social behavior in humans.

"The honey bee (Apis millifera) has been called a model system for social behavior," said Saurabh (pronounced SAW-rub) Sinha, a professor of computer science and an affiliate of the university's Institute for Genomic Biology. Using that model system, Sinha led a team that searched the honey bee genome for clues for social cues ?a form of bee pressure that can cause bees to change jobs in response to needs of the hive.

"We want to learn how the honey bee society influences behavior in individual honey bees," said Sinha, who is lead author of a paper that will be posted online this week ahead of regular publication by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "By studying the social regulation of gene expression, we hope to extrapolate the biology to humans."

Adult worker bees perform a number of tasks in the hive when they are young, such as caring for eggs and larvae, and then shift to foraging for nectar and pollen as they age. However, if the hive has a shortage of foragers, some of the young nurse bees will switch jobs and become foragers.

The job transition, whether triggered by age or social cues, involves changes in thousands of genes in the honey bee brain; some genes turn on, while others turn off.

Genes are switched on and off by short strings of DNA that lie close to the gene. The strings serve as binding sites for particular molecules, called transcription factors. For example, when the correct transcription factor latches into the binding site, the gene may be switched on. If the transcription factor breaks away from the binding site, the gene is switched off.

To search for genes that might play a role in social behavior, Sinha and his colleagues used the newly sequenced honey bee genome to scan the binding s
'"/>

Source:University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Honeybee decision-making ability rivals any department committee
2. Honey helps problem wounds
3. Honeydew honeys are better antioxidants than nectar honeys
4. Man and mouse share genome structures
5. Whole genome fine map of rice completed
6. Study finds more than one-third of human genome regulated by RNA
7. A bacterial genome reveals new targets to combat infectious disease
8. Scientists decipher genome of fungus that can cause life-threatening infections
9. Highly adaptable genome in gut bacterium key to intestinal health
10. Fleshing out the genome
11. Agilent Technologies new genome analysis technology set to accelerate Australia fight against mesothelioma
Post Your Comments:
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Species down, disease up 2Species down, disease up 3Species down, disease up 4AGU fall meeting: Preliminary press conference topics, press pre-registration deadline 2AGU fall meeting: Preliminary press conference topics, press pre-registration deadline 3AGU fall meeting: Preliminary press conference topics, press pre-registration deadline 4AGU fall meeting: Preliminary press conference topics, press pre-registration deadline 5AGU fall meeting: Preliminary press conference topics, press pre-registration deadline 6Stopping MRSA before it becomes dangerous is possible, Sandia/UNM researchers find 2Stopping MRSA before it becomes dangerous is possible, Sandia/UNM researchers find 3New Survey Reveals Health Related Fitness as Primary Focus of Middle and High School Physical Education Programs 54197 1New Survey Reveals Health Related Fitness as Primary Focus of Middle and High School Physical Education Programs 54197 2New Survey Reveals Health Related Fitness as Primary Focus of Middle and High School Physical Education Programs 54197 3New Survey Reveals Health Related Fitness as Primary Focus of Middle and High School Physical Education Programs 54197 4Worlds First Emergency Medical Device Franchise Launches eMed Alert 54194 1Worlds First Emergency Medical Device Franchise Launches eMed Alert 54194 2Worlds First Emergency Medical Device Franchise Launches eMed Alert 54194 3Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 1Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 2Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 3Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 4Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 5Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 6Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 7Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 8Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 9Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 10Studies Published in the New England Journal of Medicine Highlight Potential New Option in the Treatment of Bone Loss 4845 11
Breaking Biology Technology:AEterna Zentaris Partner, Keryx, Reports Updated Phase 1/2 Data, Including New Survival Data, on Perifosine (KRX-0401) in the Treatment of Advanced Multiple Myeloma at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 2AEterna Zentaris Partner, Keryx, Reports Updated Phase 1/2 Data, Including New Survival Data, on Perifosine (KRX-0401) in the Treatment of Advanced Multiple Myeloma at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 3AEterna Zentaris Partner, Keryx, Reports Updated Phase 1/2 Data, Including New Survival Data, on Perifosine (KRX-0401) in the Treatment of Advanced Multiple Myeloma at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 4AEterna Zentaris Partner, Keryx, Reports Updated Phase 1/2 Data, Including New Survival Data, on Perifosine (KRX-0401) in the Treatment of Advanced Multiple Myeloma at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 5AEterna Zentaris Partner, Keryx, Reports Updated Phase 1/2 Data, Including New Survival Data, on Perifosine (KRX-0401) in the Treatment of Advanced Multiple Myeloma at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 6EUCODIS Bioscience Appoints Thomas Fischer as New CEO 2Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Acquires Hermes Biosciences, Inc. 2Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Acquires Hermes Biosciences, Inc. 3RE-COVER Study Evaluating Dabigatran Etexilate Met Primary Outcome for the Six-Month Treatment of Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) 2RE-COVER Study Evaluating Dabigatran Etexilate Met Primary Outcome for the Six-Month Treatment of Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) 3RE-COVER Study Evaluating Dabigatran Etexilate Met Primary Outcome for the Six-Month Treatment of Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) 4RE-COVER Study Evaluating Dabigatran Etexilate Met Primary Outcome for the Six-Month Treatment of Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) 5RE-COVER Study Evaluating Dabigatran Etexilate Met Primary Outcome for the Six-Month Treatment of Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) 6
Other Biology Technology:PDL BioPharma Announces Significant Strategic and Portfolio Changes to Focus on Antibody Discovery and Development 2PDL BioPharma Announces Significant Strategic and Portfolio Changes to Focus on Antibody Discovery and Development 3PDL BioPharma Announces Significant Strategic and Portfolio Changes to Focus on Antibody Discovery and Development 4PDL BioPharma Announces Significant Strategic and Portfolio Changes to Focus on Antibody Discovery and Development 5Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Announces Reorganization to Focus Resources and Build Value in Clinical-Stage Programs 2Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Announces Reorganization to Focus Resources and Build Value in Clinical-Stage Programs 3Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Announces Reorganization to Focus Resources and Build Value in Clinical-Stage Programs 4Avicena Signs Worldwide Exclusive Distribution Agreement with RITA Corporation for its Proprietary Dermaceutical Compounds 2Avicena Signs Worldwide Exclusive Distribution Agreement with RITA Corporation for its Proprietary Dermaceutical Compounds 3Avicena Signs Worldwide Exclusive Distribution Agreement with RITA Corporation for its Proprietary Dermaceutical Compounds 4