Age- and division-of-labour-dependent differential expression of a novel non-coding RNA, Nb-1, in the brain of worker honeybees, Apis mellifera L.

作者：Tadano H; Yamazaki Y; Takeuchi H^*; Kubo T

来源：Insect Molecular Biology, 2009, 18(6): 715-726.

DOI：10.1111/j.1365-2583.2009.00911.x

• Apis mellifera
• division of labour
• non-coding RNA
• octopamine
• neurosecretory cell

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying honeybee social behaviours, we identified a novel gene, Nb-1, whose expression in the worker brain changes according to the age-dependent division of labour in normal colonies. The open reading frames contained in the Nb-1 cDNA were not conserved in the homologue of a related species, suggesting that the Nb-1 gene product is a non-coding RNA. The distribution of Nb-1-expressing cells partially overlapped that of octopamine-immunoreactive cells and neurosecretory cells, the latter of which are involved in the synthesis and secretion of juvenile hormone (JH). Octopamine and JH control worker task transition, and thus Nb-1 might be involved in task transition through the modulation of octopamine/JH synthesis and secretion.

• 出版日期2009-12