Behavioral Rhythmicity, Age, Division of Labor and period Expression in the Honey Bee Brain

Oct 24, 2001Journal of biological rhythms

Daily behavior patterns, age, work roles, and internal clocks in the honey bee brain

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Abstract

Average daily levels of period (per) mRNA are higher in forager-age bees compared to young nest bees.

Young adult honey bees exhibit no circadian rhythms while nursing brood, in contrast to older foragers who display strong circadian rhythms.
Newly emerging bees are typically arrhythmic during their first days of adult life but develop strong circadian rhythms by a few days of age.
There is no direct relationship between the average levels of per mRNA in the brain and the bees' behavioral rhythmicity or age.
Nurse bees can have varying levels of per mRNA depending on social conditions, while foragers consistently show high levels.
Foragers demonstrate greater daily fluctuations in per mRNA levels compared to nurse bees, indicating task-related differences in mRNA oscillation.

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Young adult honey bees work inside the beehive "nursing" brood around the clock with no circadian rhythms; older bees forage for nectar and pollen outside with strong circadian rhythms. Previous research has shown that the development of an endogenous rhythm of activity is also seen in the laboratory in a constant environment. Newly emerging bees maintained in isolation are typically arrhythmic during the first few days of adult life and develop strong circadian rhythms by about a few days of age. In addition, average daily levels of period (per) mRNA in the brain are higher in foragers or forager-age bees (> 21 days of age) relative to young nest bees (approximately 7 days of age). The authors used social manipulations to uncouple behavioral rhythmicity, age, and task to determine the relationship between these factors and per. There was no obligate link between average daily levels of per brain mRNA and either behavioral rhythmicity or age. There also were no differences in per brain mRNA levels between nurse bees and foragers in social environments that promote precocious or reversed behavioral development. Nurses and other hive-age bees can have high or low levels of per mRNA levels in the brain, depending on the social environment, while foragers and foraging-age bees always have high levels. These findings suggest a link between honey bee foraging behavior and per up-regulation. Results also suggest task-related differences in the amplitude of per mRNA oscillation in the brain, with foragers having larger diurnal fluctuation in per than nurses, regardless of age. Taken together, these results suggest that social factors may exert potent influences on the regulation of clock genes.

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Behavioral Rhythmicity, Age, Division of Labor and period Expression in the Honey Bee Brain

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