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Insights into social insects from the genome of the honeybee Apis mellifera (2006)

Abstract
Here we report the genome sequence of the honeybee Apis mellifera, a key model for social behaviour and essential to global ecology through pollination. Compared with other sequenced insect genomes, the A. mellifera genome has high A+T and CpG contents, lacks major transposon families, evolves more slowly, and is more similar to vertebrates for circadian rhythm, RNA interference and DNA methylation genes, among others. Furthermore, A. mellifera has fewer genes for innate immunity, detoxification enzymes, cuticle-forming proteins and gustatory receptors, more genes for odorant receptors, and novel genes for nectar and pollen utilization, consistent with its ecology and social organization. Compared to Drosophila, genes in early developmental pathways differ in Apis, whereas similarities exist for functions that differ markedly, such as sex determination, brain function and behaviour. Population genetics suggests a novel African origin for the species A. mellifera and insights into whether Africanized bees spread throughout the New World via hybridization or displacement.

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Publisher Nature publishing group
Repository Lirias is a research document repository at KULeuven (Belgium)
Keywords drosophila-ninag oxidoreductase, beetle tribolium-castaneum, anopheles-gambiae, transposable elements, nuclear receptor, gene-expression, bombyx-mori, statistical-analysis, mariner transposons, mitochondrial-dna
Type Description (Metadata) only, IT, article
Language English
Relation Nature vol:443 issue:7114 pages:931-949