Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, campus, 38810-000 Rio Paranaíba, MG, Brazil.
Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 2021 Apr-May;253:110551. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110551. Epub 2020 Dec 23.
Aquaporins are membrane proteins responsible for the rapid transport of water and solutes through the plasma membrane in almost all organisms including microorganisms, animals and plants. The knowledge about aquaporins in insects has advanced in the last years, especially in organs such as the gut and Malpighian tubules, but their roles in ovaries are poorly understood. This study reports the occurrence and the expression of gene profiles of predicted aquaporins in the ovaries of virgin and mated queens of the honeybee Apis mellifera. The expression of six aquaporin genes (Am-DRIP, Am-PRIP, Am-Eglp1, Am-Eglp2, Am-Eglp3 and Am-BIB) was investigated in the ovaries of queens of different ages and physiological status. The Am-Eglp3 has the higher level of transcript in newly emerged virgin queens. The Am-PRIP and Am-Eglp2 have a higher level of transcripts in 4 days-old virgin queens, aged expected to mate. In mated queens, only the Am-Eglp2 show high level of transcripts. Aquaporin was immunolocalized in the follicular cells of both nurse and oocytic chambers of the previtellogenic and vitellogenic follicles. This is the first report for the presence of aquaporins in the ovaries of bees.
水通道蛋白是一类膜蛋白，负责在几乎所有生物体（包括微生物、动物和植物）的质膜中快速运输水和溶质。近年来，昆虫中水通道蛋白的知识有了很大的进展，特别是在肠道和马氏管等器官中，但它们在卵巢中的作用还知之甚少。本研究报道了在处女蜂王和交配蜂王的卵巢中预测水通道蛋白的基因谱的发生和表达。研究了六个水通道蛋白基因（Am-DRIP、Am-PRIP、Am-Eglp1、Am-Eglp2、Am-Eglp3 和 Am-BIB）在不同年龄和生理状态的蜂王卵巢中的表达。Am-Eglp3 在新出现的处女蜂王中的转录水平最高。Am-PRIP 和 Am-Eglp2 在预期交配的 4 天大的处女蜂王中转录水平较高。在交配的蜂王中，只有 Am-Eglp2 显示出高水平的转录。水通道蛋白在卵原细胞和卵黄细胞室的滤泡细胞中免疫定位。这是首次在蜜蜂的卵巢中发现水通道蛋白。
