Evolution, Genomes, Behaviour and Ecology, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Cell Tissue Res. 2021 Jan;383(1):177-194. doi: 10.1007/s00441-020-03401-8. Epub 2021 Jan 15.
The honeybee Apis mellifera L. is a crucial pollinator as well as a prominent scientific model organism, in particular for the neurobiological study of olfactory perception, learning, and memory. A wealth of information is indeed available about how the worker bee brain detects, processes, and learns about odorants. Comparatively, olfaction in males (the drones) and queens has received less attention, although they engage in a fascinating mating behavior that strongly relies on olfaction. Here, we present our current understanding of the molecules, cells, and circuits underlying bees' sexual communication. Mating in honeybees takes place at so-called drone congregation areas and places high in the air where thousands of drones gather and mate in dozens with virgin queens. One major queen-produced olfactory signal-9-ODA, the major component of the queen pheromone-has been known for decades to attract the drones. Since then, some of the neural pathways responsible for the processing of this pheromone have been unraveled. However, olfactory receptor expression as well as brain neuroanatomical data point to the existence of three additional major pathways in the drone brain, hinting at the existence of 4 major odorant cues involved in honeybee mating. We discuss current evidence about additional not only queen- but also drone-produced pheromonal signals possibly involved in bees' sexual behavior. We also examine data revealing recent evolutionary changes in drone's olfactory system in the Apis genus. Lastly, we present promising research avenues for progressing in our understanding of the neural basis of bees mating behavior.
西方蜜蜂（Apis mellifera L.）既是一种重要的传粉者，也是神经生物学领域中研究嗅觉感知、学习和记忆的重要模式生物。事实上，我们已经了解到了很多关于工蜂大脑如何检测、处理和学习气味的信息。相比之下，雄蜂（雄蜂）和蜂王的嗅觉功能则受到较少关注，尽管它们的交配行为非常有趣，而且强烈依赖于嗅觉。在这里，我们介绍了目前关于蜜蜂性通讯分子、细胞和回路的理解。在蜜蜂中，交配发生在所谓的雄蜂聚集区和高空中，数千只雄蜂聚集在那里与处女蜂王交配。蜂王产生的一种主要嗅觉信号-9-ODA，是蜂王信息素的主要成分，几十年来一直被认为可以吸引雄蜂。从那时起，已经揭示了一些负责处理这种信息素的神经通路。然而，嗅觉受体的表达以及大脑神经解剖学数据表明，雄蜂大脑中存在另外三个主要的通路，暗示在蜜蜂交配中存在 4 种主要的气味线索。我们讨论了目前关于额外的不仅是蜂王，还有雄蜂产生的信息素信号的证据，这些信号可能参与了蜜蜂的性行为。我们还研究了揭示阿皮斯属雄蜂嗅觉系统最近进化变化的数据。最后，我们提出了有希望的研究途径，以促进我们对蜜蜂交配行为神经基础的理解。
