Page R E, Erber J, Fondrk M K
Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.95616. USA.
J Comp Physiol A. 1998 Apr;182(4):489-500. doi: 10.1007/s003590050196.
Honey bee foragers were tested for their proboscis extension response (PER) to water and varying solutions of sucrose. Returning pollen and nectar foragers were collected at the entrance of a colony and were assayed in the laboratory. Pollen foragers had a significantly higher probability of responding to water and to lower concentrations of sucrose. Bees derived from artificially selected high- and low-pollen-hoarding strains were also tested using the proboscis extension assay. Returning foragers were captured and tested for PERs0 to 30% sucrose. Results demonstrated a genotypic effect on PERs of returnining foragers. The PERs of departing high- and low-strain foragers were consistent with those of returning foragers. The PERs were related to nectar and water reward perception of foragers. High strain bees were more likely to return with loads of water and lower concentrations of sucrose than foragers from low pollen strain. Low-strain bees were more likely to return empty. We identified a previously mapped genomic region that contains a variable quantitative trait locus that appears to influence sucrose response thresholds. These studies demonstrate a gene-brain-behavior pathway that can be altered as a consequence of colony-level selection for quantities of stored food.
对蜜蜂采集者进行了测试，以观察它们对水和不同浓度蔗糖溶液的喙伸反应（PER）。在蜂群入口处收集归来的采粉和采蜜蜜蜂，并在实验室中进行测定。采粉蜜蜂对水和较低浓度蔗糖做出反应的概率显著更高。还使用喙伸试验对来自人工选择的高花粉储存和低花粉储存品系的蜜蜂进行了测试。捕获归来的采集者并测试其对0至30%蔗糖的PER。结果表明，基因型对归来采集者的PER有影响。高品系和低品系出发采集者的PER与归来采集者的PER一致。PER与采集者对花蜜和水奖励的感知有关。高品系蜜蜂比低花粉品系的采集者更有可能带着水和较低浓度的蔗糖返回。低品系蜜蜂更有可能空手而归。我们确定了一个先前定位的基因组区域，该区域包含一个可变的数量性状位点，似乎会影响蔗糖反应阈值。这些研究证明了一条基因-大脑-行为途径，该途径可能会因蜂群水平对储存食物量的选择而改变。
