An strain from bee bread of the Western honey bee () displays adaptations to distinctive features of the hive environment.

fungi are ubiquitous inhabitants of colonies of the western honey bee (), where they interact with bees in associations ranging from parasitism to possible mutualism. fungi are frequently found in bee bread (pollen processed for longterm storage) and are thought to contribute to food preparation, processing, preservation, and digestion. Conditions in the hive are challenging for fungi due, in part, to xeric and acidic properties of bee bread and the omnipresence of propolis, an antimicrobial product manufactured by bees from plant resins.

Genetics of tolerance in honeybees to the neonicotinoid clothianidin.

The effects of neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) on honeybee health are intensely debated, with numerous studies showing negative effects of exposure, while others report no such effects. We carried out experiments to study the genetic and molecular basis of NNI tolerance in honeybees, which may underlie the discrepancies observed in the literature. We discovered that worker survival post-exposure to an acute oral dose of clothianidin is heritable (  = 37.

Flooding and herbivory: the effect of concurrent stress factors on plant volatile emissions and gene expression in two heirloom tomato varieties.

Background: In nature and in cultivated fields, plants encounter multiple stress factors. Nonetheless, our understanding of how plants actively respond to combinatorial stress remains limited. Among the least studied stress combination is that of flooding and herbivory, despite the growing importance of these stressors in the context of climate change.

Specific phytochemicals in floral nectar up-regulate genes involved in longevity regulation and xenobiotic metabolism, extending mosquito life span.

During nectar feeding, mosquitoes ingest a plethora of phytochemicals present in nectar. The ecological and physiological impacts of these ingested phytochemicals on the disease vectors are poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of three nectar phytochemicals-- caffeine, -coumaric acid, and quercetin--on longevity, fecundity, and sugar-feeding behavior of the Asian tiger mosquito (.

Differential regulation of cytochrome P450 genes associated with biosynthesis and detoxification in bifenthrin-resistant populations of navel orangewom (Amyelois transitella).

Pyrethroid resistance was first reported in 2013 for the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella, but the genetic underpinnings of pyrethroid resistance are unknown. We investigated the role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) belonging to the CYP3 and CYP4 clans using colonies derived from individuals collected in 2016 from almond orchards in two counties. One colony (ALM) originated from an almond orchard in Madera County with no reported pyrethroid resistance and the second colony (R347) originated from the same Kern County orchard where pyrethroid resistance was first reported.

Signatures of selection and evolutionary relevance of cytochrome P450s in plant-insect interactions.

Enzymes in the cytochrome P450 (P450) superfamily have important functions ranging from those that are essential for the physiology and development of the individual to those that mediate interactions between individuals and their biotic environment. Until recently the study of P450s had focused on single functions, substrates, or pathways. Recent advances in sequencing, genome assembly, and phylogenetic methods have returned emphasis to the adaptive value of these enzymes in the context of herbivory.

Selective Sweeps in a Nutshell: The Genomic Footprint of Rapid Insecticide Resistance Evolution in the Almond Agroecosystem.

Among the most familiar forms of human-driven evolution on ecological time scales is the rapid acquisition of resistance to pesticides by insects. Since the widespread adoption of synthetic organic insecticides in the mid-twentieth century, over 500 arthropod species have evolved resistance to at least one insecticide. Efforts to determine the genetic bases of insecticide resistance have historically focused on individual loci, but the availability of genomic tools has facilitated the screening of genome-wide characteristics.

Honey as a Functional Food for .

Although nectar is consumed, primarily as a supplemental food, by a broad range of insects spanning at least five orders, it is processed and stored by only a small number of species, most of which are bees and wasps in the superfamily Apoidea. Within this group, has evolved remarkable adaptations facilitating nectar processing and storage; in doing so, this species utilizes the end product, honey, for diverse functions with few if any equivalents in other phytophagous insects. Honey and its phytochemical constituents, some of which likely derive from propolis, have functional significance in protecting honey bees against microbial pathogens, toxins, and cold stress, as well as in regulating development and adult longevity.

PCR-Based Gut Content Analysis to Detect Predation of Eriococcus ironsidei (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) by Coccinellidae Species in Macadamia Nut Orchards in Hawaii.

Macadamia felted coccid, Eriococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) was first found infesting macadamia trees in the island of Hawaii in 2005. Macadamia felted coccid infests all above-ground parts of trees to feed and reproduce. Their feeding activity distorts and stunts new growth which causes yellow spotting on older leaves, and when population densities become high, branch dieback occurs.

Cytochrome P450 diversification and hostplant utilization patterns in specialist and generalist moths: Birth, death and adaptation.

Across insect genomes, the size of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) gene superfamily varies widely. CYPome size variation has been attributed to reciprocal adaptive radiations in insect detoxification genes in response to plant biosynthetic gene radiations driven by co-evolution between herbivores and their chemically defended hostplants. Alternatively, variation in CYPome size may be due to random "birth-and-death" processes, whereby exponential increase via gene duplications is limited by random decay via gene death or transition via divergence.

Organ-specific transcriptome profiling of metabolic and pigment biosynthesis pathways in the floral ornamental progenitor species Anthurium amnicola Dressler.

Anthurium amnicola Dressler possesses a number of desirable and novel ornamental traits such as a purple-colored upright spathe, profuse flowering, and floral scent, some of which have been introgressed into modern Anthurium cultivars. As a first step in identifying genes associated with these traits, the transcriptome from root, leaf, spathe, and spadix from an accession of A. amnicola was assembled, resulting in 28,019 putative transcripts representing 19,458 unigenes.

The role of invertases in plant compensatory responses to simulated herbivory.

Background: The ability of a plant to overcome animal-induced damage is referred to as compensation or tolerance and ranges from undercompensation (decreased fitness when damaged) to overcompensation (increased fitness when damaged). Although it is clear that genetic variation for compensation exists among plants, little is known about the specific genetic underpinnings leading to enhanced fitness. Our previous study identified the enzyme GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE 1 (G6PD1) as a key regulator contributing to the phenomenon of overcompensation via its role in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP).

MicroRNAs in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis: extending Drosophilid miRNA conservation to the Tephritidae.

Background: The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is an important plant pest species in the family Tephritidae. It is a phytophagous species with broad host range, and while not established in the mainland United States, is a species of great concern for introduction. Despite the vast amount of information available from the closely related model organism Drosophila melanogaster, information at the genome and transcriptome level is still very limited for this species.

Transcriptome of the egg parasitoid Fopius arisanus: an important biocontrol tool for Tephritid fruit fly suppression.

Background: The Braconid wasp Fopius arisanus (Sonan) has been utilized for biological control of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), and the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), both of which are phytophagous fruit fly pests of economic importance in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. We have sequenced and assembled the transcriptome of this wasp using tissue from four different life stages: larvae, pupae, adult males and adult females, with the aim to contribute foundational resources to aid in the understanding of the biology and behavior of this important parasitoid.

Findings: The transcriptome of the parasitic wasp Fopius arisanus was sequenced and reconstructed using a strategy that identified 15,346 high confidence, non-redundant transcripts derived from 8,307 predicted unigenes.

Reconstructing a comprehensive transcriptome assembly of a white-pupal translocated strain of the pest fruit fly Bactrocera cucurbitae.

Background: Bactrocera cucurbitae is a serious global agricultural pest. Basic genomic information is lacking for this species, and this would be useful to inform methods of control, damage mitigation, and eradication efforts. Here, we have sequenced, assembled, and annotated a comprehensive transcriptome for a mass-rearing sexing strain of this species.