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Honeybee Genome Sequenced
mapkinase writes to let us know about articles in Nature on the completed sequencing of the honeybee genome. From the first article: "Two other insects have already been sequenced: the malaria-carrying mosquito Anopheles gambiae, and one of science's great model organisms, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Like these, the bee is much easier to manipulate and study than, say, the monkey. But unlike the mosquito and the fruitfly, the bee's social behavior is of special interest." Another article in the same issue clarifies why this sequencing is important: "The genome is helping to reveal some of those [such as the bees' dance language and the division of labor in the hive] mechanisms. For instance, there are 65 spots in the genome that seem to code for short RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs), molecular switches that can turn genes on or off. The researchers found that miRNA activity differs between bees doing different jobs."
Interesting that miRNA could be turned off and on. These play a role in helping dicer form the RISC, so I wonder what this may lead to, not only in terms of info on honeybee's social behavior, but RNAi.
Cogito, ergo sum, fosho!
How long before we can expect genetically milk and honey-producing cows? (or, indeed, cow overlords)
C'mon I want this to put on my cereal!
When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
I bet this creates quite a buzz among genome researchers.
Is it just me, or does the whole DNA/Genome decoding process sound like rather complex dis-assembly project? Every living thing on this planet is nothing but a quad-nary based executable with VERY VERY good error-correction duplication.
never bring a twinkie to a food fight.
besides their social behavior, there is a lot known about how the navigation system of honeybees works (i.e., how they find the hive after foraging). Understanding honeybee genetics could have an impact on understanding and designing autonomous systems for robotics.
NO CARRIER
Reuters' original online article about this misidentified the queen bee as Queen Elizabeth, stating that Britain's monarch was capable of laying "up to 2,000 eggs a day"o _te.html
they've corrected it, but you can see the original article here:
http://www.regrettheerror.com/2006/10/reuters_typ
Careful! I've heard that bad things happen if you play Region 5 bees (Africa) with Region 2 (Europe) players imported to Region 1.
I understand this is pretty cool, but what could all the buzz bee about?
This always confused me with the human genome project: For the most part, two different people will have somewhat different genes.
So when they sequence the human genome, how do they handle the variations? Does everyone in the project work from the same person's DNA?
> Am I missing something here?
Yes. There is only so much you can do in a lab to humans. Or for that matter monkeys or mice. However PETA doesn't seem to realize that bees and flys are animals so...
More seriously, we work with model organisms because they are much easier to work with. You can do experiments that would either cost much much more or simply be impossible in a mammal model. Depending on what you are interested in there are lots of popular model organisms: nematodes, flys, bees, zebrafish, xenopus, mouse, rat, macaque... all useful for investigating different aspects of biology, and all relevant to human health at some level.
There have been three developments in apiculture in the last 30 years or so that have driven down the availability of honey, thus driving up the price.
First, DDT got banned. Ever hear the Joni Mitchell song that goes, "Hey farmer farmer, take away the DDT now. Give me spots on apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please." Unfortunately, the opposite happened: without DDT, honeybee competitors thrived, and stronger pesticides that actually did harm the bee were introduced.
The next problem was the spread of African or "killer" bees, which came to us via South America. These bees are basically the same as the European ones we've historically had, except for one trait: if they perceive hive attack, they don't stop attacking once the immediate threat is past, but follow the attacker until it is taught a lesson. They're somewhat more agressive in other ways, too, but it's been some years since I dealt with that.
Lastly, and possibly related to DDT removal, is a tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi, that kills off entire colonies. I don't think they've found any bees with defenses against the mites, nor against varroa jacobsoni, another deadly mite.
These threats have basically wiped out the cottage beekeeping industry. It got to be expensive, and no fun.
But if genetic alterations can be engineered to make the "attack until dead" gene recessive, the mite problem would be tolerable, even for hobbyists. The mites can be warded off -- that's a solvable problem, but having the hive attack you isn't. It's unlikely that genetics or DDT could do much to counter the mites directly, but you never know.
Raise your children as if you were teaching them to raise your grandchildren, because you are.
many bees died to bring us this information
Can you really call them Region 2 bees when they become Region 5 bees once exposed to each other?
I have nothing to say.
Every time I read about DNA being sequenced I wonder if this means 3 or 4 dimensions. Is it known already what switches one gene on or off during a lifespan ? Where are the time or trigger informations stored ? ... just wondering and really am no expert ...
Yes.
They are only Region 5 bees if they marry a region 5 bee or wait 3 years for citizenship.
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mmm, as long as i get to eat honey life is sweet.