The Africanized honey bee (AHB) is a New World amalgamation of several subspecies of the western honey bee (
Honey bees (
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10459379
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Ecology and Evolution
- Volume:
- 9
- Issue:
- 19
- ISSN:
- 2045-7758
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 10895-10902
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Admixture in Africanized honey bees ( Apis mellifera ) from Panamá to San Diego, California (U.S.A.)
Abstract Apis mellifera ), a diverse taxon historically grouped into four major biogeographic lineages: A (African), M (Western European), C (Eastern European), and O (Middle Eastern). In 1956, accidental release of experimentally bred “Africanized” hybrids from a research apiary in Sao Paulo, Brazil initiated a hybrid species expansion that now extends from northern Argentina to northern California (U.S.A.). Here, we assess nuclear admixture and mitochondrial ancestry in 60 bees from four countries (Panamá; Costa Rica, Mexico; U.S.A) across this expansive range to assess ancestry of AHB several decades following initial introduction and test the prediction that African ancestry decreases with increasing latitude. We find that AHB nuclear genomes from Central America and Mexico have predominately African genomes (76%–89%) with smaller contributions from Western and Eastern European lineages. Similarly, nearly all honey bees from Central America and Mexico possess mitochondrial ancestry from the African lineage with few individuals having European mitochondria. In contrast, AHB from San Diego (CA) shows markedly lower African ancestry (38%) with substantial genomic contributions from all four major honey bee lineages and mitochondrial ancestry from all four clades as well. Genetic diversity measures from all New World populations equal or exceed those of ancestral populations. Interestingly, the feral honey bee population of San Diego emerges as a reservoir of diverse admixture and high genetic diversity, making it a potentially rich source of genetic material for honey bee breeding. -
Abstract The arrival to the
U nitedS tates of theA fricanized honey bee, a hybrid betweenE uropean subspecies and theA frican subspecies , is a remarkable model for the study of biological invasions. This immigration has created an opportunity to study the dynamics of secondary contact of honey bee subspecies fromA pis mellifera scutellataA frican andE uropean lineages in a feral population inS outhT exas. An 11‐year survey of this population (1991–2001) showed that mitochondrial haplotype frequencies changed drastically over time from a resident population of eastern and western European maternal ancestry, to a population dominated by theA frican haplotype. A subsequent study of the nuclear genome showed that theA fricanization process included bidirectional gene flow between European and Africanized honey bees, giving rise to a new panmictic mixture of and European‐derived genes. In this study, we examined gene flow patterns in the same population 23 years after the first hybridization event occurred. We found 28 active colonies inhabiting 92 tree cavities surveyed in a 5.14 km2area, resulting in a colony density of 5.4 colonies/km2. Of these 28 colonies, 25 were ofA . m. scutellata‐A. m. scutellata maternal ancestry, and three were of western European maternal ancestry. No colonies of eastern European maternal ancestry were detected, although they were present in the earlier samples. NuclearDNA revealed little change in the introgression of ‐derived genes into the population compared to previous surveys. Our results suggest this feral population remains an admixed swarm with continued low levels of European ancestry and a greater presence of African‐derived mitochondrial genetic composition.A . m. scutellata -
Graf, Joerg (Ed.)ABSTRACT Fungal pathogens, among other stressors, negatively impact the productivity and population size of honey bees, one of our most important pollinators (1, 2), in particular their brood (larvae and pupae) (3, 4). Understanding the factors that influence disease incidence and prevalence in brood may help us improve colony health and productivity. Here, we examined the capacity of a honey bee-associated bacterium, Bombella apis , to suppress the growth of fungal pathogens and ultimately protect bee brood from infection. Our results showed that strains of B. apis inhibit the growth of two insect fungal pathogens, Beauveria bassiana and Aspergillus flavus , in vitro . This phenotype was recapitulated in vivo ; bee broods supplemented with B. apis were significantly less likely to be infected by A. flavus . Additionally, the presence of B. apis reduced sporulation of A. flavus in the few bees that were infected. Analyses of biosynthetic gene clusters across B. apis strains suggest antifungal candidates, including a type 1 polyketide, terpene, and aryl polyene. Secreted metabolites from B. apis alone were sufficient to suppress fungal growth, supporting the hypothesis that fungal inhibition is mediated by an antifungal metabolite. Together, these data suggest that B. apis can suppress fungal infections in bee brood via secretion of an antifungal metabolite. IMPORTANCE Fungi can play critical roles in host microbiomes (5–7), yet bacterial-fungal interactions are understudied. For insects, fungi are the leading cause of disease (5, 8). In particular, populations of the European honey bee ( Apis mellifera ), an agriculturally and economically critical species, have declined in part due to fungal pathogens. The presence and prevalence of fungal pathogens in honey bees have far-reaching consequences, endangering other species and threatening food security (1, 2, 9). Our research highlights how a bacterial symbiont protects bee brood from fungal infection. Further mechanistic work could lead to the development of new antifungal treatments.more » « less
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