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PLoS One

Title:		"Characterization of antennal sensilla, larvae morphology and olfactory genes of Melipona scutellaris stingless bee"
Author(s):		Carvalho WJ; Fujimura PT; Bonetti AM; Goulart LR; Cloonan K; da Silva NM; Araujo ECB; Ueira-Vieira C; Leal WS;
Address:		"Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America. Laboratorio de Genetica, Instituto de Genetica e Bioquimica, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Laboratorio de Nanobiotecnologia, Instituto de Genetica e Bioquimica, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America. Laboratorio de Immunopatologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brasil"
Journal Title:		PLoS One
Year:		2017
Volume:		20170419
Issue:		4
Page Number:		e0174857 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pone.0174857
ISSN/ISBN:		1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking)
Abstract:		"There is growing evidence in the literature suggesting that caste differentiation in the stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris, and other bees in the genus Melipona, is triggered by environmental signals, particularly a primer pheromone. With the proper amount of food and a chemical stimulus, 25% of females emerge as queens, in agreement with a long-standing 'two loci/two alleles model' proposed in the 1950s. We surmised that these larvae must be equipped with an olfactory system for reception of these chemical signals. Here we describe for the first time the diversity of antennal sensilla in adults and the morphology of larvae of M. scutellaris. Having found evidence for putative olfactory sensilla in larvae, we next asked whether olfactory proteins were expressed in larvae. Since the molecular basis of M. scutellaris is still unknown, we cloned olfactory genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSP) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) using M. scutellaris cDNA template and primers designed on the basis CSPs and OBPs previously reported from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. We cloned two CSP and two OBP genes and then attempted to express the proteins encoded by these genes. With a recombinant OBP, MscuOBP8, and a combinatorial single-chain variable fragment antibody library, we generated anti-MscuOBP8 monoclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry we demonstrated that the anti-MscuOBP8 binds specifically to the MscuOBP8. Next, we found evidence that MscuOBP8 is expressed in M. scutellaris larvae and it is located in the mandibular region, thus further supporting the hypothesis of olfactory function in immature stages. Lastly, molecular modeling suggests that MscuOBP8 may function as a carrier of primer pheromones or other ligands"
Keywords:		"Animals Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry/metabolism Bees/*genetics/growth & development/metabolism/ultrastructure Carrier Proteins/chemistry/genetics/metabolism Cloning, Molecular Female Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Immunohistochemistry Insec;"
Notes:		"MedlineCarvalho, Washington Joao de Fujimura, Patricia Tieme Bonetti, Ana Maria Goulart, Luiz Ricardo Cloonan, Kevin da Silva, Neide Maria Araujo, Ester Cristina Borges Ueira-Vieira, Carlos Leal, Walter S eng P41 GM103311/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ 2017/04/20 PLoS One. 2017 Apr 19; 12(4):e0174857. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174857. eCollection 2017"