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J Insect Physiol

Title:		Seasonal variation in the titers and biosynthesis of the primer pheromone ethyl oleate in honey bees
Author(s):		Castillo C; Maisonnasse A; Conte YL; Plettner E;
Address:		"Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada. ccastillo@gprc.ab.ca"
Journal Title:		J Insect Physiol
Year:		2012
Volume:		20120523
Issue:		8
Page Number:		1112 - 1121
DOI:		10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.05.010
ISSN/ISBN:		1879-1611 (Electronic) 0022-1910 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Honey bees allocate tasks along reproductive and non-reproductive lines: the queen mates and lays eggs, whereas the workers nurse the brood and forage for food. Among workers, tasks are distributed according to age: young workers nurse and old workers fly out and forage. This task distribution in the colony is further regulated by an increase in juvenile hormone III as workers age and by pheromones. One such compound is ethyl oleate (EO), a primer pheromone that delays the onset of foraging in young workers. EO is produced by foragers when they are exposed to ethanol (from fermented nectar) while gathering food. EO is perceived by younger bees via olfaction. We describe here the seasonal variation of EO production and the effects of Methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog. We found that honey bee workers biosynthesize more EO during the growing season than during the fall and winter months, reaching peak levels at late spring or summer. When caged workers were fed with syrup+d(6)-ethanol, labeled EO accumulated in the honey crop and large amounts exuded to the exoskeleton. Exuded levels were high for several hours after exposure to ethanol. Treatment with Methoprene increased the production of EO in worker bees, by speeding up its movement from biosynthetic sites to the exoskeleton, where EO evaporates. Crop fluid from bees collected monthly during the growing season showed a modest seasonal variation of in vitro EO biosynthetic activity that correlated with the dry and sunny periods during which bees could forage"
Keywords:		Animals Bees/*metabolism Female Methoprene/metabolism Oleic Acids/*biosynthesis Pheromones/*biosynthesis Seasons;
Notes:		"MedlineCastillo, Carlos Maisonnasse, Alban Conte, Yves Le Plettner, Erika eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2012/05/29 J Insect Physiol. 2012 Aug; 58(8):1112-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.05.010. Epub 2012 May 23"