We investigated the molecular response of honey bee workers exposed (a) to the insecticide thiamethoxam and the fungicide mancozeb and (b) to the acaricide coumaphos and the fungicide prochloraz. Expression of immune-, development- and detoxification-related genes was examined by quantitative RT-PCR. Negative impacts of pesticides and/or their combinations differed between each treatment. All combinations of pesticides up-regulated the expression of majority of immune-related genes. The expression of development-related genes (hexamerin 70B and vitellogenin) was downregulated in honey bees treated with thiamethoxam and mancozeb, while in the expression of hexamerin 70B was up-regulated in coumaphos and prochloraz treated honey bees. Some of the detoxification-related genes were up-regulated and some of them were down-regulated, depending on pesticides that were used. Our results clearly show the negative effect of pesticides on honey bees at the molecular level.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
COBISS.SI-ID: 3810895In Slovenia Apis mellifera carnica is an autochthonous breed of bees. Bees are constantly exposed to numerous pathogenic organisms. The environment where bees feed and collect pollen is often full of pesticides that are used on crops. Pesticides are also used to control bee pathogens. Varroa mite that infects honey bee (Apis mellifera) is responsible for a large economic deficit. To control this pest, beekeepers use acaricide cumaphos. Honey bee is often exposed to fungicide prochloraz that farmers use to control fungal infection on crops. In our experiment we obtained four bee families. Two of them we exposed to cumaphos and prochloraz respectively, one was exposed to their combination and one was a control group and wasn’t exposed to any pesticide. In our work we wanted to find out how these two pesticides effect immune gene expression in Apis mellifera carnica. We obtained RNA of honey bee in different development stages. We then translated RNA into cDNA and used qPCR to analyse expression levels of immune genes PGRP, PPO, abaecin, defenzin, hexam, basket and domeless. We concluded that treated bees are likely to have different levels of gene expression to control group, as data in literature suggests.
D.10 Educational activities
COBISS.SI-ID: 8106617Based on presented and published results the bilateral project "Immune response of honey bees treated with pesticides in larval stage and subsequently infected with microsporidium Nosema ceranae" was approved. This will enable to execute additional experiments on bees.
D.01 Chairing over/coordinating (international and national) projects