Enzymatic activity of the hypopharyngeal gland extract from workers and males of Scaptotrigona postica Lat. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

The objective of this research was to contribute to elucidation of the function of the hypopharyngeal glands of S. postica in enzyme production, using the Api Zym kit (Bio Mérieux). Dealing with a comparative analysis between the enzymatic content of the hypopharyngeal gland extracts from newly emerged, nurse and forager workers, as well as, newly emerged males and males mature for mating of S. postica. The hypopharyngeal glands from nurse workers of Apis mellifera, that produce part of the royal jelly, were used for comparison. While in A. mellifera, the hypopharyngeal glands are present only in workers, in S. postica, the hypopharyngeal glands are present and functioning in all adult individuals of the colony. The higher enzymatic activity was observed in the hypopharyngeal gland extracts from nurse workers and may be related to a larger demand for energy, compared to other individuals. The occurrence of large quantities of leucine arylamidase in all individuals may mean that protein processing is happening.

Development of worker ovaries in Brazilian Africanized honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The present paper compares the worker ovaries development in queen right and orphaned colonies of Brazilian Africanized honeybee. The results show that in both colonies some workers starting 20 days after emergence, present some kind of ovary development. As the workers from queen right colony get older the degree of the ovary development increases. Vitellogenesis in worker ovaries may occur in queen right and orphaned colonies, but its frequency is lower in queen right colonies.

Éster de sacarose no controle do Varroa estructor em abelhas africanizadas

This study aimed to determine the effect of sucrose ester on the control of Varroa destructor mite infestation in Africanized honeybees. For the in vitro experiments, the product was tested in bees and mites at five concentrations obtained through dilution in water (T0: 100% distilled water; T1: 0.5%; T2: 1%; T3: 2%; T4: 5%; and T5: 10% sucrose ester).For the field studies, the experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments and seven replicates, totaling 28 colonies, from which seven were the controls, seven were treated with 0.1% sucrose ester, seven with 0.2% sucrose ester, and seven hives with 0.5% sucrose ester diluted in water. In the in vitro study, the sucrose ester at 0.5% concentration caused mite and bee mortality. In the field tests, the product at 0.2% concentration reduced Varroa destructor infestation in Africanized honeybees and, therefore, may be used as a tool to control this pest. At 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5% concentrations, sucrose ester did not impair the establishment of open and capped brood areas, as well as stored food areas in the hive, suggesting it is not toxic to Africanized honeybees.

Propriedade físico-química da própolis em função da sazonalidade e método de produção

The aim of this work was to investigate monthly, for one year the seasonality effect on the physicochemical properties (dry weight, flavonoids contents, pH and antioxidant activity) of ethanolic extract (EAP) of propolis produced by three different techniques (intelligent propolis collector, plastic screen or scraping) fifteen colonies of africanized bees. No differences (p>0.05) in the physicochemical properties due to the technique of propolis production and seasonality were observed.

Hyaluronidase from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera, Vespidae): Cloning, structural modeling, purification, and immunological analysis

In this study, we describe the cDNA cloning, sequencing, and 3-D structure of the allergen hyaluronidase from Polybia paulista venom (Pp-Hyal). Using a proteomic approach, the native form of Pp-Hyal was purified to homogeneity and used to produce a Pp-specific polyclonal antibody. The results revealed that Pp-Hyal can be classified as a glycosyl hydrolase and that the full-length Pp-Hyal cDNA (1315 bp; GI: 302201582) is similar (80-90%) to hyaluronidase from the venoms of endemic Northern wasp species. The isolated mature protein is comprised of 338 amino acids, with a theoretical pI of 8.77 and a molecular mass of 39,648.8 Da versus a pI of 8.13 and 43,277.0 Da indicated by MS. The Pp-Hyal 3D-structural model revealed a central core (α/β)7 barrel, two sulfide bonds (Cys 19-308 and Cys 185-197), and three putative glycosylation sites (Asn79, Asn187, and Asn325), two of which are also found in the rVes v 2 protein. Based on the model, residues Ser299, Asp107, and Glu109 interact with the substrate and potential epitopes (five conformational and seven linear) located at surface-exposed regions of the structure. Purified native Pp-Hyal showed high similarity (97%) with hyaluronidase from Polistes annularis venom (Q9U6V9). Immunoblotting analysis confirmed the specificity of the Pp-Hyal-specific antibody as it recognized the Pp-Hyal protein in both the purified fraction and P. paulista crude venom. No reaction was observed with the venoms of Apis mellifera, Solenopsis invicta, Agelaia pallipes pallipes, and Polistes lanio lanio, with the exception of immune cross-reactivity with venoms of the genus Polybia (sericea and ignobilis). Our results demonstrate cross-reactivity only between wasp venoms from the genus Polybia. The absence of cross-reactivity between the venoms of wasps and bees observed here is important because it allows identification of the insect responsible for sensitization, or at least of the phylogenetically closest insect, in order to facilitate effective immunotherapy in allergic patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of sublethal dose of fipronil on neuron metabolic activity of africanized honeybees

Fipronil is a neurotoxic insecticide that inhibits the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor and can affect gustative perception, olfactory learning, and motor activity of the honeybee Apis mellifera. This study determined the lethal dose (LD50) and the lethal concentration (LC50) for Africanized honeybee and evaluated the toxicity of a sublethal dose of fipronil on neuron metabolic activity by way of histochemical analysis using cytochrome oxidase detection in brains from worker bees of different ages. In addition, the present study investigated the recovery mechanism by discontinuing the oral exposure to fipronil. The results showed that mushroom bodies of aged Africanized honeybees are affected by fipronil, which causes changes in metabolism by increasing the respiratory activity of mitochondria. In antennal lobes, the sublethal dose of fipronil did not cause an increase in metabolic activity. The recovery experiments showed that discontinued exposure to a diet contaminated with fipronil did not lead to recovery of neural activity. Our results show that even at very low concentrations, fipronil is harmful to honeybees and can induce several types of injuries to honeybee physiology. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Age and Morphological Changes in the Epiponini Wasp Polybia paulista Von Ihering (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

The division of labor is a central theme in the study of social insects. In bees and wasps, this activity is regulated by age polyethism. Important physiological and morphological changes have been widely studied in the polyethism of honeybee workers. In contrast, this is a relatively unexplored subject in social vespids. Our goal was to determine if there are detectable morphological changes in the body of the Epiponini wasp Polybia paulista Von Ihering or in certain glands in relation to age polyethism. We observed changes in the body weight, the salivary gland, and the mandibular gland that were associated with age, and our results suggest that social relationships and task performance are important to these changes. This contrasts with observations in Polistes and is different from the Apis mellifera Linnaeus age polyethism model. © 2013 Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.

A survey of DNA methylation across social insect species, life stages, and castes reveals abundant and caste-associated methylation in a primitively social wasp

DNA methylation plays an important role in the epigenetic control of developmental and behavioral plasticity, with connections to the generation of striking phenotypic differences between castes (larger, reproductive queens and smaller, non-reproductive workers) in honeybees and ants. Here, we provide the first comparative investigation of caste- and life stage-associated DNA methylation in several species of bees and vespid wasps displaying different levels of social organization. Our results reveal moderate levels of DNA methylation in most bees and wasps, with no clear relationship to the level of sociality. Strikingly, primitively social Polistes dominula paper wasps show unusually high overall DNA methylation and caste-related differences in site-specific methylation. These results suggest DNA methylation may play a role in the regulation of behavioral and physiological differences in primitively social species with more flexible caste differences. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Anatomia, histologia, histoquímica e ultra-estrutura das glândulas salivares cefálicas de abelhas eussociais (Hymenoptera, apidae): Silvana Beani Poiani. -

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação dos efeitos do inseticida imidacloprido para abelhas sem ferrão Scaptotrigona postica Latreille, 1807 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): Hellen Maria Soares. -

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos do inseticida fipronil sobre os corpos pedunculados de operárias de Scaptotrigona postica (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influência da sazonalidade e método de produção de própolis no seu teor de minerais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito de complexo homeopático no controle e tratamento de mastite em vacas leiteiras sob manejo orgânico

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Avaliação da atividade antimutagênica de alguns produtos naturais de origem animal por meio de ensaios com células HepG2

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo ultra-estrutural e citoquímico da relação entre o desenvolvimento da musculatura do vôo e a demanda por vôo dos componentes de colônias de abelhas eussociais

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)