Quantification of mRNA levels royal jelly proteins from worker asian hive bee, Apis cerana at various stages using RT-PCR

Abstract

The semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique was used to examine the mRNA level of Major Royal Jelly Proteins type 1-6 (AcMRJP 1-6) and Apisimin in hyphopharyngeal gland of Apis cerana worker bees at 4 stages as newly emerged bees, 5-10-day-old nurse bees, 11-1-day-old nurse bees, and forager bees. In this study, only mRNA level of AcApisimin was detected in newly emerged bees as 45.1 pg per individual bee whereas AcMRJP1-6 mRNA was not found. The mRNA levels of AcMRJPs and AcApisimin were found in the other stages. Ac MRJP1-5 and AcApisimin mRNA levels in nurse bees were higher than those in forager bees. On the contrary, AcMRJP6 mRNA level in nurse bees was less than those of in forager bees. In 5-10 -day-old nurse bees, the mRNA levels of AcMRJP1-6 and AcApisimin were 63.64, 38.17, 3.37, 3.40, 0.85, 0.15 and 664.55 pg per individual bees, respectively, whereas in 11-15 -day-old nurse bees the mRNA levels were 55.86, 28.21, 2.33, 2.50, 0.96, 0.44, and 602.0 pg per individual bees, respectively, and forager bees were 3.25, 2.81, 0.09, 0.29, 0.03, 2.62, and 236.04 pg per individual bees, respectively. In addition, the relative ratio of mRNA level in 4 stages of honey bees (newly emerged bees : 5-10 -day-old nurse bees : 11-15 -day-old nurse bees : forager bees, respectively) was 0 ; 19.6 : 17.2 : 1 for AcMRJP1,0 : 13.6 : 10.0 : 1 for AcMRJP2, 0 : 36.7 : 25.4 1 for AcMRJP3, 0: 11.7 : 8.6 : 1 for AcMRJP4, 0: 27.9 : 31.5 : 1 for AcMRJP5, 0:1 :2.8 : 17.1 for AcMRJP6 and 1 : 14.7 : 13.4 : 5.2 for AcApisimin.