The behavior of each bee was monitored using a QR code attached to its back.
New evidence reveals that behavior may be predetermined by genetics. In general, we consider behavior to be learned. By interacting with the world, various behaviors are reinforced or discouraged. A student who gets a high grade on a test will be more motivated to study and continue to perform well. Rewarding these habits creates a positive feedback loop. Studies suggest that our genes also influence our behaviors. Researchers in Germany studying the social behaviors of bee colonies discovered that DNA can predetermine certain behaviors. Understanding how these genes affect social interactions between bees may shed light on what drives certain human behaviors.
One way to acquire new behaviors is through observation. Social learning requires attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. Attention must be focused on the behavior being observed, memory of that behavior must be preserved, and an individual must have the ability and motivation to repeat the behavior.
Genetics also play a role in how we interact with each other. The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and the vasopressin receptor gene (AVPR1A) have been shown to mediate bonding behavior in various species, including humans. Variants in the oxytocin receptor gene have, in fact, been linked to autism spectrum disorder and depression. However, the way an individual responds during a specific social experience involves a complex interplay of genes and environmental factors. Having a gene that is attributed to a certain behavior does not guarantee that an individual will exhibit it.
In bees, there is a clearer connection between genes and social behavior. From gathering nectar to producing honey, every bee in the colony plays a role in supporting the hive. Along with the queen bee, the female worker bees make up the majority of the colony. The young worker bees are generally the ones inside the hive maintaining the structure of the honeycomb and caring for the queen. Older workers are tasked with tasks outside the hive, such as foraging for nectar, pollen and water. The behavior of each bee must be coordinated within each colony to ensure that the hive survives. A new study by Sommer et. al provides evidence that these behaviors are genetically programmed in their development.
Bee colonies have a unique social structure divided into three castes: queens, workers and drones. All-male drone bees generally leave the hive to mate with queens in other colonies. Therefore, female bees perform the vast majority of tasks in the hive. However, only one female bee is queen. The remainder are infertile worker bees. Whether a female becomes a queen and a worker bee is affected by a gene called complementary sex determiner (Csd). This gene regulates substantially feminizing (fem) gene, which mediates the path of female development. Although every female bee produces feminizing proteins, diet early in life distinguishes these two castes. Queen larvae are fed royal jelly, while worker larvae are fed “bee bread”. The nutritional differences in these diets affect the expression of a gene further down the developmental pathway called the female dsx. of double sex gene is essential to distinguish a worker bee from the queen. This gene has been studied extensively in fruit flies for its role in sex determination, although it appears to play a larger role in bees. The latest evidence double sex proteins in the brains of worker bees suggest that this gene may also be involved in programming their behaviors.
The Dyssex Gene
The published study focused on identifying whether the bisexual gene is essential for the coordination of bee behavior. Sommer began by investigating where double sex proteins are expressed in the brain of worker bees. Binding green fluorescent protein to this gene allowed them to track its expression. What they found confirmed that double sex The gene is highly expressed in the antennal lobe, known as the “smell center” of the bee brain. Here, the olfactory signals detected by their antennae are processed and identified. Bees rely on the wind to perform many of their behaviors, including navigation, foraging, and defense against invaders. The investigators also found elevated dual-sex expression in the ventral lateral lobe of worker bees, which is the main area of the bee brain responsible for learning and memory. This region was also significantly larger in worker bees compared to queens and drones.
Then, technology enabled the team to change double sex gene and prevent its expression in selected worker bees. Once in the hive, their behavior was monitored using a QR code attached to their back. Video recordings from the hive were then analyzed by artificial intelligence, which tracked the behavior of individual bees. The computer-based algorithm calculated how often and how long each bee spent in areas containing food, the time spent with the larvae and the total distance they traveled within the hive.
Their observations confirmed this double sex it is critical for bee behavioral coordination. Worker bees that no longer expressed this gene stopped performing some tasks as efficiently, even though their overall sensory and motor functions appeared intact. One of the main behaviors impaired was brood rearing. Normally, worker bees are responsible for caring for the eggs produced by the queen bee. Brood growth keeps these eggs at a constant temperature to enable the larvae to develop into worker bees and drones. The investigators found that the most mutated worker bees double sex gene fed larvae more often compared to normal workers. For other behaviors, such as handling food and inspecting honeycomb, the mutated bees showed a 50% reduction in how often and how long these tasks were performed. Since these tasks require the cooperation of many bees, reducing the performance of some workers is likely to have a substantial impact on the overall efficiency of the hive.
This study provides compelling evidence that some bee behaviors may be linked to their DNA, but what about humans? Humans have a similar gene double sex known as DMRT1 which plays a crucial role in sexual development. DMRT1 it is mainly expressed in the testicles where it facilitates the regulation of male sexual function. However, there is no evidence directly linking this gene to specific human behavior. It is possible that DMRT1 may cause indirect influence not yet studied.
Understanding how genes like you double sex guiding behavior in simpler organisms can provide valuable insights into the genetic underpinnings of social behavior across species, including humans. Future studies may provide new insights into why we act the way we do – whether we are part of a bee colony or a human society.
