Affiliation:
1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Michael Smith LaboratoriesUniversity of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Abstract
Bees are the most important insect pollinators of the crops humans grow, and Apis mellifera, the Western honey bee, is the most commonly managed species for this purpose. In addition to providing agricultural services, the complex biology of honey bees has been the subject of scientific study since the 18th century, and the intricate behaviors of honey bees and ants, fellow hymenopterans, inspired much sociobiological inquest. Unfortunately, honey bees are constantly exposed to parasites, pathogens, and xenobiotics, all of which pose threats to their health. Despite our curiosity about and dependence on honey bees, defining the molecular mechanisms underlying their interactions with biotic and abiotic stressors has been challenging. The very aspects of their physiology and behavior that make them so important to agriculture also make them challenging to study, relative to canonical model organisms. However, because we rely on A. mellifera so much for pollination, we must continue our efforts to understand what ails them. Here, we review major advancements in our knowledge of honey bee physiology, focusing on immunity and detoxification, and highlight some challenges that remain.
Funder
Gouvernement du Canada | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Genome Canada
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services | British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Cited by
1 articles.
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1. Physiology in Perspective;Physiology;2024-07-01