Development of a knock-in method and functional analysis of Kenyon cell subtypes in the mushroom bodies of the honey bee.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15839
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kohno Hiroki 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 助教 (60846773)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: セイヨウミツバチ / 社会性行動 / ゲノム編集 / キノコ体 / ケニヨン細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The mushroom bodies, a higher center of the insect brain, have been studied as a brain region related to social behaviors in the honey bee. The honey bee mushroom bodies are composed of several Kenyon cell subtypes, each of which has distinct gene expression profiles. However, the function of each subtype in behavioral regulation remains to be elucidated. This study tried to establish a knock-in method using CRISPR/Cas9 to realize cell type-specific gene manipulation. I also analyzed functions of the gene which is selectively expressed in a certain subtype by producing its knockout mutants, and identified projection patterns and comprehensive gene expression profiles for each Kenyon cell subtype to reveal some of the functional and physiological characteristics of each subtype.

Free Research Field

行動遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ミツバチは社会性行動研究のモデル生物として研究されてきたが、その行動特性から遺伝子操作を行うことが長年難しく、いまだ細胞種特異的な遺伝子発現制御がなされた例は無い。本研究は予備的ながら初めてノックイン法の有効性を示した。加えて、継代によるノックアウト働き蜂の作出に初めて成功しており、ミツバチの行動遺伝学に大きく貢献する成果と考える。また、行動進化と関連することが示唆されているキノコ体の生理特性の一端を解明したことで、今後社会性段階の異なるハチ目昆虫との比較解析により、社会性と関連する脳基盤の発見に繋がる可能性がある。