2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Elucidating the coevolutionary relationship between sociality and social immunity: a study using facultatively social bees
| Project/Area Number |
21K06292
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Metropolitan University |
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Principal Investigator |
クロニン アダム 東京都立大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (30620489)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | social behaviour / immunity / social insects / evolutionary biology |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
We performed the first round of experiments on immune stimulus in social and solitary bees in Hokkaido. These bees were then shipped to Princeton University in the USA for RNAseq analysis of gene expression. However, due to poor sample preservation the resolution in sequencing was insufficient and only limited sequencing was undertaken as a result. Testing indicates that freezing in liquid nitrogen rather than using RNAlater resolves this issue, so the experiment will be repeated in 2022. We also collected Ceratina bees in Okinawa and hosted these in the laboratory successfully, where immune challenge and behavioural experiments were performed. A new bacterial assay method was used successfully to demonstrate differences in immune efficacy between social and solitary bees.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Despite problems with our RNAseq analysis, progress on the second front has been more successful than anticipated. Furthermore, we have developed a solution to the problem discovered in preservation which should ensure quality results are obtained in a second round of experimentation.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The following changes have been made to the research plan based on last year’s outcomes. Firstly, we will using shipping in liquid nitrogen to transfer all samples for RNAseq, as tests with RNAlater proved unsuccessful. This alternative method was tested in late 2021 and found to provide good results by our US collaborators. The associated costs with shipping can be accommodated with the current budget. Secondly, the new bacterial assay method was developed following discussions with Tsunaki Asano of the Cellular Genetics Laboratory at TMU and we will continue to work with this collaboration to perform immune testing. Finally, because of the success of the experimental approach in 2021, we plan to present these results earlier than anticipated, and will attend the international meeting of the Behavioural Ecology society in Sweden in 2022.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The following changes have been made to the research plan based on last year’s outcomes. Firstly, we will using shipping in liquid nitrogen to transfer all samples for RNAseq, as tests with RNAlater proved unsuccessful. This alternative method was tested in late 2021 and found to provide good results by our US collaborators. The associated costs with shipping can be accommodated with the current budget. Secondly, the new bacterial assay method was developed following discussions with Tsunaki Asano of the Cellular Genetics Laboratory at TMU and we will continue to work with this collaboration to perform immune testing. Finally, because of the success of the experimental approach in 2021, we plan to present these results earlier than anticipated, and will attend the international meeting of the Behavioural Ecology society in Sweden in 2022
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