Bees fight to a stalemate in the battle of the sexes according to new research

New study sheds light on genomic conflict in bumblebees

2014-02-12

(Press-News.org) Just like humans, whether or not some genes are switched on in bumblebees is a result of a battle of the sexes between genes inherited from their mother and genes inherited from their father.

Published online today (Wednesday 12 February) in the Royal Society journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a new study from the University of Leicester provides new evidence for the kinship theory of evolution of genomic imprinting in bumblebees.

Each bumblebee worker inherits two copies of every gene – one from their mother and one from their father. For a small number of genes, they only ever use one copy, and which copy is used depends on whether it came from their mother or their father. This is known as genomic imprinting and occurs through a process called methylation which has been found to be important in whether or not a worker bumblebee reproduces.

Lead researcher, Dr Eamonn Mallon from the University of Leicester's Department of Biology, said: "Genomic imprinting is absolutely fascinating. Paternal and maternal genes are constantly at war with each other and are selected to behave in different ways. Our study has shown that genes involved in whether a bumblebee worker can reproduce are involved in methylation; the molecular mechanism for imprinting.

"Worker bees can reproduce, but don't because the Queen is physically preventing them. When the Queen is removed from the colony, we found bees became more aggressive as they attempted to dominate reproduction.

"The kinship theory states that genomic imprinting – a rather strange phenomenon – evolved as a result of an eons long battle of the sexes between the genes which come from a mother and the genes that come from a father. The theory predicts that genes involved in queenless worker bees' reproduction should be imprinted."

In the first step to testing the theory, the researchers have shown that methylation – a molecular switch that prevents a gene from being turned on, and the main mechanism for genomic imprinting – is important in worker reproduction. By interfering in the methylation process, the researchers were successful in changing normal worker bees into reproducing bees.

Dr Mallon added: "Next, we will look directly for genomic imprinting in this behaviour and evidence of this would dramatically alter our understanding of how bees developed their social lives.

"The study is important because lots of human diseases, including cancer, occur when genomic imprinting goes wrong, and so it is vital for us to understand this evolutionary battle to enable us to better understand how cancers and other such diseases occur."

INFORMATION: END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Depressed girls suffer the most

2014-02-12

For the first time researchers have studied the kind of physical pain that troubles adolescents with different mental health problems. Professor Marit Sæbø Indredavik at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) thinks that everyone working in the health care system, from medical doctors to psychologists, must be more aware of the chronic pain that can plague young people with mental health woes. From anxiety to ADHD The researchers gave a questionnaire to 566 teenagers between 13 and 18 years old, all of whom had conditions ranging from ADHD and depression ...

Earwax: A new frontier of human odor information

2014-02-12

PHILADELPHIA (February 12, 2014) – Scientists from the Monell Center have used analytical organic chemistry to identify the presence of odor-producing chemical compounds in human earwax. Further, they found that the amounts of these compounds differ between individuals of East Asian origin and Caucasians. The findings suggest that human earwax, an easily obtained bodily secretion, could be an overlooked source of personal information. "Our previous research has shown that underarm odors can convey a great deal of information about an individual, including personal identity, ...

New study explains how dense breast tissue drives the early stages of cancer

2014-02-12

Scientists from The University of Manchester working with IBM Research have identified a key biological mechanism that for the first time explains why women with dense breast tissue are at greater risk of developing breast cancer. The research, published today in the journal Cell Cycle, has important implications for future cancer prevention and treatment. Women with higher breast density—detected on mammograms—have more compacted breast tissue and are more likely to develop breast cancer, but until now the reasons for this have been unclear. Manchester scientists, ...

Strong religious beliefs may drive self-perception of addiction to online pornography

2014-02-12

People who consider themselves very religious and view Internet porn even once may perceive they are addicted, according to a new Case Western Reserve University's psychology study. "This is one of the first studies to examine the link between perceptions of addiction to online pornography and religious beliefs," said Joshua Grubbs, a doctoral student in psychology and lead author of the study. The research, "Transgression as Addiction: Religiosity and Moral Disapproval as Predictors of Perceived Addiction to Pornography," will be published today in the journal, Archives ...

Helping preserve independent living

2014-02-12

This news release is available in German. Mr. S. is visually impaired and dependent on a cane since suffering a stroke. Nevertheless, as a 70-yr old living alone, he would rather not move into a care home. Most older people harbor this wish. They want to stay in their own familiar surroundings and continue to live independently for as long as possible. According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, this applies to 70 percent of seniors. Against better judgment, they are putting their health at risk, for not only does the risk of cardiovascular problems ...

Male Pinterest users are more interested in art than cars

2014-02-12

Male users of Pinterest pin more content about photography, art, design, and home decor than sports, technology and cars, says a new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota and Georgia Tech. The study revealed that while women and men differed in the types of content they collected and the degree to which they specialized, surprisingly men were not particularly interested in stereotypically male topics. The most popular topics on Pinterest tend to be of "traditional female" interest including food and drink, crafts, home decor, and women's fashion. While ...

Weight loss program for infrared cameras

2014-02-12

This news release is available in German. We want it cozy and warm in our homes when the thermometer outside gets down into the minus area. Especially with older buildings, however, the money we pay for heat ends up out the window. The fault lies hidden in incorrect insulation, or at spots around windows or ceiling joints that are not sealed. These weak points cannot be perceived from outside – unless you are viewing the building though the lens of an infrared camera. This type of camera is equipped with specialized sensors that distinguish the temperature differences ...

From surf to turf: Archaeologists and chemists trace ancient British diets

2014-02-12

The change by our ancestors from hunter-gathers to farmers is one of the most intensively researched aspects of archaeology. Now a large-scale investigation of British archaeological sites dating from around 4,600 BC to 1,400 AD has examined millions of fragments of bone and analysed over 1,000 cooking pots. The team, led by Professor Richard Evershed of the University of Bristol's School of Chemistry, developed new techniques in an effort to identify fish oils in the pots. Remarkably, they showed that more than 99 per cent of the earliest farmer's cooking pots lacked ...

Prostate cancer advance could improve treatment options

2014-02-12

Researchers at the University of East Anglia have made an important advance in understanding genetic changes associated with terminal prostate cancer. Findings published today in the British Journal of Cancer, and funded by the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR), show how a genetic mutation in untreated patients is linked to aggressive cancer later in life. It was previously thought that the mutation only occurred in response to therapy. The research highlights why relapses could occur in some men following hormone therapy. And it could help identify ...

Mountains, models, salt, sand, and cycles

2014-02-12

Boulder, Colo., USA – Topics in this current batch of Geology articles posted ahead of print include the puzzle of parallel mountain chains; 25 years on the East Pacific Rise; unique episodes in Earth's history; turbidity currents; computer models; Wilson cycles; salt structure beneath the sea bed; the North Scotia Ridge; El Hierro, Canary Islands; sand-sized sub-spherical silica grains; bank pull or bar push; kaolinitic paleosols; Earth's youngest, hottest rocks; 3-D thermo-mechanical numerical models; and the Bohemian Massif. Open Access Papers: 1. Sublithospheric ...

Heart damage is common after an operation and often goes unnoticed, but patients who see a cardiologist may be less likely to die or suffer heart disease as a result

The Lancet: AI-supported mammography screening results in fewer aggressive and advanced breast cancers, finds full results from first randomized controlled trial

Bees fight to a stalemate in the battle of the sexes according to new research

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: