Genetic modelling for Varroa resistance

[HJBee]

http://scienceblog.com/57600/scientists-track-down-genes-that-help-bees-defend-against-mites/

Found this article shared on Paynes FaceBook page today

[prakel]

I personally find it hard to believe that this research will ever have a real impact on grass root beekeeping. It's human nature (or, the nature of some humans) to want to catalogue this kind of information; but how to transfer that knowledge to practical application?

There are already breeding programmes which are successfully following selection criteria for these traits through observation of behaviour even though these researchers seem to question this approach on the grounds that it's 'tedious', then there are the programmes which are based on the idea of not selecting for specific survival traits but instead simply breeding from the survivors (while if necessary, bulstering numbers by regular nuc production) irrespective of which mechanism is actually keeping them alive. Both of these approaches have potential for the average beekeeper but a genetically selected stock is always going to be the province of a very few breeding programmes. I don't know how effective further breeding from such stock would be at the level which most of us (including commercial operations) work at [that's an open door for Gavin or some other scientifically minded person to come in and help me out] but I'm guessing that it would be very difficult to get consistantly good results from generation to generation.

[gavin]

Well, I see this as the future, thanks HJ! But then I would, as it is exactly the kind of thing I'm doing with potatoes. Maybe not always to aid selection, but to understand traits at least. But why not have a DNA test where you can scoop out half a dozen eggs laid in an Apidea, test them in a couple of hours, and declare whether or not that particular queen (and her sperm) carry the traits required for a breeder queen? I'd blether more, but we've a guest coming for dinner shortly ....

[prakel]

But why not have a DNA test where you can scoop out half a dozen eggs laid in an Apidea, test them in a couple of hours, and declare whether or not that particular queen (and her sperm) carry the traits required for a breeder queen? I'd blether more, but we've a guest coming for dinner shortly ....

I'll await further input from you as I am genuinely interested in hearing more.... but just one quick point -I can't imagine that I'm likely to be doing quick genetic tests on anything hence my view that this is probably technology that isn't really applicable to most beekeepers unless they're going to buy into the idea of purchasing select queens on a regular basis OR buy the initial stock and then revert to the existing selection methods to try and maintain the benefits.

[gavin]

There are guys keen enough to pluck wings off bees and run their images through software that delivers a very crude estimate of apparent goodness to fit to criteria for Amm.

What if there was a panel of DNA markers that did the same thing but sampled lots of positions on the genome rather than the few genes controlling DS and CI? I should add that there is a PhD student doing this, and maybe we'll soon learn more of what she's found.

This new study seems to have identified one likely gene for grooming and a small region of a chromosome for hygienic uncapping. I'd like to see a study do this in UK native stock and for it to extend the set of traits that impact of Varroa as I'm sure there are more than just these two above.

OK, imaine that now we have some tool sets - a bank of gene variants that are diagnostic of Amm, and another bank of gene variants that give bees that fight Varroa, are gentle to their handlers, are productive, resist foulbrood, chalkbrood, whatever. Combine some of these traits in breeder parents and combine others in different breeder parents.

It isn't that different from the morphometry-assisted breeding some people are doing. Follow the combinations at an early stage with each breeder queen soon after she comes into lay. Check for the genes you want.

Pie in the sky, light years from being practical, always going to be lab-based and unsuitable for breeding groups in the UK?

Maybe, but have a look at the technology available now for amplifying selected DNA sequences:

http://www.biocompare.com/23398-Thermal-Cyclers-Thermocyclers-PCR-Machine/2154831-Palm-PCR-G112-Portable-PCR-System/

and a simple Lateral Floww test to discover whether or not your amplified sample had that particular DNA:

http://store.twistdx.co.uk/?gclid=CMza-aT_zLMCFYXLtAodoWMAdg

It seems possible. Maybe not right now, but possible one day.

[prakel]

OK, some interesting thoughts there. The technology to test for these genes is obviously closer than I imagined so I can now see the potential for some individuals with the appropriate outlook to get involved.

But I can't see the people who are currently measuring wings ever having much impact on the greater beekeeping community (irrespective of what toys they invest in) based on their success to date; I don't mean to knock anyone or get into any personal arguments with people but I just haven't seen the benefits of these UK breeding programmes that use morphometrics filtering down, which considering I first heard about British beekeepers using these techniques when I originally joined BIBBA back in '96/97 isn't saying much.

I openly admit that the German carnica programme and also the Irish amm guys seem to suggest that benefits can be passed on -but I think that it's always going to require a united effort between pretty much everyone or an existing predominance of the race which is required.

Here we start to hit problems, the beekeeping fraternity in these isles find it hard enough to agree on just about anything let alone something as major as a genetic programme of the type which we're now talking of. Any improvement in bee stocks over a large area is always going to depend on the concerted efforts of lots of like minded apiarists all working to the same plan.

It's not that I'm closed minded to anything that can help in the long run but simply that I just can't visualize real practical benefits.

[Jon]

That's the key issue. Unless beekeepers in an area work together, any idea of bee improvement is likely to be futile.
I don't see how anyone in the south of England has a mission of trying to work with native bee stock due to all the imports.
Roger Patterson's idea of stabilising a local population by careful selection for desirable traits is likely a better plan. Again this depends upon a zero tolerance of imports.

[prakel]

Of course we then have the question of what is a desirable trait?

Mr.Patterson might say that a colony which fits a single BS brood box is displaying a desirable trait. I might find the idea of trying to breed bees to fit a specific size of box (when the main benefit of that box is that it is extendable by the use of additional boxes) to be less than desirable, if not plain odd.

No one's right or wrong, but the disagrement which will sink such an endeavour has already started.

[greengumbo]

Only just scanned the paper....Would be nice to knock down Neurexin 1 and seen if the grooming / uncapping behaviour disappears. That would be neat.

[gavin]

Yes, would be interesting, but switching it off entirely might be lethal given its role in maintaining and maturing synapses. Perhaps as a first step I'd be looking at expression levels in variants of the gene and looking for correlation with grooming behaviour.

[greengumbo]

Yes, would be interesting, but switching it off entirely might be lethal given its role in maintaining and maturing synapses. Perhaps as a first step I'd be looking at expression levels in variants of the gene and looking for correlation with grooming behaviour.

Doh....of course it probably would be lethal. My bad. Although that gives me an idea ;)

[gavin]

Doh....of course it probably would be lethal. My bad. Although that gives me an idea ;)

As long as the idea includes checking for similarity to that of honeybees first! :eek:

[Jimbo]

Just read that the Neurexin 1 gene is thought to be associated with Autism and possibly Schizophrenia in humans so if your were to knock it out in bees could that not lead to autistic schizophrenic bees. I'm certain that when I open some of my hives I might have some of those bees already:rolleyes:

[gavin]

Oh dear! Ok then ....

As long as the idea includes checking for similarity to that of laboratory workers first!

[The Drone Ranger]

Well, I see this as the future, thanks HJ! But then I would, as it is exactly the kind of thing I'm doing with potatoes. Maybe not always to aid selection, but to understand traits at least. But why not have a DNA test where you can scoop out half a dozen eggs laid in an Apidea, test them in a couple of hours, and declare whether or not that particular queen (and her sperm) carry the traits required for a breeder queen? I'd blether more, but we've a guest coming for dinner shortly ....

Did you see on TV the human Gnome program, where they have found that certain chemical inputs can affect whether genes (that are present )can be activated or suppressed by these chemical switches.
Strawberry flavoured potatoes for afters ?

[prakel]

Quoting myself again!


I personally find it hard to believe that this research will ever have a real impact on grass root beekeeping............but how to transfer that knowledge to practical application?

While not changing my own view (greatly) on grass root queen rearing I came across an applicable comment while reading Eigil Holm's 'Queen Breeding and Genetics' which I think is worthy of flagging up here as it comes from a mainstream source


....Another method is the use of microarrays which directly show if certain genes or alleles are present. Today, they are used in laboratories but hopefully they will become so cheap and easy to handle that breeders can use them. It would be a great help if we could find the presence of a gene within a couple of hours instead of using test crosses through a couple of generations.

[fatshark]

Microarrays are more usually used to detect expression of a particular gene, rather than presence per se. There are a number of exquisitely sensitive methods for gene detection, usually based on the polymerase chain reaction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction); these currently need specialist equipment but certainly provide the speed needed.

[prakel]

I believe that my head is about to implode!

Seriously, as a true layman I can't help but be fascinated by the possible direction that this work may take beekeeping in the future although I imagine that the real drivers behind any actual implementation will be very large scale breeders with an interest in producing cross-strain super bees.