Scientists have identified how a single gene in honey bees
separates the queens from the workers.
A team of scientists from Michigan State University and
Wayne State University unraveled the gene’s inner workings and published the
results in the current issue of Biology Letters. The gene, which is responsible
for leg and wing development, plays a crucial role in the evolution of bees’
ability to carry pollen.
“This gene is critical in making the hind legs of workers
distinct so they have the physical features necessary to carry pollen,” said
Zachary Huang, MSU entomologist. “Other studies have shed some light on this
gene’s role in this realm, but our team examined in great detail how the
modifications take place.”