Transcriptomic Analysis of Honey Bee, Apis mellifera, after Exposure to Dinotefuran Residual Pesticide in Peppers

Honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.), recognized as vital pollinators in agriculture, are adversely effected by pesticides used to protect crops from various pests. Many farmers use neonicotinoids due to their reputed low toxicity to honey bees. To investigate the mechanisms underlying this low toxicity, the gene expression of worker bees was analyzed using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Approximately 10 GB of sequences were generated from each samples. Out of 250,928 genes analyzed, 3,017 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 1,516 up-regulated and 1,501 down-regulated. Among these DEGs, genes such as glutamate receptor, peroxiredoxin, multicopper oxidase, cytochrome P450 6a13, and acetylcholinesterase were revealed as potentially contributing to pesticide resistance in honey bees. This study provides significant insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying the effects of dinotefuran, a neonicotinoid insecticide, on honey bees.