Transcriptomic analysis combined with RNAi reveals defense strategies and molecular mechanisms in Western and Eastern honeybees against attacks by the yellow-legged hornet
- 1Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
Abstract
Attack and defense are critical to animal survival, yet the defensive strategies of Western honeybees (Apis mellifera) and Eastern honeybees (A. cerana) against the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), as well as the molecular basis for their differences, remain poorly understood. This study combined behavioral, pharmacological, transcriptomic, and RNAi approaches to compare the defensive responses in both bee species. We found that V. velutina preferentially attacks A. mellifera and less frequently targets A. cerana colonies, reflecting distinct opportunistic predation strategies. Behaviorally, A. cerana initiated defense earlier and displayed a higher level of alertness, whereas A. mellifera reacted at closer ranges. Pharmacological interventions demonstrated that octopamine (OA) significantly modulated defensive responses in both species. Critically, transcriptomic analysis identified a key molecular divergence: under hornet threat, A. mellifera exhibited upregulated expression of the octopamine receptor Octβ2R, while A. cerana did not. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated suppression of tyramine beta-hydroxylase (Tbh), a key OA synthesis gene, significantly reduced defensive behavior in both species, confirming the important role of this neurotransmitter. Furthermore, we revealed that A. mellifera defense involved activation of energy metabolism pathways such as the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, A. cerana employed broader metabolic regulation, including unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. The findings not only provide new insights into the evolution of honeybee defensive behaviors but also offer important references for exploring the relationship between gene regulation and behavioral evolution in social insects.
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BibTeX
@article{xiong2026transcriptomic,
title = {{Transcriptomic analysis combined with RNAi reveals defense strategies and molecular mechanisms in Western and Eastern honeybees against attacks by the yellow-legged hornet}},
author = {Ting Xiong and Zhi-Yue Yang and Dao-Hao Xie and Hai-Ou Kuang and Zhi-Tao Li and Ming-Hua Yang and Ya-Hui Li},
journal = {Zoological Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.445},
url = {https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.445},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Transcriptomic analysis combined with RNAi reveals defense strategies and molecular mechanisms in Western and Eastern honeybees against attacks by the yellow-legged hornet
AU - Ting Xiong
AU - Zhi-Yue Yang
AU - Dao-Hao Xie
AU - Hai-Ou Kuang
AU - Zhi-Tao Li
AU - Ming-Hua Yang
AU - Ya-Hui Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/18
JO - Zoological Research
DO - 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.445
UR - https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2025.445
AB - Attack and defense are critical to animal survival, yet the defensive strategies of Western honeybees (Apis mellifera) and Eastern honeybees (A. cerana) against the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), as well as the molecular basis for their differences, remain poorly understood. This study combined behavioral, pharmacological, transcriptomic, and RNAi approaches to compare the defensive responses in both bee species. We found that V. velutina preferentially attacks A. mellifera and less frequently targets A. cerana colonies, reflecting distinct opportunistic predation strategies. Behaviorally, A. cerana initiated defense earlier and displayed a higher level of alertness, whereas A. mellifera reacted at closer ranges. Pharmacological interventions demonstrated that octopamine (OA) significantly modulated defensive responses in both species. Critically, transcriptomic analysis identified a key molecular divergence: under hornet threat, A. mellifera exhibited upregulated expression of the octopamine receptor Octβ2R, while A. cerana did not. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated suppression of tyramine beta-hydroxylase (Tbh), a key OA synthesis gene, significantly reduced defensive behavior in both species, confirming the important role of this neurotransmitter. Furthermore, we revealed that A. mellifera defense involved activation of energy metabolism pathways such as the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, A. cerana employed broader metabolic regulation, including unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. The findings not only provide new insights into the evolution of honeybee defensive behaviors but also offer important references for exploring the relationship between gene regulation and behavioral evolution in social insects.
SN - 2095-8137
ER -