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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Cells

Genome-Wide Chromatin Structure Changes During Caste Differentiation in Honeybees

  • Xinru Zhang1
  • Hanbing Lu1
  • Xinying Qu1
  • Lingjun Xin2
  • Rongshen Wang3
  • Chongbo Liang4
  • Xiaopeng Liu5
  • Xiao Chen1
5 affiliations
  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
  2. 2College of Bioscience and Resource Environment, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
  3. 3Shijiazhuang Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Shijiazhuang 050026, China
  4. 4Beijing Municipal Landscape and Greening Industry Promotion Center (Beijing Edible Forest Products Quality and Safety Center), Beijing 101118, China
  5. 5Gansu Provincial Apiculture Technology Extension Station, Tianshui 741020, China
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Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture is an important transcription regulator which is linked to gene expression regulation and correct developmental programs, yet little is known that the 3D chromatin architecture within honeybees and how it influences gene expression and methylation in caste differentiation. Here, we report that larvae at 96 h after hatching (L5) contain the highest number of known caste differentiation genes, and that constitutes the critical window determining the final phenotypic outcomes. We also show that DNA methylation pattern is conserved and gene body methylation is thought to contribute to phenotypic plasticity. Then, we determine the 3D organization of honey bee chromosomes at 5 kb resolution. Although almost 87% regions remained in the same compartments, TAD boundary insulation increased during larvae development, especially in worker larvae at 96 h after hatching (WL5). The insulator protein, CP190, CTCF-L and vtd/Rad21 appear to be indispensable in defining these topologically associating domain boundaries. Furthermore, Mrjp1, a member of the MRJP/yellow family, is also involved in regulating larval development. These results provide key insights into caste differentiation and establish a fundamental dataset for the future in-depth characterization of epigenetic features.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zhang2026genomewide,
  title = {{Genome-Wide Chromatin Structure Changes During Caste Differentiation in Honeybees}},
  author = {Xinru Zhang and Hanbing Lu and Xinying Qu and Lingjun Xin and Rongshen Wang and Chongbo Liang and Xiaopeng Liu and Xiao Chen},
  journal = {Cells},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/cells15201899},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/20/1899},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Genome-Wide Chromatin Structure Changes During Caste Differentiation in Honeybees
AU  - Xinru Zhang
AU  - Hanbing Lu
AU  - Xinying Qu
AU  - Lingjun Xin
AU  - Rongshen Wang
AU  - Chongbo Liang
AU  - Xiaopeng Liu
AU  - Xiao Chen
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/19
JO  - Cells
DO  - 10.3390/cells15201899
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/20/1899
AB  - Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture is an important transcription regulator which is linked to gene expression regulation and correct developmental programs, yet little is known that the 3D chromatin architecture within honeybees and how it influences gene expression and methylation in caste differentiation. Here, we report that larvae at 96 h after hatching (L5) contain the highest number of known caste differentiation genes, and that constitutes the critical window determining the final phenotypic outcomes. We also show that DNA methylation pattern is conserved and gene body methylation is thought to contribute to phenotypic plasticity. Then, we determine the 3D organization of honey bee chromosomes at 5 kb resolution. Although almost 87% regions remained in the same compartments, TAD boundary insulation increased during larvae development, especially in worker larvae at 96 h after hatching (WL5). The insulator protein, CP190, CTCF-L and vtd/Rad21 appear to be indispensable in defining these topologically associating domain boundaries. Furthermore, Mrjp1, a member of the MRJP/yellow family, is also involved in regulating larval development. These results provide key insights into caste differentiation and establish a fundamental dataset for the future in-depth characterization of epigenetic features.
SN  - 2073-4409
ER  -