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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Bee Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321622
Title: Hologenome theory and the honey bee pathosphere

Author
item SCHWARZ, RYAN - University Of Maryland
item HUANG, QIANG - University Of Halle
item Evans, Jay

Submitted to: Current Opinion in Insect Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2015
Publication Date: 10/22/2015
Citation: Schwarz, R., Huang, Q., Evans, J.D. 2015. Hologenome theory and the honey bee pathosphere. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 10:1-7.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Recent research shows substantial genomic diversity among the parasites and pathogens honey bees encounter, a robust microbiota living within bees, and a genome-level view of relationships across global honey bee races. Different combinations of these genomic complexes may explain regional variation in bee productivity and mortality. To understand this, we urge apiculturists to consider management and research approaches in light of a new paradigm: honey bee fitness is determined by the hologenome – the combined genomes of the bee and their microbiota. Only by considering the hologenome can we truly interpret and address impacts from the pathosphere, pesticides, toxins, nutrition, climate and other stressors. We consider recent advances in honey bee, microbiota and pathosphere genomics and we discuss interactions between these in the context of improving management strategies.