Journal
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Volume 43, Issue 10, Pages 959-969Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2013.07.006
Keywords
Honeybee; Vision; RNA interference; Opsin
Categories
Funding
- Graduate School Functional Insect Science (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany)
- DFG [LE1809/1-2, LE1809/2-1]
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Targeted knock-down is the method of choice to advance the study of sensory and brain functions in the honeybee by using molecular techniques. Here we report the results of a first attempt to interfere with the function of a visual receptor, the long-wavelength-sensitive (L-) photoreceptor. RNA interference to inhibit this receptor led to a reduction of the respective mRNA and protein. The interference effect was limited in time and space, and its induction depended on the time of the day most probably because of natural daily variations in opsin levels. The inhibition did not effectively change the physiological properties of the retina. Possible constraints and implications of this method for the study of the bee's visual system are discussed. Overall this study underpins the usefulness and feasibility of RNA interference as manipulation tool in insect brain research. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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