Temporal responses of bumblebee gustatory neurons to sugars

The sense of taste permits the recognition of valuable nutrients and the avoidance of potential toxins. Previously, we found that bumblebees have a specialized mechanism for sensing sugars whereby two gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) within the galeal sensilla of the bees' mouthparts exhibit bursts of spikes. Here, we show that the temporal firing patterns of these GRNs separate sugars into four distinct groups that correlate with sugar nutritional value and palatability. We also identified a third GRN that responded to stimulation with relatively high concentrations of fructose, sucrose, and maltose. Sugars that were nonmetabolizable or toxic suppressed the responses of bursting GRNs to sucrose. These abilities to encode information about sugar value are a refinement to the bumblebee's sense of sweet taste that could be an adaptation that enables precise calculations of the nature and nutritional value of floral nectar.

Automated summary

Research has found that the temporal firing patterns of bumblebees' gustatory receptor neurons can separate sugars into four distinct groups that correlate with sugar nutritional value and palatability. Additionally, another gustatory receptor neuron responds to high concentrations of fructose, sucrose, and maltose. The study also shows that nonmetabolizable or toxic sugars inhibit the bumblebees' responses to sucrose, indicating the refinement of their sweet taste for precise calculations of floral nectar's nature and nutritional value.