Determining genetic relatedness in honey bees, Apis mellifera, using microsatellite analysis

Abstract: The world population is growing and becoming more connected whereby disease transmission is becoming an increasingly important issue. To learn more about disease spread, honey bees (Apis mellifera) could provide an animal-model system for network transmission. The honey bees have both an individual and a social defense against pathogens, their diseases are well studied and they enable studies on hundreds of individuals. The genetic relatedness is believed to be one of many important factors for disease transmission. A hypothesis is that the more closely related the honey bees are the more interactions will occur. In this study, the genetic relatedness in honey bees was analyzed by the use of microsatellite-DNA primers, in a multiplex PCR. Of the 18 microsatellite-DNA primers that were evaluated, the loci HB-C16-05, A007, AC006, HB-C16-02, AP043 and UN351 showed the highest variation. However, when applied on a larger material, the PCR-products did not yield any chromatograms that were possible to score. Many factors possibly affecting the result are discussed and further efforts will be made to improve the method and thereby determine genetic relatedness.