Browsing by Author "Browne, Keith A."
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- Applying a SNP-based tool for conservation of wild and managed black bees in IrelandPublication . Browne, Keith A.; Henriques, Dora; Pinto, M. Alice; Native Irish Honey Bee Society; McCormack, Grace P.Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm) is threatened over much of its natural range. However, in Ireland microsatellite and mitochondrial data have shown that a significant population of this subspecies exists in pure form and is spread over a large geographical region on the Island. Black bees have been managed and protected by beekeepers on the island, some of whom formed the Native Irish Honeybee Society (NIHBS)in 2012 and a breeding programme was initiated for Amm in 2014/2015. The application of a SNP panel that detects hybridization between M and C lineages clearly supports other data showing that the majority of beekeepers included in the breeding programme indeed have bees with very low to no introgression from the C lineage. Furthermore, SNP data has also been applied to the first feral bee colonies located in Ireland subsequent to the introduction of Varroa. Here we will present on the use of molecular data as an aid to manage and conserve honeybees in Ireland, and to elucidate patterns in colour variation and honeybee subspecies purity in wild and managed bees with a view towards improving conservation approaches in the face of a potential hybridization threat.
- Applying molecular tools for conservation of wild and managed black bees in IrelandPublication . Browne, Keith A.; Henriques, Dora; Hassett, Jack; Geary, Michael; Moore, E.; Pinto, M. Alice; Native Irish Honey Bee Society; McCormack, Grace P.Apis mellifera mellifera (black bees) is threatened over much of its natural range. However, in Ireland microsatellite and mitochondrial data have shown that a significant population of this subspecies exists in pure form and spread over a large geographical region on the Island. Black bees have been managed and protected by beekeepers on the island, some of who formed the Native Irish Honeybee Society in 2012. The application of a SNP panel that detects hybridization between M and C lineages clearly supports other data in that the majority of beekeepers included who purported to keep black bees indeed have bees that show very low to no introgression from the C lineage. Furthermore, SNP data has also been applied to the first feral bee colonies located in Ireland subsequent to the introduction of Varroa. Long considered extinct, feral bees sampled to date show high levels of A. m. mellifera purity using SNPs. Here we will present this data and also discuss the use of this SNP panel to elucidate patterns in colour variation and honeybee subspecies purity in wild and managed bees towards improving conservation approaches in the face of potential hybridization threat.
- Can introgression in M-lineage honey bees be detected by abdominal colour patterns?Publication . Henriques, Dora; Lopes, Ana; Ferrari, Roberto; Neves, Cátia J.; Quaresma, Andreia; Browne, Keith A.; McCormack, Grace P.; Pinto, M. AliceHoney bee abdominal pigmentation is one of the most recognisable traits and it is often used by beekeepers as an indicator of M-lineage subspecies purity. However, this approach may negatively impact population diversity and is futile if there is no association between tergite colour patterns and the genetic background. To assess whether this trait can be used as a proxy for introgression proportions in M-lineage subspecies, we genotyped, with highly informative SNP assays, A. m. mellifera and A. m. iberiensis individuals displaying four different colour phenotypes. The SNP data detected highly introgressed bees exhibiting a black phenotype and, at the same time, pure or marginally introgressed bees with yellow banding patterns, in both subspecies. Despite these observations, contrary to A. m. iberiensis , in A. m. mellifera , introgression proportions revealed to be a significant predictor of abdominal pigmentation. Therefore, abdominal pigmentation could be used by A. m. mellifera conservationists to guide colony selection when genetic tools are unavailable.
- Conservation of European M-lineage honey bees using abdominal colour as an indicator of subspecies purity has pitfallsPublication . Henriques, Dora; Lopes, Ana; Ferrari, Roberto; Neves, Cátia J.; Quaresma, Andreia; Browne, Keith A.; McCormack, Grace P.; Pinto, M. AliceThere are 31 honey bee (Apis mellifera) recognized subspecies, which have been grouped into four main lineages. Two of these lineages occur naturally in Europe: M in western and northern Europe and C in southeastern Europe. In Europe, M-lineage groups only two subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera and Apis mellifera iberiensis, both being black in colour. C-Lineage groups have instead eight subspecies, including one of the beekeepers-favored and phenotypically distinct, the yellow Apis mellifera ligustica from Italy. M-lineage honey bees’ distribution has been changing and in some countries, the native bee is being replaced or hybridised with C-lineage subspecies. Honey bee abdominal pigmentation is one of the most recognisable traits and it has been used by beekeepers as an indicator of subspecies identity. However, this approach may negatively impact population diversity and is futile if there is no association between tergite colour patterns and genetic background. To test this approach, we calculated the introgression level of A. m. mellifera (N=162) and A. m. iberiensis individuals (N=559) with different colour phenotypes and from a wide geographical range using informative SNPs. In this study, many A. m. mellifera samples showed high levels of C-lineage introgression. The individuals collected in Iberia were revealed to be pure. Introgressed A. m. iberiensis individuals were all from the Azores, where a high frequency of C-lineage mitotypes exists in several islands. Our results showed that for both subspecies, it is not possible to directly identify introgressed individuals from observed colour patterns, as we found black honey bees with a considerable amount of introgression and honey bees with yellow banding that were pure or marginally introgressed. With this study, we hope to increase awareness among stakeholders of the need to use other tools to select honey bees for conservation and breeding purposes.
- High sample throughput genotyping for estimating C-lineage introgression in the dark honeybee: an accurate and cost-effective SNP-based toolPublication . Henriques, Dora; Browne, Keith A.; Barnett, Mark W.; Parejo, Melanie; Kryger, Per; Freeman, Tom C.; Muñoz, Irene; Garnery, Lionel; Highet, Fiona; Jonhston, J. Spencer; McCormack, Grace P.; Pinto, M. AliceThe natural distribution of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) has been changed by humans in recent decades to such an extent that the formerly widest-spread European subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera, is threatened by extinction through introgression from highly divergent commercial strains in large tracts of its range. Conservation efforts for A. m. mellifera are underway in multiple European countries requiring reliable and cost-efficient molecular tools to identify purebred colonies. Here, we developed four ancestry-informative SNP assays for high sample throughput genotyping using the iPLEX Mass Array system. Our customized assays were tested on DNA from individual and pooled, haploid and diploid honeybee samples extracted from different tissues using a diverse range of protocols. The assays had a high genotyping success rate and yielded accurate genotypes. Performance assessed against whole-genome data showed that individual assays behaved well, although the most accurate introgression estimates were obtained for the four assays combined (117 SNPs). The best compromise between accuracy and genotyping costs was achieved when combining two assays (62 SNPs). We provide a ready-to-use cost-effective tool for accurate molecular identification and estimation of introgression levels to more effectively monitor and manage A. m. mellifera conservatories.
- High sample throughput genotyping for estimating C-lineage introgression in the dark honeybee: An accurate and cost-effective SNP-based toolPublication . Henriques, Dora; Browne, Keith A.; Barnett, Mark W.; Parejo, Melanie; Kryger, Per; Freeman, Tom C.; Muñoz, Irene; Garnery, Lionel; Highet, Fiona; Johnston, J. Spencer; McCormack, Grace P.; Pinto, M. AliceThe natural distribution of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) has been changed by humans in recent decades to such an extent that the formerly widest-spread European subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera, is threatened by extinction through introgression from highly divergent commercial strains in large tracts of its range. Conservation efforts for A. m. mellifera are underway in multiple European countries requiring reliable and cost-efficient molecular tools to identify purebred colonies. Here, we developed four ancestry-informative SNP assays for high sample throughput genotyping using the iPLEX Mass Array system. Our customized assays were tested on DNA from individual and pooled, haploid and diploid honeybee samples extracted from different tissues using a diverse range of protocols. The assays had a high genotyping success rate and yielded accurate genotypes. Performance assessed against whole-genome data showed that individual assays behaved well, although the most accurate introgression estimates were obtained for the four assays combined (117 SNPs). The best compromise between accuracy and genotyping costs was achieved when combining two assays (62 SNPs). We provide a ready-to-use cost-effective tool for accurate molecular identification and estimation o
- Investigation of free-living honey bee colonies in IrelandPublication . Browne, Keith A.; Hassett, Jack; Geary, Michael; Moore, Elizabeth; Henriques, Dora; Soland-Reckeweg, Gabriele; Ferrari, Roberto; Mac Loughlin, Eoin; O’Brien, Elizabeth; O’Driscoll, Saoirse; Young, Philip; Pinto, M. Alice; McCormack, Grace P.Apis mellifera mellifera (Linnaeus), the Western European honey bee, is considered extinct in the wild over most of its range due largely to hybridisation and replacement by other subspecies, parasitism by Varroa destructor, habitat loss, and effects from agricultural pesticides. The purity of the subspecies within the managed cohort is also at risk over much of its range. Here, we investigated if honey bee colonies inhabited locations outside of the apiaries. In those we located, we explored how long the colony persisted and we investigated the genotypes of the bees using multiple markers. We show here that unmanaged free-living honey bee colonies are present and widespread in Ireland, inhabiting a mixture of nesting habitats with some colonies persisting naturally and unaided over multiple years. Molecular data including mitochondrial, microsatellite, and SNPs evidence indicate that the free-living population sampled is largely comprised of pure A. m. mellifera. Finally, we discuss the implications of conserving free-living A. m. mellifera in Ireland and its possible role in improving the fitness of the managed population both in Ireland and the rest of its European range.
- Investigations into unmanaged honey bee survivor colonies in IrelandPublication . Browne, Keith A.; Henriques, Dora; Hassett, Jack; Geary, Michael; Moore, E.; Pinto, M. Alice; McCormack, Grace P.Unmanaged honey bee colonies of local ecotype surviving without human intervention are likely to form a valuable genetic resource for the sustainability of managed apiaries as well conservation of threatened subspecies. In Ireland, following the Isle of Wight disease (which devastated honey bee colonies at the beginning of the 20th century) and subsequent hybridisation with C lineage bees, there has been a general acceptance by government agencies, scientists, and many beekeepers that no Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm) colonies persisted in the wild. However, sporadic reports were received in 2014/2015 of the existence of unmanaged honey bee colonies. Given that Ireland’s human population is low in density with only 32 persons per square km in some rural areas and only approximately 3000 registered beekeepers, many of whom are reported to not favour purchasing imported bees, it is feasible that honeybees could have naturally adapted to introduced pathogens such as Varroa destructor. We initiated an investigation into the state of unmanaged honey bee colonies and in 2016 we launched a nationwide request through press and social media seeking locations of unmanaged colonies which realised over 170 replies in a short time period. We found that unmanaged colonies have utilised a wide variety of both natural and artificial cavities and survived unaided for periods reported to be from three to over 20 years. Given the difficulty in confirming the authenticity of these timings the survival of individual colonies has been monitored since 2016. Sixty-two of the colonies were sampled and a combined approach using mitochondrial, microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping has shown the majority to be pure Apis mellifera mellifera and forming an integral part of the previously described pure Amm population in Ireland. This data, along with survival records for >2 years, and details of surrounding habitat and health of the unmanaged colonies, will be presented.
- A novel SNP-based tool for estimating C-lineage introgression in the dark honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera)Publication . Pinto, M. Alice; Henriques, Dora; Browne, Keith A.; Barnett, Mark W.; Parejo, Melanie; Kryger, Per; Freeman, Tom C.; Muñoz, Irene; Garnery, Lionel; Highet, Fiona; Jonhston, J. Spencer; McCormack, Grace P.The natural distribution ofthe honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) hás been changed by humans in recent decades to such an extent that the formerly widest-spread European subspecies, Apís mellifera mellifera, is threatened by extinction through introgression from highly divergent commercial strains in large tracts of its range. Conservation efforts for A. m. mellifera are underway in multiple European countries requiring reliable and cost-efficient molecular tools to identify purebred colonies. Here, we developed four ancestry-informative SNP assays for high sample throughput genotyping using the iPLEX Mass Array system. Our customized assays were tested on DNA from individual and pooled, haploid and diploid honeybee samples extracted from different tissues using a diverse range of protocols. The assays had a high genotyping success rate and yielded accurate genotypes. Performance assessed against whole-genome data showed that individual assays behaved well, although the most accurate introgression estimates were obtained forthe fourassays combined (117 SNPs). The best compromise between accuracy ana genotyping costs was achieved when combining two assays (62 SNPs). We provide a ready-to-use cost-effective tool for accurate molecular identification and estimation of introgression leveis to more effectively monitor and manage A. m. mellífera conservatories.
- Quem vê riscas amarelas não vê genes: um estudo sobre poluição genética e sua relação com a cor abdominal na abelha ibérica (Apis mellifera iberiensis) e abelha negra (Apis mellifera mellifera)Publication . Henriques, Dora; Lopes, Ana; Ferrari, Roberto; Neves, Cátia J.; Quaresma, Andreia; Browne, Keith A.; McCormack, Grace P.; Pinto, M. AliceA identificação dos diferentes tipos de abelhas (raças ou subespécies) pode ser feita por marcadores morfológicos, tais como a cor do abdómen, a venação das asas e o tamanho de algumas estruturas do corpo (por exemplo: proboscis, fémur, tíbia), como também por marcadores moleculares. Apesar de os marcadores moleculares terem vindo a substituir os morfológicos nas últimas décadas, quando os apicultores querem manter um determinado tipo de abelha os marcadores morfológicos são, normalmente, os mais utilizados, pois são mais fáceis de aplicar e mais baratos. Entre as diferentes características morfológicas que podem ser usadas, a cor abdominal é sem dúvida a mais fácil de aplicar, pois basta uma avaliação visual da rainha e/ou de vários indivíduos da colónia.