A Global Survey of the Full-Length Transcriptome of Apis mellifera by Single-Molecule Long-Read Sequencing.

As important pollinators, honey bees play a crucial role in both maintaining the ecological balance and providing products for humans. Although several versions of the western honey bee genome have already been published, its transcriptome information still needs to be refined. In this study, PacBio single-molecule sequencing technology was used to sequence the full-length transcriptome of mixed samples from many developmental time points and tissues of A. mellifera queens, workers and drones. A total of 116,535 transcripts corresponding to 30,045 genes were obtained. Of these, 92,477 transcripts were annotated. Compared to the annotated genes and transcripts on the reference genome, 18,915 gene loci and 96,176 transcripts were newly identified. From these transcripts, 136,554 alternative splicing (AS) events, 23,376 alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites and 21,813 lncRNAs were detected. In addition, based on the full-length transcripts, we identified many differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) between queen, worker and drone. Our results provide a complete set of reference transcripts for A. mellifera that dramatically expand our understanding of the complexity and diversity of the honey bee transcriptome.

Phenotypic dimorphism between honeybee queen and worker is regulated by complicated epigenetic modifications.

Phenotypic dimorphism between queens and workers is an important biological characteristic of honeybees that has been the subject of intensive research. The enormous differences in morphology, lifespan, physiology, and behavior between queens and workers are caused by a complicated set of factors. Epigenetic modifications are considered to play an important role in this process. In this study, we analyzed the differences in chromosome interactions and H3K27ac and H3K4me1 modifications between the queens and workers using high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) technologies. We found that the queens contain more chromosome interactions and more unique H3K27ac modifications than workers; in contrast, workers have more H3K4me1 modifications than queens. Moreover, we identified Map3k15 as a potential caste gene in queen-worker differentiation. Our results suggest that chromosomal conformation and H3K27ac and H3K4me1 modifications are involved in regulating queen-worker differentiation, which reveals that the queen-worker phenotypic dimorphism is regulated by multiple epigenetic modifications.

The diverging epigenomic landscapes of honeybee queens and workers revealed by multiomic sequencing.

The role of the epigenome in phenotypic plasticity is unclear presently. Here we used a multiomics approach to explore the nature of the epigenome in developing honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers and queens. Our data clearly showed distinct queen and worker epigenomic landscapes during the developmental process. Differences in gene expression between workers and queens become more extensive and more layered during the process of development. Genes known to be important for caste differentiation were more likely to be regulated by multiple epigenomic systems than other differentially expressed genes. We confirmed the importance of two candidate genes for caste differentiation by using RNAi to manipulate the expression of two genes that differed in expression between workers and queens were regulated by multiple epigenomic systems. For both genes the RNAi manipulation resulted in a decrease in weight and fewer ovarioles of newly emerged queens compared to controls. Our data show that the distinct epigenomic landscapes of worker and queen bees differentiate during the course of larval development.

[Heavy Metal Pollution Characteristics and Ecological and Health Risk Assessment of Atmospheric PM2.5 in a Living Area of Zhengzhou City].

To study the pollution characteristics of atmospheric heavy metal elements in a living area of Zhengzhou City, assess the potential ecological risks, and determine risks to resident health in this city, the Wuhan Tianhong TH-16A Airborne Particles Intelligent Sampler was used to collect atmospheric PM2.5 in Zhengzhou City. The mass concentrations of 17 metal elements were analyzed by ambient air determination of inorganic elements by ambient particle matter wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The source of heavy metals was analyzed by the enrichment factor method and principal component analysis. The ecological risk index method and the US Environmental Protection Agency's health risk assessment method were used to evaluate the potential ecological risks and residents' health risks from Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, As, and other elements. The results showed that metals with higher enrichment factor values were Cd, Sb, Pb, and As, and Cd had the highest enrichment factor value. The sources of metal elements in a living area of Zhengzhou City were mainly crust/burning coal, fuel, garbage burning, metallurgical dust, and vehicle emission. The single factor potential ecological hazard index values of Cd, Pb, Zn, As, Cu, Ni, and Cr were 70420.2, 255.3, 204.6, 71.5, 36.9, 24.0, and 5.1, respectively. Cd, As, and Cr in a living area of Zhengzhou City posed a cancer risk, and Cd was the most harmful. Mn had a non-carcinogenic risk.

[Emission Characteristics Analysis and Health Risk Assessment of Unorganized VOCs in the Carbon Industry, Zhengzhou].

The three typical carbon enterprises in Zhengzhou were selected as research targets, and the emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their ozone formation potential (OFP) in different functional areas were studied. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health risk assessment model was used to evaluate the health risks of VOCs emitted by the carbon industry. The results showed that the concentration of VOCs in the production areas of the three research enterprises was between 89.77-964.60 µg·m-3, and the management area was between 51.46-121.59 µg·m-3. Naphthalene and carbon disulfide were at the highest concentrations in the carbon plants. The ozone formation potential of VOCs in the production area was between 75.42-1416.73 µg·m-3, and in the management area was between 65.32-202.42 µg·m-3, mainly from the contribution of aromatic hydrocarbons and olefins. The carcinogenic health risk (Risk) of VOCs in the production area was 3.5×10-5-2.8×10-3, and in the management area was 2.0×10-5-9.4×10-5, which was higher than the maximum acceptable level recommended by the EPA (10-6). The non-carcinogenic health risk index (HI) of the VOCs in the production area was 3.2-1.4×102, and in the management area was 4.3×10-1-3.8, except for the management area of the first enterprise, which was greater than 1, which may expose the workers. These health factors cause cancer and non-carcinogenic hazards.

Genetic Differentiation in Native and Introduced Populations of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Its Implications for Biological Control Programs.

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an effective biological control agent of Australian origin, which has been introduced worldwide to control mealybugs. Although successfully used for >100 yr, its introduction in a new area may cause environmental risks should the populations become invasive. In the present study, a population genetics method was used to make predictions of the invasive potential of C. montrouzieri. Our results showed a similar level of genetic diversity among all populations. No significant genetic differentiation between native and introduced populations was observed, while three populations from the native region were significantly divergent. The fact that genetic diversity was not reduced in introduced areas suggests that no bottleneck effect has occurred during introduction. To avoid rapid evolution of the introduced C. montrouzieri, the introduction records of each population should be clearly traced and introductions from multiple sources into the same area should be avoided.

Description of two new species of the genus Megophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai, Guangdong, China, based on molecular and morphological data.

Two new species, Megophrys acuta sp. nov. and Megophrys obesa sp. nov., are described based on a series of specimens collected from Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai County, Guangdong Province, China. They can be distinguished from other known congeners occurred in southern and eastern China by morphological characters and molecular divergence in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. M. acuta is characterized by small and slender body with adult females measuring 28.1-33.6 mm and adult males measuring 27.1-33.0 mm in snout-vent length; snout pointed, strongly protruding well beyond margin of lower jaw; canthus rostralis well developed and sharp; hindlimbs short, the heels not meeting, tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward the pupil of eye. M. obesa is characterized by stout and slightly small body with adult females measuring 37.5-41.2 mm, adult male measuring 35.6 mm in snout-vent length; snout round in dorsal view; canthus rostralis developed; hindlimbs short, the heels not meeting, tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward the posterior margin of eye. The discovery of these two new species further confirms that the diversity of this genus has been significantly underestimated. At present the genus Megophrys contains 56 species of which 35 species are distributed in China.