The Honeybee Genome
Since the honeybee (Apis mellifera) genome has recently been sequenced (The Honeybee Genome Sequencing Consortium 2006, Nature), offering new options to tackle evolutionary genetic questions related to the specific features of the honeybee genetic system including male haploidy, the complementary sex determination system via a single sex locus, and an extremely high recombination rate. The genome has been annotated and our lab has been involved in annotating genes related to caste differentiation and recombination (Christino et al. 2006 Ins Mol Biol).
We used the power of bulk segregant analysis in mapping studies utilizing the male haploid system. Whereas the identification of the sex locus took over seven years the fine mapping of thelytoky on chromosome 13, a gene believed to be tightly linked to reproductive dominance among female bees, took only few months due to the availability of over 500 microsatellite markers saturating the genome and the use of honeybee genome sequence to develop new markers for fine mapping (Lattorff et al. 2007 Biol Lett).
Finally we use linked microsatellite loci for studying processes of natural selection in honeybee populations, which again profit from the haploid drone system (Moritz et al. 2007 J Insect Conserv, Shaibi et al. 2008, Mol Ecol Notes). We study the evolutionary significance of the high recombination rate in the Apis mellifera genome.