Negligible uptake and transfer of diet-derived pollen microRNAs in adult honey bees

摘要: The putative transfer and gene regulatory activities of diet-derived miRNAs in ingesting animals are still debated. Importantly, no study to date has fully examined the role dietary uptake miRNA honey bee, a critical pollinator both agricultural natural ecosystems. After controlled pollen feeding experiments adult bees, we observed that midguts demonstrated robust increases plant after ingestion. However, found evidence biologically relevant delivery these molecules proximal or distal tissues recipient bees. Our results, therefore, support premise ingested as part typical diet not robustly transferred across barrier epithelia bees under normal conditions. Key future questions include whether other small RNA species bee diets behave similarly more specialized specific mechanisms exist for efficient transport, particularly context stressed epithelia.