Age-dependent changes of honeybee worker gut and brains

In honeybees, division of labour is a key feature, with age-related behavioural transitions being closely associated with molecular changes in the brain, gut, and microbiota. In this study, we integrated omics approaches to describe the global metabolomic and proteomic shifts in honeybee workers and their microbiota throughout their lives to better understand their contribution to behavioural responses and modulation. Through the use of age-controlled worker bees, the obtained results indicate transport of amino acids between the gut and brain, potentially influencing functional pathways and behavioural phenotypes. Our results demonstrate that altered pathway abundances may be due to energy expenditure, task differentiation and age of onset of foraging. Specific functional pathways in brain, gut and bacterial proteins were found to be up- or downregulated depending on the age or task of the workers. Overall, our findings provide new insights toward developing potential biomarkers for evaluation of different functional changes related to various environmental stressors.