H3K4me1 Modification Functions in Caste Differentiation in Honey Bee

Honey bee larvae can develop into two different phenotypes of organisms (queens and sterile workers). This is one of the most striking examples of developmental plasticity, where larvae of the same genotype, regulated by the environment, can differentiate into completely different morphologies during post-embryonic development. Here we used a multiomics approach (RNA-seq, and ChIP-seq) to explore the nature of the epigenome in developing honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers and queens. Our data clearly showed that the distinct queen and worker epigenomic landscapes form during the developmental process. Differences in gene expression between workers and queens precede other epigenomic modifications, but the epigenomic differences between workers and queens become more extensive and more layered during development.