Apiology: royal secrets in the queen's fat body

Curr Biol. 2011 Jul 12;21(13):R510-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.037.

Abstract

Royalactin, a component of royal jelly, induces queen differentiation in honeybees. Surprisingly, royalactin has a similar effect on growth in fruit flies, highlighting many unexpected features of growth regulation by the insect fat tissue.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bees / growth & development*
  • Bees / physiology
  • Body Size / drug effects
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology
  • Fat Body / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids
  • Female
  • Fertility / drug effects
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Insect Proteins / pharmacology
  • Juvenile Hormones / metabolism
  • Larva / drug effects
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Phenotype
  • Signal Transduction
  • Social Dominance*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • Insect Proteins
  • Juvenile Hormones
  • royal jelly