Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154591
Title: MOLECULAR GENETICS OF HONEY BEE SEX DETERMINATION

Author
item Evans, Jay
item SHEARMAN, DEBORAH - UNIV. SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
item OLDROYD, BEN - UNIV. SYDNEY AUSTRALIA

Submitted to: Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Publication Type: Literature Review
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2004
Publication Date: 6/1/2004
Citation: Evans, J.D., Shearman, D., Oldroyd, B. 2004. Molecular genetics of honey bee sex determination. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 19(1):1-3.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are important for agriculture worldwide. Inbreeding is a hurdle to breeding any agricultural organism. This hurdle is particularly evident in honey bees, thanks to a requirement for variation at a single locus involved with sex determination. The gene involved in this sex determination has been hypothesized for decades but was only recently described. We briefly review the molecular genetics behind this gene as well as implications for sex determination and breeding in honey bees and other organisms.