中文摘要：

【目的】意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica（简称＂意蜂＂）是社会性昆虫,蜂群中的工蜂表现出年龄依赖性的行为转变,其行为转变的机制一直是研究的热点。本研究分别检测了3种miRNA（ame-let-7,ame-miR-13b和amemiR-279）在不同日龄意蜂工蜂脑部的表达情况,以期为探究意蜂工蜂年龄依赖性行为变化机制提供重要线索。【方法】通过荧光定量PCR分别检测了不同发育时期（4,8,12,17,22,26和30日龄）意蜂工蜂脑部3种miRNA的表达情况,并检验miRNA的表达差异情况。【结果】ame-let-7的表达量随工蜂日龄的增加逐渐降低,在17日龄后其表达量趋于稳定;ame-miR-13b的表达量则随着工蜂日龄的增加逐渐增加,但在26和30日龄的工蜂中稳定表达;ame-miR-279的表达量则呈类似正态分布状态,其中在12日龄工蜂中表达量最高,且在17日龄后稳定表达。这3种miRNA表达均具有明显的时间特异性。【结论】ame-let-7,ame-miR-13b和ame-miR-279的表达与工蜂年龄依赖性行为变化具有相关性和规律性,对于深入探究miRNA的作用位点具有重要参考价值。

英文摘要：

【Aim】The Italian honey bee,Apis mellifera ligustica,is an eusocial insect and the workers show age-dependent behavioral changes,and the mechanisms of the behavioral changes have been the hot research topic.In this study,we investigated the expression of 3 candidate miRNAs,i.e.,ame-let-7,ame-miR-13 b and ame-miR-279,in A.mellifera ligustica workers at different age,to confirm the differentially expressed miRNAs that may be involved in age-dependent behavioural changes in workers of the honeybee.【Methods】We tested the expression levels of the three miRNAs in the brain of A.mellifera ligustica workers at different age（4,8,12,17,22,26 and 30 day-old） by RT-q PCR respectively,and then analyzed the differential expression among them.【Results】The expression level of ame-let-7 was reduced with the increasing age of the workers and tended to be stable after 17 day-old.The expression level of ame-miR-13 b increased with age of workers and kept stable in 26 and 30 day-old workers.The expression level of ame-miR-279 was near to the normal distribution,peaked in the 12 day-old workers and kept stable in over 17 day-old workers.However,the expression of all the 3 kinds of miRNAs showed a high degree of temporal specificity.【Conclusion】Our findings show that the levels of miRNAs expression are related with the age-dependent behavioral changes in honey bees,and the conclusions provide important information for exploring the action sites of miRNAs in the A.mellifera ligustica workers.