The researchers also discovered that many bee genes had more in common with humans than with fruit flies, such as genes involved in regulating circadian rhythms and the chemical method used to regulate gene expression.
By analyzing 1,136 genetic markers that varied among 341 honeybees, scientists concluded that the species originated in Africa -- not Asia, as originally thought -- and spread to Europe and Asia in two distinct ancient migrations. They were brought to the New World by European explorers beginning in 1622.
The subspecies known as the "killer" bee was imported to Brazil in 1956 to boost honey production and has spread throughout the Americas, displacing their European counterparts.
Scientists use honeybees to study human health, including immunity, allergic reaction, antibiotic resistance, development, mental health, social behavior and longevity. Bees also pollinate billions of dollars' worth of crops each year.
Sequencing of the honeybee began in early 2003 at the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and lasted about a year. Researchers wound up with about 260 million DNA base pairs. Though less than one-tenth the size of the human genome, the honeybee genome contains roughly half as many genes, the researchers reported.
The project was funded with $6.9 million from the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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karen.kaplan@latimes.com
