Here, we investigated antioxidant defense mechanism in the spermatheca of A. mellifera queens via RNA-seq analysis of spermathecae in both mated and virgin queens. We identified the genes encoding antioxidant proteins, which were differentially expressed in the spermatheca of mated queens. The concentrations of antioxidant proteins, such as superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GTPX), and transferrin (Tf) together with the levels of ROS, H2O2, and iron were higher in the spermathecal fluid of mated queens as opposed to those in the spermathecal fluid of virgin queens; this indicated that increase in antioxidant protein concentration is an antioxidant defense mechanism occurring in the spermathecal fluid of mated queens against ROS; this mechanism involves conversion of ROS using antioxidant enzymes and Tf-mediated inhibition of the Fenton reaction occurring between Fe2+ and H2O2. Our data indicate that an increased expression of antioxidant proteins could facilitate prolonged storage and survival of sperms in the spermatheca of mated queens, suggesting the role of antioxidant proteins in antioxidative defense against ROS.

We compared the grafting success in total of 107 rearing Apis carana queens cells, to which we grafted 540 larvae. The wax for cups we prepared from A. mellifera and A. cerana wax. The A. cerana wax cups were found that artificial queen cell cups with the internal diameter of 8.0 mm at the mouth and 8.0 mm depth were highly preferred by the bees for rearing of queens from the grafted larvae. From the 210 grafted larvae into A. mellifera wax bees accepted 30 queens cells, only (16.67 %) ; A. cerana wax bees accepted 59 queens cells (33 %) ; plastic cup bees accepted 18 queens cells, only (10 %). In the preference test the grafting success in the A. cerana wax cups were better than in the A. mellifera wax and plastic cup. The results show better acceptance of larvae grafted into the pure A. cerana wax cups for rearing A. cerana queen. A new method for rearing honey bees, A. cerana, in vivo was developed and the effects of royal jelly from A. mellifera. We used royal jelly diluted 50:50 with sterile water (The royal jelly is kept frozen until used). A small amount of royal jelly is placed at the center of each cell cup. Young A. cerana larvae were transferred into the queen cups containing ± 10 ㎍ of the Royal jelly from A. mellifera and A. cerana. The average rates of acceptance were affected significantly due to the royal jelly source in the queen cell cups. It is so workable first to produce pure A. cerana wax for making the queen cups before a beekeeper starts with grafting.

본 연구는 여왕봉의 능력을 검정하여 우량여왕봉을 선발하고 또한 금후 우리나라의 여왕봉 능력검정체계 확립에 필요한 자료를 제시하고자 1988년 9월부터 1989년 8월까지 1년간에 걸쳐 대구 근교 양봉장에서 사양관리중인 서양종 봉군(Apis millifera) 30군을 대상으로 실시되었다. 각종 능력에 대한 검정결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 월동전 소상의 평균 무게는 이었고 월동기간 중 봉군당 평균 의 중량이 감소되었다. 봉군증식에 의한 계상설치는 4월 17일부터 5월 5일까지 행하여 졌으며 30군의 단상 봉군 가운데서 13군만이 계상이 설치되어 계상이용성이 낮았다. 화분수집 능력을 나타내는 24시간 동안의 화분수집량은 군당 평균 이었으며, 분봉성의 강약을 나타내는 왕대형성수는 군당 평균이 개이었다. 봉교생산성은 보통이었고, 외역 활동후 소상으로 돌아오는 외역봉 수는 1분간 군당 마리이었다. 산란능력을 나타내는 봉개소비면적은 군당 평균이 이었고 석고병 감염율은 30.8%이었다. 아카시아 유밀기에 있어서 2차에 걸친 총 채밀량은 군당 평균이 이었다.