A scientifc note on validation of housekeeping genes for the primitively eusocial bee euglossa viridissima friese (Apidae: Euglossini)

Abstract

Studies on the expression of genes in different contexts are essential to our understanding of the functioning of organisms and their adaptations to the environment. Gene expression studies require steps of normalization, which are done using the stable expression pattern of reference genes. For many different eusocial bees reference genes have been discovered, but not for the primitively eusocial Euglossini bees. We used available genomic resources of Euglossini species and the gene information of Apis mellifera Linnaeus to develop a set of reference genes for the primitive eusocial bee Euglossa viridissima Friese. We tested nine genes, in distinct developmental stages, using three different algorithms, to infer stability of gene expression. The TATA-binding protein (TBP) and 14-3-3 epsilon were the most stable genes across all developmental stages. The strongest deviation in gene expression pattern occurred in pupae, which require a different set of genes for normalizing gene expression.