Aging and transcriptional activity in worker honey bees

Abstract

Age-specific variability in gene expression of worker honey bees was examined using in vitro translation of mRNA. An apparent pre-programmed regime of age-specific gene activity was observed as individual workers aged. The quantitative pattern of gene expression among young bees (aged 0-2 d) was more similar to that of older bees (aged greater-than-or-equal-to 23 d) than to that of middle-aged bees (aged 6-20 d).