The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens
Abstract The gut microbiota-gonadal axis is increasingly recognized, but its reproductive roles remain unclear. Here, we used the Asian honey bee Apis cerana queens as a model to investigate the role of the gut microbiota-gonadal axis on ovary activation. By artificially caging and releasing the mat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00723-9 |
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| author | Chonghui Zhao Yehua Peng Wenfeng Li Muhammad Fahad Raza Wenbo Wang Yi Zhang Yanping Chen Jun Guo Shaokang Huang Richou Han |
| author_facet | Chonghui Zhao Yehua Peng Wenfeng Li Muhammad Fahad Raza Wenbo Wang Yi Zhang Yanping Chen Jun Guo Shaokang Huang Richou Han |
| author_sort | Chonghui Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The gut microbiota-gonadal axis is increasingly recognized, but its reproductive roles remain unclear. Here, we used the Asian honey bee Apis cerana queens as a model to investigate the role of the gut microbiota-gonadal axis on ovary activation. By artificially caging and releasing the mated queens for a short or long period and monitoring the morphological changes of their ovaries, we confirmed that the activation and suppression of the queen ovary could be switched quickly. We found that the ovary weight was positively correlated with the body weight. 16S rRNA sequencing showed ovarian deactivation reduced gut Lactobacillus abundance. Untargeted metabolomics identified purine metabolism as the dominant ovarian pathway, while correlation analyses implicated Lactobacillus in modulating ovarian morphology through purine signaling. This study elucidates microbiota-gonadal crosstalk governing reproduction, providing mechanistic insights with translational potential for reproductive health management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1e6cbb26c28f45d59e4cd62c8621a4c6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2055-5008 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| spelling | doaj-art-1e6cbb26c28f45d59e4cd62c8621a4c62025-08-20T02:31:03ZengNature Portfolionpj Biofilms and Microbiomes2055-50082025-06-0111111310.1038/s41522-025-00723-9The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queensChonghui Zhao0Yehua Peng1Wenfeng Li2Muhammad Fahad Raza3Wenbo Wang4Yi Zhang5Yanping Chen6Jun Guo7Shaokang Huang8Richou Han9Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of SciencesGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of SciencesGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of SciencesGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of SciencesSchool of Chinese Medicinal Resource, Guangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityUSDA-ARS Bee Research LaboratoryFaculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyCollege of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityGuangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of SciencesAbstract The gut microbiota-gonadal axis is increasingly recognized, but its reproductive roles remain unclear. Here, we used the Asian honey bee Apis cerana queens as a model to investigate the role of the gut microbiota-gonadal axis on ovary activation. By artificially caging and releasing the mated queens for a short or long period and monitoring the morphological changes of their ovaries, we confirmed that the activation and suppression of the queen ovary could be switched quickly. We found that the ovary weight was positively correlated with the body weight. 16S rRNA sequencing showed ovarian deactivation reduced gut Lactobacillus abundance. Untargeted metabolomics identified purine metabolism as the dominant ovarian pathway, while correlation analyses implicated Lactobacillus in modulating ovarian morphology through purine signaling. This study elucidates microbiota-gonadal crosstalk governing reproduction, providing mechanistic insights with translational potential for reproductive health management.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00723-9 |
| spellingShingle | Chonghui Zhao Yehua Peng Wenfeng Li Muhammad Fahad Raza Wenbo Wang Yi Zhang Yanping Chen Jun Guo Shaokang Huang Richou Han The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| title | The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens |
| title_full | The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens |
| title_fullStr | The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens |
| title_short | The role of gut microbiota-gonadal axis in ovary activation of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) queens |
| title_sort | role of gut microbiota gonadal axis in ovary activation of asian honey bee apis cerana queens |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00723-9 |
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