Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands
10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a major fatty acid (FA) component of royal jelly, is synthesized in the mandibular glands (MGs) of worker honeybees. Despite its well-documented nutritional and therapeutic significance, the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanisms of 10-HDA production rema...
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2025-05-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/6/563 |
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| author | Yunchang Li Xiaojing Zhang Zhenyu Xia Yue Hao |
| author_facet | Yunchang Li Xiaojing Zhang Zhenyu Xia Yue Hao |
| author_sort | Yunchang Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a major fatty acid (FA) component of royal jelly, is synthesized in the mandibular glands (MGs) of worker honeybees. Despite its well-documented nutritional and therapeutic significance, the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanisms of 10-HDA production remain largely unresolved. In this study, the molecular basis of 10-HDA biosynthesis and regulation in the MGs of newly emerged bees (NEBs), nurse bees (NBs), and forager bees (FBs) were investigated using RNA sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A five-step biosynthetic pathway for 10-HDA was proposed, and cross-species analysis of <i>Apis mellifera</i> and <i>A. cerana</i> revealed the conserved expression patterns of 15 key enzymes involved. Functional validation via RNA interference (RNAi) demonstrated that knockdown of acyl-CoA Delta(11) desaturase (<i>d11ds</i>, LOC551527), a key enzyme in FA desaturation, led to a 50% reduction in 10-HDA levels. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis further identified transcriptional regulators Kay and Drep-2 as potential modulators of 10-HDA metabolism. This study provides the first comprehensive mechanistic model of 10-HDA biosynthesis in honeybee MGs and highlights the labor-specific regulation of FA metabolism. These findings offer promising genetic targets for improving the royal jelly quality through genetic technology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9e6b2a793bf44bd8b35c6f49a7e44381 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj-art-9e6b2a793bf44bd8b35c6f49a7e443812025-08-20T03:27:40ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502025-05-0116656310.3390/insects16060563Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular GlandsYunchang Li0Xiaojing Zhang1Zhenyu Xia2Yue Hao3Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, ChinaInstitute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, ChinaInstitute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, ChinaInstitute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a major fatty acid (FA) component of royal jelly, is synthesized in the mandibular glands (MGs) of worker honeybees. Despite its well-documented nutritional and therapeutic significance, the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanisms of 10-HDA production remain largely unresolved. In this study, the molecular basis of 10-HDA biosynthesis and regulation in the MGs of newly emerged bees (NEBs), nurse bees (NBs), and forager bees (FBs) were investigated using RNA sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A five-step biosynthetic pathway for 10-HDA was proposed, and cross-species analysis of <i>Apis mellifera</i> and <i>A. cerana</i> revealed the conserved expression patterns of 15 key enzymes involved. Functional validation via RNA interference (RNAi) demonstrated that knockdown of acyl-CoA Delta(11) desaturase (<i>d11ds</i>, LOC551527), a key enzyme in FA desaturation, led to a 50% reduction in 10-HDA levels. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis further identified transcriptional regulators Kay and Drep-2 as potential modulators of 10-HDA metabolism. This study provides the first comprehensive mechanistic model of 10-HDA biosynthesis in honeybee MGs and highlights the labor-specific regulation of FA metabolism. These findings offer promising genetic targets for improving the royal jelly quality through genetic technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/6/56310-hydroxy-2-decenoic acidmandibular glandfatty acid metabolismacyl-CoA Delta(11) desaturase |
| spellingShingle | Yunchang Li Xiaojing Zhang Zhenyu Xia Yue Hao Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands Insects 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid mandibular gland fatty acid metabolism acyl-CoA Delta(11) desaturase |
| title | Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands |
| title_full | Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands |
| title_fullStr | Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands |
| title_short | Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of 10-HDA Biosynthesis: Role of Acyl-CoA Delta(11) Desaturase and Transcriptional Regulators in Honeybee Mandibular Glands |
| title_sort | dissecting the molecular mechanism of 10 hda biosynthesis role of acyl coa delta 11 desaturase and transcriptional regulators in honeybee mandibular glands |
| topic | 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid mandibular gland fatty acid metabolism acyl-CoA Delta(11) desaturase |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/6/563 |
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