It has been shown that this phenomenon is mediated by an epigenetic modification of DNA known as CpG methylation. A female larva destined to become a queen is fed large quantities of royal jelly this triggers a cascade of molecular events resulting in development of a queen. The queen–worker developmental divide is controlled epigenetically by differential feeding with royal jelly this appears to be due specifically to the protein royalactin. Queens constitute the female sexual caste and have large active ovaries, whereas female workers have only rudimentary, inactive ovaries and are functionally sterile. Even if two larvae had identical DNA, one raised to be a worker, the other a queen, the two adults would be strongly differentiated across a wide range of characteristics including anatomical and physiological differences, longevity, and reproductive capacity. The honey bee queens and workers represent one of the most striking examples of environmentally controlled phenotypic polymorphism. They are attributed to be involved in differential development of queen larva and worker larvae, thus establishing division of labour in the bee colony. They are synthesised by a family of nine genes ( mrjp genes), which are in turn members of the yellow family of genes such as in the fruitfly ( Drosophila) and bacteria. The five proteins constitute 83–90% of the total proteins in royal jelly. MRJP1 is the most abundant, and largest in size. The family consists of nine proteins, of which MRJP1 (also called royalactin), MRJP2, MRJP3, MRJP4, and MRJP5 are present in the royal jelly secreted by worker bees. Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) are a family of proteins secreted by honey bees. It also contains trace minerals, antibacterial and antibiotic components, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine ( vitamin B6) and trace amounts of vitamin C, but none of the fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E or K. Royal jelly is 67% water, 12.5% protein, 11% simple sugars ( monosaccharides), 6% fatty acids and 3.5% 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA). After three days, the drone and worker larvae are no longer fed with royal jelly, but queen larvae continue to be fed this special substance throughout their development. Royal jelly is secreted from the glands in the heads of worker bees and is fed to all bee larvae, whether they are destined to become drones (males), workers (sterile females), or queens (fertile females). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has taken legal action against companies that have marketed royal jelly products using unfounded claims of health benefits. It is often sold as a dietary supplement for humans, but the European Food Safety Authority has concluded that current evidence does not support the claim that consuming royal jelly offers health benefits to humans. Royal jelly is sometimes used in alternative medicine under the category apitherapy. This type of feeding triggers the development of queen morphology, including the fully developed ovaries needed to lay eggs. The larvae in these cells are fed with copious amounts of royal jelly. Queen larva in a cell on a frame with beesĭuring the process of creating new queens, the workers construct special queen cells. It is secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx of nurse bees, and fed to all larvae in the colony, regardless of sex or caste. Royal jelly is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae and adult queens. Developing queen larvae surrounded by royal jelly For other uses, see Royal jelly (disambiguation).
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