Title: Impact of neonicotinoids on gene expression and synaptic plasticity in bee brains

Project Overview: 

Pollination by the honeybee (Apis mellifera) is ecologically and economically important. Xenobiotic compounds, such as thiamethoxam have been linked to a global decline of honeybees. Thiamethoxam is extremely active in the insect nervous system. This study aims to investigate how the brain of these insects reacts to sublethal doses of thiametoxam.

We will determine potential changes of gene expression and changes of alternative mRNA splicing of genes in the brain. In addition ultra-structural changes in synaptic patterns will be recorded by immunolocalization of the protein synapsin.