In-vivo egfp expression in the honeybee Apis mellifera induced by electroporation and viral expression vector

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 2;17(6):e0263908. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263908. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

In this study we describe egfp expression induced by two techniques: in vivo electroporation and viral transduction in several cell types of the adult honeybee brain. Non-neuronal and neuronal cell types were identified and the expression persisted at least during three days. Kenyon cells, optic lobe neurons and protocerebral lobe neurons were electroporated. Astrocyte-like glia cells, fibrous lamellar glia cells and cortex glia cells were identified. Viral transduction targeted one specific type of glia cells that could not be identified. EGFP positive cells types were rather variable after electroporation, and viral transduction resulted in more homogenous groups of positive cells. We propose that these techniques remain a good alternative to transgenic animals because they potentially target only somatic cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bees / genetics
  • Brain
  • Electroporation*
  • Genetic Vectors* / genetics
  • Neuroglia
  • Neurons

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through grant no. LE1809/1-1 and LE1809/1-2. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.