Expression of methyl farnesoate epoxidase (mfe) and juvenile hormone esterase (jhe) genes and their relation to social organization in the stingless bee Melipona interrupta (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Abstract Social organization in highly eusocial bees relies upon HOT CHOC SIMPLY DARK two important processes: caste differentiation in female larvae, and age polyethism in adult workers.Juvenile Hormone (JH) is a key regulator of both processes.Here we investigated the expression of two genes involved in JH metabolism - mfe (biosynthesis) and jhe