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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Contact with fipronil affects pollination-associated gene expression in honey bees
The Science of the total environment, Vol.1011, pp.1-10
10/01/2026
PMID: 41411784
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Abstract
This study investigated the effects of acute exposure to the insecticide fipronil on the gene expression of foraging honeybees, given their crucial role in crop pollination and vulnerability in insecticide-contaminated environments. Foragers were exposed to 2 μL of water containing either a lethal dose (LD50 = 0.009 μg/bee) or a sublethal dose (LD50/100 = 0.0009 μg/bee) of fipronil for one or four hours. The transcriptome of brain tissue was subsequently analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were classified into functional categories using Gene Ontology. Results revealed significant alterations in gene expression, with DEGs associated with immune response and xenobiotic metabolism, as well as genes linked to visual perception, muscle function, and odor detection. These molecular changes suggest that fipronil compromises bees' foraging and flight abilities, potentially reducing their efficiency in resource collection and plant pollination. Therefore, limiting the use of fipronil or adopting less harmful pest control alternatives is essential to safeguard pollination services provided by honeybees in agricultural systems.
Details
- Title
- Contact with fipronil affects pollination-associated gene expression in honey bees
- Creators
- Yan Souza Lima - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Isabella Cristina de Castro Lippi - Southern Cross UniversityJaine da Luz Scheffer - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Juliana Sartori Lunardi - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Marcus Vinícius Niz Alvarez - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Daniel Nicodemo - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Samir Moura Kadri - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) (Brazil, Sao Paulo)
- Publication Details
- The Science of the total environment, Vol.1011, pp.1-10
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.
- Grant note
- This work was supported by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) - Financing Code 001, and by the State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), process: 2020/10524-0.
- Identifiers
- 991013345639702368
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Authors.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article