The influence of microbiome manipulation on xenobiotic detoxification ability in larval and adult honey bees

Although numerous studies have documented the variable effects of xenobiotic exposure on adult honey bee health, comparatively fewer analyses have been performed using honey bee larvae, and fewer still have measured the downstream phenotypic responses of bees exposed during early developmental stages. Understanding the effects such exposure can have on larvae and eventual adults is critical to avoiding negative feedback loops and managing colony health. To that end, I performed a series of bioassays by exposing in vitro-reared honey bees to naturally-occurring and artificial xenobiotics (flupyradifurone and amygdalin) and inoculating them with Bombella apis, a honey bee gut microbial species with nutritional buffering capabilities that is also resistant to the antibacterial properties of the larvaldiet. Survival success was compared between treatments and eventual P450 activity assays will reveal the physiological detoxification abilities occurring within the larval gut. These results can fill novel and important knowledge gaps by documenting the detoxification ability of in vivo honey bee gut microbial species when encountering field-relevant pesticides and toxic phytochemicals, thereby improving our understanding of basic bee biology and helping to inform bee health management decisions.