Ribosomal protein L11 is related to brain maturation during the adult phase in Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

Ribosomal proteins (RPs) play pivotal roles in developmental regulation. The loss or mutation of ribosomal protein L11 (RPL11) induces various developmental defects. However, few RPs have been functionally characterized in Apis cerana cerana. In this study, we isolated a single copy gene, AccRPL11, and characterized its connection to brain maturation. AccRPL11 expression was highly concentrated in the adult brain and was significantly induced by abiotic stresses such as pesticides and heavy metals. Immunofluorescence assays demonstrated that AccRPL11 was localized to the medulla, lobula and surrounding tissues of esophagus in the brain. The post-transcriptional knockdown of AccRPL11 gene expression resulted in a severe decrease in adult brain than in other tissues. The expression levels of other brain development-related genes, p38, ERK2, CacyBP and CREB, were also reduced. Immunofluorescence signal attenuation was also observed in AccRPL11-rich regions of the brain in dsAccRPL11-injected honeybees. Taken together, these results suggest that AccRPL11 may be functional in brain maturation in honeybee adults.