Meeting Abstract
S5-9 Saturday, Jan. 5 13:30 - 14:00 Protective Mechanisms During Low Temperature Stress in a Solitary Bee BOWSHER, Julia H*; TORSON, Alex S; YOCUM, George D; RINEHART, Joseph P; North Dakota State University; University of Western Ontario; Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, USDA ARS; rd T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, USDA ARS julia.bowsher@ndsu.edu
Most temperate insects spend a majority of their lifespan overwintering and change their physiology to protect themselves from the stress of low temperatures. However, prolonged exposure to low temperatures can still cause damage to insect tissues. We explore the molecular mechanisms that contribute to chill injury, and how exposure to periodic warm temperatures can protect from cellular damage using the solitary bee, Megachile rotundata. We found that periodic exposure to warm temperatures up-regulates genes associated with oxidative stress, neural development, and ion homeostasis. Next, we compared these observations during overwintering to a later life-stage that is not physiologically prepared for cold exposure. We found that the protective mechanisms were conserved at the level of the cellular process, but differentially regulated at the transcript level. These results can help inform agricultural management of this bee species and predict response to the temperature fluctuations associated with climate change.