BRENT: Scientists have long known that honey bees vaccinate their offspring to shield them from viruses and bacteria found in their habitat, but only recently did they found exactly how they do it.
An international team of researchers reported the finding after they had analyzed vitellogenin, a protein bees deposit in the fat bodies of their heads and abdomens. Vitellogenin acts as a hormone that regulates foraging patterns as well as an antioxidant, keeping the bee queen and bee foragers young longer. Yet now, researchers found that the protein acts as an immunizer, too.
noted Dr. Gro Amdam, lead author of the bee study and researhcer with the Arizona State University,
Dr. Amdam also said that the discovery was made after 15 years of continuous research on vitellogenin. Dalial Freitak of the University of Helsinki who was also involved in the study said that he had been conducting studies on bee immunization since he was a doctoral student. But after 10 years he is satisfied that he have solved what looks like “an important part of the puzzle.”
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