Distribution of honey bee mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in an Italian region where a legislative act is protecting the Apis mellifera ligustica subspecies
Taurisano, V. et al. (2024). Distribution of honey bee mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in an Italian region where a legislative act is protecting the Apis mellifera ligustica subspecies. Sci. Rep. 14:20583 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71233-5
The conservation of native subspecies of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) has become an important focus, particularly in light of genetic erosion caused by human activities such as beekeeping and trade. This study examines the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity of honey bees in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, following the introduction of a regional law in 2019 aimed at protecting the Apis mellifera ligustica subspecies.
The research focuses on analyzing the distribution of mtDNA haplotypes in a large sample of 1,143 honey bees collected between 2020 and 2022. The study used PCR and sequencing to target the mtDNA tRNAleu-COII region, which is commonly used to assess phylogenetic relationships among honey bee populations. The two most prevalent haplotypes found were C1 (characteristic of A. m. ligustica) and C2 (typical of A. m. carnica), with 86.5% and 11.0% frequency, respectively.
The study also identified novel haplotypes in the A lineage and M lineage, which are less common in the region but provide insight into the ongoing genetic mixing and the potential impact of non-native subspecies. The findings serve as a baseline for monitoring the effectiveness of the regional law in conserving the genetic integrity of A. m. ligustica and suggest the need for stricter enforcement to prevent further genetic erosion. This research contributes to a growing body of work on honey bee conservation and highlights the importance of continued genetic monitoring in conservation efforts.
Keywords: Apis mellifera ligustica, mitochondrial DNA, conservation genetics, haplotype diversity, beekeeping, Italy, genetic integrity, Apis mellifera carnica
