Development and application of RNA interference technology for understanding the regulation of key somatic maintenance functions in honeybee

Due to its social attributes, its learning capabilities, and several facultative physiological and behavioural traits under social control, the honeybee provides opportunities for cutting-edge research not possessed by the Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elega ns, zebrafish and the mice systems. The honeybee genome sequence is expected to be finished in May 2003, and the annotation groups are currently being set up. The availability of the honeybee sequence will very soon induce a substantial demand for a targe ted gene knockout technology that will be critical for the establishment of the honeybee as a model animal for functional genomic research. We would like to take advantage of the fact that we are currently at the research front concerning the use of RNA i nterference (RNAi) technology for targeted gene disruption in honeybees. Together with our collaborators, we want to keep our position by fu rther developing the RNAi methodology, so that it can become a general and flexible tool for honeybee functional g enomics. The other main objective of this proposal is to make active use of the RNAi approach together with sequence information from our collaborators and the honeybee genome project to gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory anatomy of honeybee ag eing and senescence. We are at the research front of honeybee ageing biology, and we think that continuation of our research provide opportunities for gaining a deeper understanding of hormonal regulation of key somatic maintenance functions in general.