SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION OF CHIMERIC HONEYBEE LARVAE

The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is likely to become the major model syst em for resolving the genetic basis of advanced perceptual and behaviou ral abilities of highly social insects because of the high level of kn owledge regarding its physiology and social behaviour and its ease of handling. Here we report for the first time genetic transformation of honeybees by the production of chimeric larvae obtained by nuclear tra nsplantation, identified by use of a genetic marker. Two chimeras expr essed only the genotype of the donor indicating developmental totipote ncy of nuclei up to the 11th cleavage mitosis. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, In c.