@article{ScheinerTotevaReimetal.2014,
  author    = {Scheiner, Ricarda and Toteva, Anna and Reim, Tina and Sovik, Eirik and Barron, Andrew B.},
  title     = {Differences in the phototaxis of pollen and nectar foraging honey bees are related to their octopamine brain titers},
  series = {Frontiers in physiology},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Frontiers in physiology},
  publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation},
  address   = {Lausanne},
  issn      = {1664-042X},
  doi       = {10.3389/fphys.2014.00116},
  pages     = {8},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {The biogenic amine octopamine is an important neuromodulator, neurohormone and neurotransmitter in insects. We here investigate the role of octopamine signaling in honey bee phototaxis. Our results show that groups of bees differ naturally in their phototaxis. Pollen forgers display a lower light responsiveness than nectar foragers. The lower phototaxis of pollen foragers coincides with higher octopamine titers in the optic lobes but is independent of octopamine receptor gene expression. Increasing octopamine brain titers reduces responsiveness to light, while tyramine application enhances phototaxis. These findings suggest an involvement of octopamine signaling in honey bee phototaxis and possibly division of labor, which is hypothesized to be based on individual differences in sensory responsiveness.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ReimScheiner2014,
  author    = {Reim, Tina and Scheiner, Ricarda},
  title     = {Division of labour in honey bees: age- and task-related changes in the expression of octopamine receptor genes},
  series = {Insect molecular biology},
  volume    = {23},
  journal   = {Insect molecular biology},
  number    = {6},
  publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  address   = {Hoboken},
  issn      = {0962-1075},
  doi       = {10.1111/imb.12130},
  pages     = {833 -- 841},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {The honey bee (Apis melliferaL.) has developed into an important ethological model organism for social behaviour and behavioural plasticity. Bees perform a complex age-dependent division of labour with the most pronounced behavioural differences occurring between in-hive bees and foragers. Whereas nurse bees, for example, stay inside the hive and provide the larvae with food, foragers leave the hive to collect pollen and nectar for the entire colony. The biogenic amine octopamine appears to play a major role in division of labour but the molecular mechanisms involved are unknown. We here investigated the role of two characterized octopamine receptors in honey bee division of labour. AmOctR1 codes for a Ca2+-linked octopamine receptor. AmOctR3/4 codes for a cyclic adenosine monophosphate-coupled octopamine receptor. Messenger RNA expression of AmOctR1 in different brain neuropils correlates with social task, whereas expression of AmOctR3/4 changes with age rather than with social role per se. Our results for the first time link the regulatory role of octopamine in division of labour to specific receptors and brain regions. They are an important step forward in our understanding of complex behavioural organization in social groups.},
  language  = {en}
}