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Oral Presentation

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Student Competition

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Student Poster Display Competition

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Student Competition

Student

Grad Poster Competition: PBT, Honey Bees and Pollinators

Uncovering vitellogenin diversity across managed U.S. honey bee stocks

Monday, November 10, 2025

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific

Location: Exhibit Hall A-A1, OCC

Presenting Author(s)

Hasim Hakanoglu

Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Co-Author(s)

GS

Garett Slater

Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center
Overton, Texas
QS

Qian Sun

Assistant Professor
Louisiana State University
Saint Gabriel, Louisiana
KI

Kate Ihle

USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Lab
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
AA

Arian Avalos

USDA-ARS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Managed U.S. honey bee (Apis mellifera) stocks have been selectively bred for traits like honey production and disease resistance. However, such selection may unintentionally impact key physiological pathways, including those involving vitellogenin—a multifunctional yolk protein that regulates worker behavior, longevity, and colony dynamics. To investigate coding variation in this gene, we sequenced genomes from 120 drones across six commercial stocks and identified 109 polymorphic sites, including 14 non-synonymous variants within coding regions. These variants defined 35 unique vitellogenin haplotypes, some of which were shared across individuals and stocks. Our findings reveal previously uncharacterized genetic diversity in vitellogenin, highlighting the potential for functional variation across bee populations. Ongoing work will examine how these variants influence key traits linked to colony resilience and productivity.