Functional analyses of Apis cerana cerana DnaJC28: a new biomarker for environmental stress
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Pollination by honeybees is vital for maintaining the health of both ecological and agricultural systems. However, honeybee health is often influenced by multiple environmental stresses. Therefore, identifying the key genes involved in stress responses and investigating the molecular mechanisms through which honeybees respond to environmental stress are crucial. In this study, we report that Apis cerana cerana DnaJC28 (AccDnaJC28) is a typical DnaJ protein belonging to the heat shock protein subfamily that contains a J domain and is localized in the cytoplasm. The mRNA levels of AccDnaJC28 were higher in the thorax than in other tissues and in 1-day-old workers than in bees at other developmental stages. Several environmental stressors induced the expression of AccDnaJC28 . Functional analyses revealed that silencing AccDnaJC28 decreased the thermotolerance of A. cerana cerana , whereas its overexpression increased the survival of Drosophila S2 cells under heat stress. These results indicate the crucial role of AccDnaJC28 in the stress response and its potential suitability as a novel biomarker. Mechanistic analysis further revealed that knockdown of AccDnaJC28 reduced both the enzymatic activity of certain antioxidant enzymes and the expression levels of related antioxidant genes. In addition, the upregulated expression of certain antioxidant genes may partially compensate for the functional deficiency caused by AccDnaJC28 knockdown. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that AccDnaJC28 is essential for the response of A. cerana cerana to environmental stress, as it mitigates oxidative damage via the antioxidant signaling pathway. These results contribute to the understanding of the foundational defense mechanisms initiated by honeybees in response to environmental stress.
Source: Frontiers in Physiology
Institution: Qufu Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223336622