Honey bees provision glandular secretions in the form of royal jelly as larval nourishment to developing queens. Exposure to chemicals and nutritional conditions can influence queen development and ...thus impact colony fitness. Previous research reports that royal jelly remains pesticide-free during colony-level exposure and that chemical residues are buffered by the nurse bees. However, the impacts of pesticides can also manifest in quality and quantity of royal jelly produced by nurse bees. Here, we tested how colony exposure to a multi-pesticide pollen treatment influences the amount of royal jelly provisioned per queen and the additional impacts on royal jelly nutritional quality. We observed differences in the metabolome, proteome, and phytosterol compositions of royal jelly synthesized by nurse bees from multi-pesticide exposed colonies, including significant reductions of key nutrients such as 24-methylenecholesterol, major royal jelly proteins, and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid. Additionally, quantity of royal jelly provisioned per queen was lower in colonies exposed to pesticides, but this effect was colony-dependent. Pesticide treatment had a greater impact on royal jelly nutritional composition than the weight of royal jelly provisioned per queen cell. These novel findings highlight the indirect effects of pesticide exposure on queen developmental nutrition and allude to social consequences of nurse bee glandular degeneration.
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•Multi-pesticide oral exposure can alter royal jelly production.•Exposed colonies produced royal jelly with lower concentrations of phytosterols.•Abundances of metabolites and proteins were different between treatments.•Amount of royal jelly provisioned per queen larva was not significantly different.
Royal jelly (RJ) is a highly valued natural product which has long been used as a functional food in various parts of the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of RJ ...supplementation (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%, w/w) on physicochemical properties (i.e., viscosity, chemical composition, water holding capacity, antioxidant activity), organoleptic characteristics, culture viability, and biological activities (i.e., anticancer and antibacterial activities) of fermented milk. Results showed RJ supplementation could reduce the fermentation time, increase the viscosity and water holding capacity, and also enhance the antioxidant acitivity of fermented milk. Compared to the fermented milk without RJ addition, fermented milk with 1% RJ had significantly more probiotics Lactobacillus helveticus Lh-B02, approximately 9.73 log CFU/g during 21 days of cold storage. Additionally, RJ supplementation could greatly boost the bioactivities of fermented milk. Fermented milk with 1.5% RJ had the highest anticancer and antibacterial properties, whereas the one with 1% RJ had the best sensory attribute score. Overall, RJ has a great potential to be a viable dietary additive for the development of innovative dairy products with multifacet nutritional and bioactive properties.
•The physicochemical properties and bioactivities of fermented milk with RJ addition was analyzed.•The addition of RJ can increase the viscosity and water holding capacity of fermented milk.•Appropriate RJ addition can enhance the antioxidant acitivity and probiotic viability of fermented milk.•The cell viability, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities of fermented milk were greatly enhanced by RJ.
The purpose of this review is to assess the body's protein reserve in honey bee colonies and the possibilities for improving it. Understanding the causes of changes in body proteinis is important for ...the beekeeping sector in order to improve bioproductive indices and ensure the health of bees.The body's protein reserves of bees are located in the fat body, hypopharyngeal glands and plasma proteins (vitellogenin). Its active role has been proven in the following aspects: the secretion of larval food (royal jelly), longevity, metamorphosis, the evolution and behavior of adults, immunity and detoxification of bees. Body protein values ranges from 21 to 67% of the dry matter. The values considered physiologically normal are over 40%. The factors that reduce the protein content are: the quantity and quality of protein feed, overuse (enzymatic, immune, toxic or various diseases). Body protein deficiency causes bees to fly at a younger age; they also quickly become bee-collectors and their longevity is shortened. Research has established the ideal protein for bees, which is close in value to the proportion of aminoacids in royal jelly. Pollen as a source of protein for bees was classified as follows: poor quality below 20% CP (crude protein), average quality between 20-25% CP and high quality with over 25% CP. The quality of pollen protein is given by the presence of essential aminoacids. No deficiencies of essential aminoacids are reported in pollen produced by species of the family Rosaceae, Phacelia spp., Echium spp., nor in most species of the families Brasicaceae and Fabaceae. It is noted that the plants produce pollen with a low content of protein and essential aminoacids in summer and autumn. In conclusion, it is necessary to supplement the bee families with protein feed in order to ensure the body protein reserve according to the requirements.
The quality changes of RJ at different storage conditions are evaluated from various perspectives, including non-target volatile compound profiling, multi-index (physicochemical parameters and flavor ...characteristics), and multi-technology (HS-SPME-GC/MS, electronic nose, and electronic tongue) integration.
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•A total of 37 volatile compounds in royal jelly are identified using HS-SPME-GC–MS.•Seven volatile compounds contribute largely to the overall flavor of royal jelly.•Electronic nose/tongue exhibit useful value in the quality control of royal jelly.•Combination of multiple methods enhance the evaluation of royal jelly quality.
Royal jelly (RJ) is known for its unique flavor and nutritional value. However, the flavor changes of RJ during storage remain unclear. In this work, the flavor profiles of RJ during storage were evaluated by using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) combined with both electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses. Results revealed that the moisture, water-soluble protein, and whiteness were changed significantly at 25 °C. The holistic variation of RJ flavor exhibited evident distinction based on principal component analysis with electronic nose and electronic tongue. Among the total of 37 volatile compounds identified in RJ, the octanoic acid showed the highest contents of 47.61 % at 25 °C in 21 d. Seven volatile compounds, i.e., 2(3H)-furanone,5-butyldihydro-, 2-heptanone, trans-β-ocimene, 2-nonen-4-one, 2-nonanone, methyl benzoate, and 2-octenoic acid (E), contributed largely to the typical overall flavor of RJ. This work provides an improved understanding of the flavor change of RJ during storage.
This study aims to discover the characteristic chemical factors for determining the region of royal jelly using machine learning. 84 samples from 13 different regions of Turkey were used for the ...study, and the chemical parameters of moisture, pH, acidity, and 10-hydroxy-2-decanoic acid (10-HDA) were investigated. ANOVA test was conducted to determine whether there are differences between royal jelly from 13 locations concerning the four chemical values. In addition to the statistical tests, a machine learning model was used to find out what makes royal jelly different from each other. The descriptive statistics of the chemical analysis results of royal jelly showed the following values: moisture 63.05%±2.99, pH 3.67±0.08, acidity 45.32±3.55, and 10-HDA 2.40±0.24. Surprisingly, the machine learning model suggests that 10-HDA may be the most prominent parameter for determining the region of royal jelly. This information will help us identify royal jelly’s authenticity more easily.
Bu çalışmanın amacı, makine öğrenmesi yoluyla arı sütünün bölgesini belirlemek için ayırt edici kimyasal faktörleri keşfetmektir. Çalışmada, Türkiye'nin 13 farklı bölgesinden 84 numune kullanılmış ve nem, pH, asitlik ve 10-hidroksi-2-dekanoik asit (10-HDA) kimyasal parametreleri incelenmiştir. 13 yerden toplanan arı sütleri arasında dört kimyasal değer açısından farklılık olup olmadığı ANOVA testi ile incelenmiştir. İstatistiksel testlere ek olarak, arı sütlerini birbirinden neyin ayırdığını keşfetmek için bir makine öğrenimi modeli kullanılmıştır. Arı sütü, kimyasal analiz sonuçlarının tanımlayıcı istatistikleri sırasıyla, nem %63,05±2,99, pH 3,67±0,08, asitlik 45,32±3,55 ve 10-HDA 2,40±0,24 olarak bulunmuştur. Şaşırtıcı bir şekilde, makine öğrenimi modeli, 10-HDA'nın arı sütünün bölgesini belirlemek için en belirgin parametre olabileceğini öne sürmektedir. Bu bilgi, arı sütünün doğruluğunun tespitini daha kolay öğrenmemize yardımcı olacaktır.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic syndrome, whose main characteristics are excessive lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) is a kind of ...water‐soluble protein, which is abundant in royal jelly (RJ). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of MRJPs on lipid accumulation and oxidative stress of liver cells. Here, we first optimized the conditions for extracting MRJPs from RJ and identified the extraction effect and product by SDS‐PAGE. Then, we used oleic acid (OA) of 1.0 mM to induce hepatocytes for 24 hr to establish a stable cell models of lipid accumulation, and we found that pre‐administration (24 hr) of MRJPs (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 g/L) could significantly reduce the lipid drop content and triglyceride level in the model cells, and simultaneously reduce the alanine aminotransferase and aspertate aminotransferase levels in the cell culture supernatant. In addition, pre‐incubation (24 hr) with MRJPs (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 g/L) could restore superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and mitochondrial membrane potential as compared with OA group. Furthermore, MRJPs administration significantly upregulated the expression of Silent Information Regulator 2 Associated Protein 3, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), and cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV in OA‐treated HepG2 cells. The study for the first time provides evidences on the lipid‐lowering effect of MRJPs at the cellular level, which can further provide support for the development and application of polypeptide drugs in the future, and can also provide a choice for the prevention and treatment of liver metabolic diseases represented by NAFLD.
Practical Application
Our study proved that MRJPs had substantial preventing effect on OA‐induced lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells. This research can further provide theoretical support for the development and application of peptide drugs in the future. Besides, it can not only further broaden our understanding of NAFLD and other diseases, but also provide ideas for research on oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in the body.
Royal jelly is a yellowish to white gel-like substance that is known as a "superfood" and consumed by queen bees. There are certain compounds in royal jelly considered to have health-promoting ...properties, including 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid and major royal jelly proteins. Royal jelly has beneficial effects on some disorders such as cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. Antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties have been ascribed to this substance. This chapter describes the effects of royal jelly on COVID-19 disease.
Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) are important protein components of bee royal jelly (RJ) and exhibit various biological and pharmacological activities. The antimicrobial activities of the ...royalisin and the jelleines contained within MRJP 1 and MRJP 2 in RJ have been elucidated. However, the antimicrobial effects of other MRJPs remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of the Asiatic honeybee (Apis cerana) MRJP 4 (AcMRJP4). Recombinant AcMRJP4 was expressed as a 63-kDa protein in baculovirus-infected insect cells. We examined the antimicrobial activity of recombinant AcMRJP4 against bacteria, fungi, and yeast. The mechanisms underlying the antimicrobial activity of AcMRJP4 were assessed using western blot analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and scanning electron microscopy. Recombinant AcMRJP4 bound to the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, and yeast and induced structural damage in the microbial cell walls. AcMRJP4 has an antimicrobial role and exhibits a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities against bacteria, fungi, and yeast. We demonstrated that AcMRJP4 functions as an antimicrobial agent with activity against bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Together, our data identified a novel function of MRJP 4 as an antimicrobial agent.
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•The cDNA of the honeybee (Apis cerana) major royal jelly protein 4 (AcMRJP4) was cloned.•AcMRJP4 exhibits antimicrobial activities against bacteria, fungi, and yeast.•AcMRJP4 functions as an antimicrobial agent.
Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) are the protein components in royal jelly (RJ). MRJPs 1–7 are detected in the honeybee Apis mellifera RJ. Although A. mellifera MRJP (AmMRJP) 2 exhibited ...antibacterial activity, the other MRJPs with antimicrobial activities in A. mellifera RJ remains largely unknown. Here, we compared the antibacterial activity of recombinant AmMRJPs 1–7 expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Antibacterial assays of recombinant AmMRJPs 1–7 against the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli revealed that AmMRJPs 2–5 and 7 exhibited antibacterial activity, whereas AmMRJPs 1 and 6 displayed almost no antibacterial activity. Consistent with the antibacterial activity of AmMRJPs, AmMRJPs 2–5 and 7 are bound to bacterial cell walls. These results indicated that AmMRJPs 2–5 and 7 contribute directly to the antibacterial property of RJ, suggesting that MRJPs play a role in the antimicrobial property of RJ.
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•Recombinant Apis mellifera major royal jelly proteins 1–7 (AmMRJPs 1–7) were produced.•Antibacterial activity of recombinant AmMRJPs 1–7 was compared.•AmMRJPs 2–5 and 7 exhibit antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli.•AmMRJPs 2–5 and 7 directly contribute to the antibacterial property of RJ.
In this study, the toxicity of the pesticide cypermethrin and the protective properties of royal jelly against this toxicity were investigated using Allium cepa L., a model organism. Toxicity was ...evaluated using 6 mg/L cypermethrin, while royal jelly (250 mg/L and 500 mg/L) was used in combination with cypermethrin to test the protective effect. To comprehend toxicity and protective impact, growth, genotoxicity, biochemical, comet assay and anatomical parameters were employed. Royal jelly had no harmful effects when applied alone. On the other hand, following exposure to cypermethrin, there was a reduction in weight increase, root elongation, rooting percentage, mitotic index (MI), and chlorophyll a and b. Cypermethrin elevated the frequencies of micronucleus (MN) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs), levels of proline and malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activity rates of the enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). A spectral change in the DNA spectrum indicated that the interaction of cypermethrin with DNA was one of the reasons for its genotoxicity, and molecular docking investigations suggested that tubulins, histones, and topoisomerases might also interact with this pesticide. Cypermethrin also triggered some critical meristematic cell damage in the root tissue. At the same time, DNA tail results obtained from the comet assay revealed that cypermethrin caused DNA fragmentation. When royal jelly was applied together with cypermethrin, all negatively affected parameters due to the toxicity of cypermethrin were substantially restored. However, even at the maximum studied dose of 500 mg/L of royal jelly, this restoration did not reach the levels of the control group. Thus, the toxicity of cypermethrin and the protective function of royal jelly against this toxicity in A. cepa, the model organism studied, were determined by using many different approaches. Royal jelly is a reliable, well-known and easily accessible protective functional food candidate against the harmful effects of hazardous substances such as pesticides.
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•Cypermethrin induces multidimensional toxicity in Allium cepa L. root meristems.•Comet-micronucleus-chromosomal aberration tests are sensitive to assess genotoxicity.•Spectral shift test shows the interactions between cypermethrin and DNA.•Molecular docking simulates the interactions of cypermethrin and target molecules.•Royal jelly attenuate Cypermethrin-induced toxicity dose-dependently.
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