A cell line derived from honey bee (Apis mellifera) embryonic tissues

It is not uncommon for honey bee colonies to succumb to the culmination of the negative effects from mite pests, pathogens, pesticides, and poor nutrition.  It has become an important research effort to mitigate these challenges to honey bee health and colony productivity.  A major hindrance to the study of honey bee pathogens or the effects of pesticides and nutritional deficiencies is the lack of controlled in vitro culture systems comprised of honey bee cells.  We have developed a method incorporating established insect cell culture techniques that supports sustained growth of honey bee cells derived from embryonic tissues.  Serial transfer of material from several primary cultures was maintained and has led to the isolation of young cell lines.  A cell line has been established that is composed mainly of fibroblast-type cells that form an adherent monolayer.  Most cells in the line are diploid (2n = 32) and have the Apis mellifera karyotype as revealed by Giemsa stain.  The partial sequence for the mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (Cox 1) gene in the cell line is identical to those from host tissues and a consensus sequence for A. mellifera.  Importantly, the cell line is continuously subcultured and is cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen.  The cell culture system we have developed has potential application in studies aimed at honey bee genetics, pathogenesis, transgenesis, and toxicology.