Singlenucleus And Spatial Transcriptomics Identify Brain Landscape Of Gene Regulatory Networks Associated With Behavioral Maturation In Honeybees Xiaohuan Mu1 by Xiaohuan Mu1, 7, Zijing Zhang 2, 7, Qun Liu3, Jie Ma3, Yating Qin3, Haoyu Lang 1, 101038/S41467025586148 instant download after payment.

Animal behavior is linked to the gene regulatory network (GRN) coordinatinggene expression in the brain. Eusocial honeybees, with their natural behavioralplasticity, provide an excellent model for exploring the connection betweenbrain activity and behavior. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatialtranscriptomics, we analyze the expression patterns of brain cells associatedwith the behavioral maturation from nursing to foraging. Integrating spatialand cellular data uncovered cell-type and spatial heterogeneity in GRN organization. Interestingly, the stripe regulon is explicitly activated in foragers’small Keyon cells, which are implicated in spatial learning and navigation.When worker age is controlled in artificial colonies, stripe and its key targetsremained highly expressed in the KC regions of bees performing foragingtasks. These findings suggest that specific GRNs coordinate individual braincell activity during behavioral transitions, shedding light on GRN-driven brainheterogeneity and its role in the division of labor of social life.