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September 16, 2025 — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
New research published in PLOS Biology reveals that several genetic variants associated with social behavior in honey bees are located within genes previously linked to social behavior in humans. According to Ian Traniello and colleagues, these findings point to ancient molecular roots of social behavior that have been conserved across species.
Understanding Individual Differences in Sociability
In social species, individuals display varying levels of sociability — some are highly connected and social, while others interact less. This variation is influenced by multiple factors, including mood, past experiences, social rank, and genetics. However, the genetic and molecular processes that drive sociability have remained largely unclear until now.
Tracking Bee Behavior at the Genomic Level
To explore the genetic mechanisms behind social behavior, researchers studied western honey bees (Apis mellifera) using a combination of:
- Whole-genome sequencing
- Brain gene expression (transcriptome) analysis
- Automated behavioral observations
They collected adult bees from three colonies and tagged each one with tiny barcodes to monitor their interactions inside glass-walled observation hives.
Whole-genome sequencing of 357 bees uncovered 18 genetic variants linked to the likelihood of performing ‘trophallaxis’ — a behavior where bees share liquid food with nestmates. Notably, several of these variants were found within two genes — neuroligin-2 and nmdar2 — which share similarities to genes previously implicated in autism in humans.
Transcriptome sequencing also identified over 900 genes that were more highly expressed in the brains of bees that frequently interacted with their nestmates.
Ancient Molecular Roots of Sociability
The study reveals striking parallels in the genetic foundations of social behavior between humans and bees — species that diverged more than 600 million years ago. While sociability is a complex trait governed by numerous genes, these shared genomic elements suggest that core molecular building blocks of sociality may have been conserved over evolutionary time, even though humans and bees evolved social life independently.
The authors note:
“It is a central feature of all societies that group members often engage with one another, but vary in their tendency to do so. Combining automated monitoring of social interactions, DNA sequencing, and brain transcriptomics in honey bee colonies, we identified evolutionarily conserved molecular roots of sociability shared across phylogenetically distinct species, including humans.”
Advancing Social Behavior Research Through Technology
Lead researcher Ian Traniello adds:
“Social insects are ideal for whole-colony behavioral tracking, and the technology is such that we can monitor what each bee is doing throughout the majority of her life.
In this study, we sought to push things a step forward, thinking, ‘We can follow all of these animals, we know who they’re socially engaging via food-sharing interactions, we know how they move and where they spend their time. The honey bee molecular toolkit is vast and growing, and we can also explore the structure of the genome or gene expression patterns within the brain as they relate to variation in social interactivity.’ We asked: ‘How can we bring these technologies together, to ask general questions about the molecular underpinnings of social organization and test the hypothesis that some of these features might be conserved across species?’ And that’s exactly what we did.”
Access the Full Study
Read the open-access article in PLOS Biology here: https://plos.io/45UeLwl
Author countries: United States, United Kingdom
Funding: This study was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (ERC-2017-StG Grant Agreement 757583, Brain2Bee), the Agriculture Research Service Award (8042-21000-291-047S), and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. Funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, or publication.
Summary
- Study links honey bee sociability genes to genes associated with human social behavior.
- Researchers used genome sequencing, brain transcriptomics, and automated behavior tracking.
- 18 genetic variants tied to food-sharing behavior (trophallaxis) were identified.
- Variants appeared in genes similar to those linked to autism in humans.
- Over 900 genes were more active in the brains of highly social bees.
- Findings suggest ancient, evolutionarily conserved genetic roots of social behavior across species.
Original Publication
Authors: Ian M. Traniello, Arian Avalos, Michael J. M. Gachomba, Tim Gernat, Zhenqing Chen, Amy C. Cash-Ahmed, Adam R. Hamilton, Jennifer L. Cook and Gene E. Robinson.
Journal: PLOS Biology
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003367
Method of Research: Observational study
Subject of Research: Animals
COI Statement: Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What genetic factors influence sociability in honey bees?
The study identified 18 specific genetic variations (SNPs) linked to sociability in honey bees, particularly associated with a gene called neuroligin-2, which is also related to social behavior in humans.
How does trophallaxis relate to sociability in honey bees?
Trophallaxis, the behavior of sharing food among bees, serves as a measure of sociability. Bees that engage more in trophallaxis are considered more sociable, and this behavior is influenced by their genetic makeup.
What role does brain gene expression play in honey bee sociability?
The study found that differences in sociability among honey bees are linked to variations in brain gene expression, particularly in genes related to neural signaling and development, suggesting that brain function is crucial for social interactions.
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