No increase in alcohol dehydrogenase levels following repeated ethanol exposure in young honeybee workers

Abstract

Some workers of the honeybee show high alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) levels and high resistance to the sedative effects of alcohol, yet it is unknown whether these two issues are directly related. Here we looked for a link between ADH levels and sedation latency in response to alcohol exposure. We used molecular and immunoblotting methods to investigate a possible induction of ADH production in young, ADH-lacking workers in response to repeated ethanol vapour presentation. Although we found increased sedation latency in individuals after several ethanol encounters, this was not accompanied by detectibly increased ADH levels in such workers. The lack of ethanol-induced ADH production indicated that it was not needed for increased coping with alcohol inebriation. In this work, we expanded current knowledge about the effects of alcohol on honeybee workers and related it to the existing literature on the subject.