A study sprouting from a collaboration of several universities shows that particular species of gut bacteria are directly linked to memory in bumblebees. It was found that the growth of this bacteria increases the memory of the bees. The study was carried out with the joint efforts of researchers from Jiangnan University in China; Queen Mary University, London; and University of Oulu, Finland. The bacterial species under discussion are known as ‘Lactobacillus apis’ and are found in different proportions in different bumblebees depending on differences and changes in nesting and pollination environments, activities, social interactions and pathogens. The study found that bees that had a diet high in this gut bacteria had increased memory power compared to bees that consumed less Lactobacillus apis.
“Our results show that not only does natural variation in the amount of a specific gut bacterium affect memory, but also show a causal link – that adding the same bacterial species to a bee’s diet can enhance their memories, ” Dr. Lee said. lead author of the study, in the study results which have been published in the journal Nature Communications. Dr. Lee also said that more work is needed, but with enough research, microorganisms that cause similar effects on humans may be found.
The test that gave the team of researchers fruitful results involved artificial flowers of various colors – five with a sweetened sucrose solution and five with quinine, a bee repellent. The researchers observed the efficiency with which the bees were able to identify flowers with quinine.
The same set of bees was made to perform the same test three days later. Sequencing the gut samples helped the researchers draw a pattern between the amount of gut bacteria and memory abilities. To confirm the connection between Lactobacillus apis and memory abilities, researchers introduced the bacteria to the bumblebee’s diet and found evidence of increased memory.
“This is a fascinating finding that could apply to humans as well as bees,” said co-lead author Lars Chittka from Queen Mary University.
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