Scientists from the Uppsala University in Sweden published the very first paper on the global analysis of honeybee genomes and found that there are high levels of genetic diversity in the colonial insects and signifies Asia as the species' origin, and not from Africa as initially thought.

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The Apis mellifera, commonly known as the honeybee, has an essential role in the ecosystem as they pollinate plants that provide food such as fruits, vegetables and nuts. As of late, there have been considerable losses of the insects' colonies and are being treated as a major cause for concern. The bees are facing threats from management practices, disease and climate change.

To be able to address the concerns appropriately, it is imperative to understand how the colonial insects adapt to habitats around the world and the evolutionary history of the species.

"We have used state-of-the-art high-throughput genomics to address these questions, and have identified high levels of genetic diversity in honeybees. In contrast to other domestic species, management of honeybees seems to have increased levels of genetic variation by mixing bees from different parts of the world. The findings may also indicate that high levels of inbreeding are not a major cause of global colony losses", said Matthew Webster, researcher at the department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology in Uppsala University.

The researchers surprisingly found out that the honeybees had originated from an ancient line of cavity-nesting bees from Asia approximately 300,000 years ago that quickly migrated across Africa and Europe. The results are contradictory from previous data that suggested that the bees had originated from Africa.

"The study provides new insights into evolution and genetic adaptation, and establishes a framework for investigating the biological mechanisms behind disease resistance and adaptation to climate, knowledge that could be vital for protecting honeybees in a rapidly changing world", said Webster.

TagsScience, Research, genome, genes, DNA, Bees, Honey, Honeybee