Influence of royal jelly components on the development of Melissococcus plutonius.

Objectives. European Foulbrood (EFB) is a severe disease that affects the first larval stages of different types of bees, including Apis mellifera. This disease is caused by the bacteria Melissococcus plutonius, spreading through contaminated food like royal jelly (RJ). In this study, some components of RJ that could affect the survival and virulence of the bacterium were characterized. Methodology. Bromatological analyses, electrophoretic protein profile, organic acid profile, and mineral content of RJs from different origins were determined. Additionally, the variations in RJs were related to the virulence of M. plutonius through in vitro infections. Contributions. The results showed that the RJs have a different chemical composition, which affects the virulence of M. plutonius. These compounds are royal jelly major protein 1 (MRJP1) and glucose oxidase (GOX), which were absent in some JRs; 10 -hydroxy-2-decenoic acid(10-HDA), whose concentration varied from 1.8 to 3.1%, and the relationship between Potassium and Sodium (K/Na) with values between 4.21 to 20.27. These parameters can be considered a reference to indirectly evaluate the susceptibility of bee colonies against EFB in different geographical locations or seasonal periods and can also be used to develop natural treatments for diseased colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]