wondering which could be the next problem/solution by feeding chicken eggs
to honey bees?

Transfer of Immunity from Mother to Offspring Is Mediated via Egg-Yolk
Protein Vitellogenin
http://pathogens-qc01.plosjournals.org:8046/DesktopPlosPathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005015

Abstract

Insect immune systems can recognize specific pathogens and prime offspring
immunity. High specificity of immune priming can be achieved when insect
females transfer immune elicitors into developing oocytes. The molecular
mechanism behind this transfer has been a mystery. Here, we establish that
the egg-yolk protein vitellogenin is the carrier of immune elicitors. Using
the honey bee, *Apis mellifera*, model system, we demonstrate with
microscopy and western blotting that vitellogenin binds to bacteria,
both *Paenibacillus
larvae* – the gram-positive bacterium causing American foulbrood disease –
and to *Escherichia coli* that represents gram-negative bacteria. Next, we
verify that vitellogenin binds to pathogen-associated molecular patterns;
lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan and zymosan, using surface plasmon
resonance. We document that vitellogenin is required for transport of
cell-wall pieces of *E*. *coli* into eggs by imaging tissue sections. These
experiments identify vitellogenin, which is distributed widely in oviparous
species, as the carrier of immune-priming signals. This work reveals a
molecular explanation for trans-generational immunity in insects and a
previously undescribed role for vitellogenin.
Author Summary

Insects lack antibodies, the carriers of immunological memory that
vertebrate mothers can transfer to their offspring. Yet, it has been shown
that an insect mother facing pathogens can prime her offspring’s immune
system. To date, it has remained enigmatic how insects achieve specific
trans-generational immune priming despite the absence of antibody-based
immunity. Here, we show this is made possible via an egg-yolk protein
binding to immune elicitors that are then carried to eggs. This yolk
protein, called vitellogenin, is able to bind to different bacteria and
pathogenic pattern molecules. We use *E*. *coli* fragments as a bait to
show how vitellogenin is necessary for the carrying of immune elicitors to
eggs. These findings help to understand how insects fight pathogens and can
be useful for protection of ecologically and economically important
insects, such as the honey bee, that we used as a model species.

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