Abstract
•The honeybee genome encodes one ortholog of the conserved anterior patterning gene ems.•Honeybee ems is expressed during embryogenesis in a similar pattern to orthologs in Drosophila, Tribolium and Oncopeltus.•In late embryogenesis honeybee ems is expressed in a region consist with the somatic cells of the developing ovary.
Empty-spiracle class homeodomain proteins have similar roles in anterior and head development in many animal species. We have identified a honeybee empty-spiracles gene and examined its expression in honeybee ovaries and embryos. The expression of honeybee empty-spiracles in embryos is similar to that reported for Drosophila and Tribolium, implying broad conservation of the role of this gene in insect embryogenesis. We also identify expression in somatic and germ-line cells of the ovary, not previously seen in other insect species.