Unraveling Bumblebee Adaptation to Urban Living through Multi-omics Analysis

Pollinator insects, such as bumblebees, play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning and food security. However, their biodiversity and wellbeing is being affected by urban expansion worldwide. To understand how two bumblebee species, Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum, are adapting to urban habitats in Italian cities, we are employing a multi-omics strategy. We collected 200 bumblebees individuals from 24 sampling sites in Milan, Rome, Turin, and Florence, including both urban and semi-natural areas. We conducted transcriptomic analysis through mRNA sequencing to identify differencially expressed genes between urban and semi-natural populations. Then, we investigated the influence of urbanization on metabolites production conducting metabolomic analysis using LC-MS. Some preliminary results from RNA-seq and metabolomic analysis confirms clear differences between urban and seminatural populations. Furthermore, we plan on conducting whole genome sequencing to provide genomic data, enabling the detection of genetic regions under selection and exploration of genetic structure in the sampled localities. By integrating these omics data, we aim to provide insights into bumblebee adaptation in urban contexts. The obtained findings can inform policymakers in managing urbanization processes.