Differential gene expression in Varroa jacobsoni mites following a host shift to European honey bees (Apis mellifera)

A small set of genes showed reduced expression in mites on A. mellifera host, including putative transcription factors and digestive tract developmental genes. The vast majority of differentially expressed genes were up-regulated in this host. This gene set showed enrichment for genes associated with mitochondrial respiratory function and apoptosis, suggesting that mites on this host may be experiencing higher stress and may be less optimally adapted to parasitize it.