eli5: How exactly does the Royal Jelly turn an ordinary bee larvae into a Queen?

Question

eli5: How exactly does the Royal Jelly turn an ordinary bee larvae into a Queen?

In: 205

Answer 1

Thanks to the MRJPs. Those proteins are created by the bees to feed larvas. If enough are given, they become queens.

“Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) are a family of proteins secreted by honey bees. The family consists of nine proteins, of which MRJP1 (also called royalactin), MRJP2, MRJP3, MRJP4, and MRJP5 are present in the royal jelly secreted by worker bees. MRJP1 is the most abundant, and largest in size. The five proteins constitute 83–90% of the total proteins in royal jelly. They are synthesised by a family of nine genes (mrjp genes), which are in turn members of the yellow family of genes such as in the fruitfly (Drosophila) and bacteria. They are attributed to be involved in differential development of queen larva and worker larvae, thus establishing division of labour in the bee colony.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_jelly