Scientists sequenced the genome of the honeybee.

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20061028/fob1.asp

In this article the reporter writes "Among the novelties of the honeybee,
Apis mellifera, are its 170 genes for odor receptors."

Now, how do they know that?

Back in the dark ages when I was in school, if we had time off from burning
witches at the stake we were taught that DNA was a double helix strand with
codes for stops and starts and that was about what was known at the time.
This was in the 'one gene, one protein' system of thought. Nowadays I
understand genetic expression depends on when a gene or genetic sequence is
switched on or off etc. (All very mind boggling to me)

But if this is the first time a species' genome has been looked at and if
there are only 5 other insects that have had their genome cracked, much less
studied, then 'How do they know?"

K Barrett