Royal jelly is the food of queen bee larvae, and is responsible for the high reproductive ability of the queen. Major royal jelly proteins make up around 90% of larval jelly proteins. This family also the sequence-related yellow protein of drosophila which controls pigmentation of the adult cuticle and larval mouth parts.

1: A family of major royal jelly proteins of the honeybee Apis mellifera L. Schmitzova J, Klaudiny J, Albert S, Schroder W, Schreckengost W, Hanes J, Judova J, Simuth J; Cell Mol Life Sci 1998;54:1020-1030. PMID:9791542