TPCA-1 compound, inhibiting testis-specific serine/threonine protein kinase 3 for potential male sterile in Bombyx mori.

Background: Protein kinases are a type of transferase enzyme that catalyze the phosphorylation of protein substrates, including receptor proteins. Testis-specific serine/threonine kinases (TSSKs) are a highly conserved group of protein kinases found in various organisms. They play an essential role in male reproduction by influencing sperm development and function.

Genome-wide analysis of the mulberry ( L.) GH9 gene family and the functional characterization of MaGH9B6 during the development of the abscission zone.

Plant glycoside hydrolase family 9 genes (GH9s) are widely distributed in plants and involved in a variety of cellular and physiological processes. In the current study, nine GH9 genes were identified in the mulberry and were divided into two subfamilies based on the phylogenetic analysis. Conserved motifs and gene structure analysis suggested that the evolution of the two subfamilies is relatively conserved and the glycoside hydrolase domain almost occupy the entire coding region of the GH9s gene.

MaABI5 and MaABF1 transcription factors regulate the expression of during fruit abscission in mulberry ( L.).

Mulberry holds significant economic value. However, during the ripening stage of its fruit, the phenomenon of abscission, resulting in heavy fruit drop, can severely impact the yield. The formation of off-zone structures is a critical factor in the fruit abscission process, and this process is regulated by multiple transcription factors.

Specific Expression of Antimicrobial Peptides from the Black Soldier Fly in the Midgut of Silkworms () Regulates Silkworm Immunity.

Antimicrobial peptides are molecules with strong antimicrobial activity and are of substantial interest for the immunization of insects. As a type of dipteran insect that can turn organic waste into animal feed, the black soldier fly (BSF) can "turn waste into treasure". In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of the antimicrobial peptide genes, and of BSF in silkworms, by overexpressing the genes specifically in the midgut.

Metabonomic Analysis of Silkworm Midgut Reveals Differences between the Physiological Effects of an Artificial and Mulberry Leaf Diet.

is a model lepidopteran insect of great economic value. Mulberry leaves are its only natural food source. The development of artificial diets can not only resolve the seasonal shortage of mulberry leaves but also enable changes to be made to the feed composition according to need.

Effects of Serine/Arginine Enriched Protein BmUP on the Development of Male Silkworm Reproductive Organs.

Serine/arginine-rich proteins are a class of highly conserved splicing factor proteins involved in constitutive and alternative splicing. We screened a low molecular weight serine/arginine rich protein from silkworms and named it BmUP. Temporal and spatial expression analysis indicated that the gene was specifically expressed in the silkworm testis, and the highest expression occurred in the pre-pupa stage from the fifth instar to the moth stages.

Midgut and Head Transcriptomic Analysis of Silkworms Reveals the Physiological Effects of Artificial Diets.

Silkworms, a model lepidopteran insect, have a very simple diet. Artificial diets as an alternative nutrient source for silkworms are gradually being developed. To understand the effects of various nutrients on the growth and development of silkworms, we studied the transcriptomic differences in the midgut and head tissues of male and female silkworms fed either fresh mulberry leaves or artificial diets.

Long Non-Coding RNA Effects on Male External Genital Development in Silkworm.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been suggested to play important roles in some biological processes. However, the detailed mechanisms are not fully understood. We previously identified an antisense lncRNA, , that is involved in pre-mRNA splicing of the sex-determining gene in the silkworm.

Spliceosomal Protein Gene Regulates Reproductive Organ Development in .

Sex determination and differentiation are nearly universal to all eukaryotic organisms, encompassing diverse systems and mechanisms. Here, we identified a spliceosomal protein gene involved in sex determination of the lepidopeteran insect, . In a transgenic silkworm line that overexpressed the gene, transgenic silkworm males exhibited differences in their external genitalia compared to wild-type males, but normal internal genitalia.

A Novel Splice Variant of the Masculinizing Gene with piRNA-Cleavage-Site Defect Functions in Female External Genital Development in the Silkworm, .

In the silkworm, the sex-determination primary signal controls sex differentiation by specific binding of -derived piRNA to the cleavage site in mRNA, thus inhibiting protein production in the female. In this study, we identified a novel splicing isoform of , named , which lacks the intact sequence of the cleavage site, encoding a C-terminal truncated protein. Results of RT-PCR showed that was expressed in both sexes.

An antisense lncRNA functions in alternative splicing of Bmdsx in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently thought to play important roles in some physiological processes. In this study, we identified a lncRNA (named as Bmdsx-AS1) which is the antisense transcript and locates on the position of the crucial sex-determining gene Bmdsx in the silkworm. Quantitative real-time PCR and Fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated that Bmdsx-AS1 was highly expressed in the silkworm testis.

P-element Somatic Inhibitor Protein Binding a Target Sequence in Pre-mRNA Conserved in and .

() functions as a double-switch gene in the final step of the sex-determination cascade in the silkworm . The P-element somatic inhibitor (PSI) protein in interacts with pre-mRNA in CE1 as an exonic splicing silencer to promote male-specific splicing of . However, the character of the interaction between BmPSI and pre-mRNA remains unclear.

Nuclear hormone receptor BmFTZ-F1 is involved in regulating the fibroin heavy chain gene in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Background: The synthesis of silk protein is controlled by hormones. The expression of the nuclear hormone Bmftz-f1 in the posterior silk gland (PSG) is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone in vivo and in vitro. However, whether Bmftz-f1 regulates silk protein expression is unknown.

Identification of MBF2 family genes in Bombyx mori and their expression in different tissues and stages and in response to Bacillus bombysepticus infection and starvation.

The Multiprotein bridge factor 2 (MBF2) gene was first identified as a co-activator involved in BmFTZ-F1-mediated activation of the Fushi tarazu gene. Herein, nine homologous genes of MBF2 gene are identified. Evolutionary analysis showed that this gene family is insect-specific and that the family members are closely related to response to pathogens (REPAT) genes.

Zinc finger protein rotund deficiency affects development of the thoracic leg in Bombyx mori.

The insect limb develops from the imaginal disc or larval leg during metamorphosis. The molecular mechanisms involved in the development from the larval to the adult leg are poorly understood. Herein, we cloned the full length of a zinc finger gene rotund from Bombyx mori (Bmrn), which contained a 1419 bp open reading frame, and encoded a 473 amino acid protein.

Detection and characterization of Wolbachia infection in silkworm.

Wolbachia naturally infects a wide variety of arthropods, where it plays important roles in host reproduction. It was previously reported that Wolbachia did not infect silkworm. By means of PCR and sequencing we found in this study that Wolbachia is indeed present in silkworm.

Ectopic expression of the male BmDSX affects formation of the chitin plate in female Bombyx mori.

Mating structures are involved in successful copulation, intromission, and/or insemination. These structures enable tight coupling between external genitalia of two sexes. During Bombyx mori copulation, the double harpagones in the external genitalia of males clasp the female chitin plate, which is derived from the larval eighth abdominal segment; abnormal development of the female chitin plate affects copulation.

New insights into the genomic organization and splicing of the doublesex gene, a terminal regulator of sexual differentiation in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Sex-determination mechanisms differ among organisms. The primary mechanism is diverse, whereas the terminal regulator is relatively-conserved. We analyzed the transcripts of the Bombyx mori doublesex gene (Bmdsx), and reported novel results concerning the genomic organization and expression of Bmdsx.

Novel female-specific trans-spliced and alternative splice forms of dsx in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

The Bombyx mori doublesex gene (Bmdsx) plays an important role in somatic sexual development. Its pre-mRNA splices in a sex-specific manner to generate two female-specific and one male-specific splice forms. The present study investigated six novel dsx variants generated by trans-splicing between female dsx transcripts and two additional novel genes, dsr1 and dsr2.

Structural insights into small RNA sorting and mRNA target binding by Arabidopsis Argonaute Mid domains.

The RISC-associated Argonaute (Ago) proteins play the catalytic role for RISC-mediated gene regulation by selecting small RNAs and subsequent targeting and cleavage of complementary mRNAs. Ago Mid domains are proposed to play essential roles in small RNA sorting. Here, we report the crystal structures of Arabidopsis Ago1 Mid domain and its chimera mutant with part of Ago1 replaced by Ago4.

Proteomic analysis of larval integument, trachea and adult scale from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Multidimensional LC-tandem MS was used to investigate the protein compositions of three tissues of silkworm, Bombyx mori. A total of 162, 259, and 175 peptides from silkworm larval integument and trachea, and adult scale obtained by database search were matched to 48, 51, and 40 proteins, respectively. Forty-one cuticular proteins were identified from three tissues and covered all five cuticular protein families of silkworm.

SilkDB v2.0: a platform for silkworm (Bombyx mori ) genome biology.

The SilkDB is an open-access database for genome biology of the silkworm (Bombyx mori). Since the draft sequence was completed and the SilkDB was first released 5 years ago, we have collaborated with other groups to make much remarkable progress on silkworm genome research, such as the completion of a new high-quality assembly of the silkworm genome sequence as well as the construction of a genome-wide microarray to survey gene expression profiles. To accommodate these new genomic data and house more comprehensive genomic information, we have reconstructed SilkDB database with new web interfaces.

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of Bmrbp1 , the Bombyx mori homologue of the Drosophila gene rbp1.

RBP1 is an important splicing factor involved in alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA of Drosophila sex-determining gene dsx. In this work, the Bombyx mori homologue of the rbp1 gene, Bmrbp1, was cloned. The pre-mRNA of Bmrbp1 gene is alternatively spliced to produce four mature mRNAs, named Bmrbp1-PA, Bmrbp1-PB, Bmrbp1-PC and Bmrbp1-PD, with nucleotide lengths of 799 nt, 1,316 nt, 894 nt and 724 nt, coding for 142 aa, 159 aa, 91 aa and 117 aa, respectively.

Complete resequencing of 40 genomes reveals domestication events and genes in silkworm (Bombyx).

A single-base pair resolution silkworm genetic variation map was constructed from 40 domesticated and wild silkworms, each sequenced to approximately threefold coverage, representing 99.88% of the genome. We identified ~16 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms, many indels, and structural variations.

Dosage analysis of Z chromosome genes using microarray in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

In many organisms, dosage compensation is needed to equalize sex-chromosome gene expression in males and females. Several genes on silkworm Z chromosome were previously detected to show a higher expression level in males and lacked dosage compensation. Whether silkworm lacks global dosage compensation still remains poorly known.