Silkmoth chorion is the major component of the silkmoth eggshell. The proteins that constitute more than 95% of its dry mass have remarkable mechanical and physicochemical properties forming a protective natural shield for the oocyte and the developing embryo from a wide range of environmental hazards. Peptide-analogues of the central conservative domain of the two major families of silkmoth chorion proteins, the A's and the B's, form amyloid fibrils under a variety of conditions, which prompted us to propose, 10 years ago, that silkmoth chorion is an amyloid with protective properties. Following our finding, a number of studies verified the existence of several functional amyloids. In this study, we designed, synthesized and studied two peptide-analogues of the central conservative domain of the B family of silkmoth chorion proteins, and we present experimental results, which show: (a) that the amyloidogenic properties of silkmoth chorion peptides are encoded into the tandemly repeating hexapeptides comprising the central domain of silkmoth chorion proteins, confirming our previous findings from peptide analogues of the A family of chorion proteins, and, (b) they suggest how silkmoth chorion proteins of the B family self-assemble in vivo, for the formation of the helicoidal architecture of silkmoth chorion.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bip.21606 | DOI Listing |
PLoS One
January 2022
The Sericultural and Apicultural Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi, Yunnan, China.
Yun7Ge is a giant egg mutant found in the silkworm variety Yun7. In comparison with the giant mutant Ge, the eggs of Yun7Ge are larger. The number of laid eggs and hatching rate of Yun7Ge are reduced, which is not conducive to reproduction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Insect Physiol
March 2022
Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan. Electronic address:
The chorion covering/protecting insect egg, which has some effective functions such as providing mechanical strength, protecting eggs from external environments, and keeping moisture adjustment, is one of the principal barriers to manipulation, cryopreservation, and study of insect embryos. Here we evaluated the silkworm embryo viability after dechorionation using chemical reagents. We have developed an easy and effective method for chemical dechorionation that enables embryos to develop in culture, so that the larvae could normally grow.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Ecol Resour
January 2021
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Samia ricini, a gigantic saturniid moth, has the potential to be a novel lepidopteran model species. Samia ricini is far more resistant to diseases than the current model species Bombyx mori, and therefore can be more easily reared. In addition, genetic resources available for S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsect Sci
February 2021
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology & School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), a zinc finger transcription factor, is involved in the metamorphosis and adult reproduction of insects. However, the role of Kr-h1 in reproduction of holometabolic insects remains to be elucidated. The regulation network of Kr-h1-associated genes in the reproduction in Bombyx mori was investigated in this study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochem Biophys Res Commun
January 2020
State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
We had previously reported a prostaglandin E synthase (bmPGES) in the silkworm Bombyx mori that catalyzes the isomerization of PGH to PGE. The present study aimed to provide a genome-editing characterization of bmPGES in B. mori.
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