The Role of in Female Reproduction in Silkworm, .

Transmembrane emp24 domain (TMED) proteins have been extensively studied in mammalian embryonic development, immune regulation, and signal transduction. However, their role in insects, apart from , remains largely unexplored. Our previous study demonstrated the abundant expression of across all stages and tissues of the silkworm. In this study, we investigate the function of in reproduction. We observe significant differences in the expression of BmTMED6 between male and female silkworms, particularly in the head and fatboby, during the larval stage. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and WB analysis reveal substantial variation in BmTMED6 levels in the ovaries during pupal development, suggesting a potential association with silkworm female reproduction. We find that reducing expression significantly decreases the number of eggs laid by female moths, leading to an accumulation of unlaid eggs in the abdomen. Moreover, downregulation of leads to a decrease in the expression of and , while overexpression of in vitro has the opposite effect. These indicate that plays a role in oviposition in female moths, potentially through the dopamine signaling pathway. This study provides a new regulatory mechanism for female reproduction in insects.