Identification and functional study of Fib-L, a major silk fibroin gene component in rice leaf folders.

Insect Mol Biol

Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.

Published: October 2024

AI Article Synopsis

Article Abstract

The rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major migratory pest in rice agriculture. This pest is characterised by its larvae's ability to fold rice leaves using silk, a behaviour that culminates in the formation of a silken cocoon during the pupal stage. The fibroin light chain (CmFib-L) gene is crucial for silk production, yet its specific function in C. medinalis has reminded elusive. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the CmFib-L gene, revealing its complete open reading frame (ORF) and expression patterns. Notably, the gene is highly expressed in the fifth-instar larvae and the silk gland, which are critical stages for silk production. Our experiments demonstrate that silencing the CmFib-L gene leads to a reduction in pupal weight, an extension of the pupal stage and a disorganised silk cocoon. Furthermore, the larval behaviour of leaf folding and spinning is significantly impaired when the expression of CmFib-L is downregulated. These findings not only show the importance of fibroin light chain in silk production but also reveal a new target gene to regulate and control the behaviour and development of C. medinalis.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imb.12965DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cmfib-l gene
12
silk production
12
rice leaf
8
pupal stage
8
fibroin light
8
light chain
8
silk
7
gene
6
identification functional
4
functional study
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!