Ecdysone changes in the haemolymph to two silkworms (Bombyx mori and Philosamia cynthia) during larval and pupal development

Broad Complex-Z2 directly activates BmMBF2 to inhibit the silk protein synthesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Silk proteins, as natural macromolecules, have extensive applications in biomaterials and biomedicine. In the silkworm, the expression of silk protein genes is negatively associated with ecdysone during the molt stage, while it is positively correlated with juvenile hormone during the intermolt stage. In our previous study, overexpression of an isoform Z2 of Broad Complex (BmBrC-Z2), an ecdysone early response factor, significantly reduced the expression of silk protein genes. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we conducted transcriptomic analysis and found that overexpressing BmBrC-Z2 significantly upregulated the expression level of multiprotein bridging factor 2 (BmMBF2), an inhibitor of fibroin heavy chain (FibH). Further investigations revealed that BmBrC-Z2 directly regulated BmMBF2 by binding to cis-regulatory elements, as demonstrated using Dual-Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay, EMSA, and ChIP-PCR assay. Additionally, when using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to knock out BmMBF2, silk protein genes were significantly upregulated during the molt stage of mutant larvae. These findings uncover the negative regulation of silk protein synthesis by the ecdysone signaling cascade, specifically through the manipulation of BmMBF2 expression during the molt stage. This study enhances to our understanding of the temporal regulatory mechanism governing silk protein synthesis and offers a potential strategy for improving silk yield.

Ecdysteroid responses to urban heat island conditions during development of the western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus)

The steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) controls molting in arthropods. The timing of 20E production, and subsequent developmental transitions, is influenced by a variety of environmental factors including nutrition, photoperiod, and temperature, which is particularly relevant in the face of climate change. Environmental changes, combined with rapid urbanization, and the increasing prevalence of urban heat islands (UHI) have contributed to an overall decrease in biodiversity making it critical to understand how organisms respond to elevating global temperatures. Some arthropods, such as the Western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, appear to thrive under UHI conditions, but the physiological mechanism underlying their success has not been explored. Here we examine the relationship between hemolymph 20E titers and spiderling development under non-urban desert (27°C), intermediate (30°C), and urban (33°C) temperatures. We found that a presumptive molt-inducing 20E peak observed in spiders at non-urban desert temperatures was reduced and delayed at higher temperatures. Intermolt 20E titers were also significantly altered in spiders reared under UHI temperatures. Despite the apparent success of black widows in urban environments, we noted that, coincident with the effects on 20E, there were numerous negative effects of elevated temperatures on spiderling development. The differential effects of temperature on pre-molt and intermolt 20E titers suggest distinct hormonal mechanisms underlying the physiological, developmental, and behavioral response to heat, allowing spiders to better cope with urban environments.

The increase of amino acids induces the expression of vitellogenin after spinning in the silkworm Bombyx mori

Silkworms are economically important insects because of the value of their silk. After finishing silk spinning, silkworms begin another important physiological process, vitellogenesis. In this study, we explored the relationship between silk spinning and vitellogenin (BmVg) expression in silkworms. In silkworms with the silk fibroin heavy chain gene knocked-out, the concentration of amino acids in the hemolymph was found to be significantly higher than that in the wild type, and the expression of BmVg was advanced at day 7 of the fifth instar stage and 0 h after spinning. Furthermore, through culturing fat body in vitro with different substances treatment including glucose, trehalose, amino acids, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and insulin, we found that only amino acids could induce BmVg expression. RNA interference of BmTOR1 in female silkworms could down-regulate BmVg transcription, resulting in shortened egg ducts and smaller eggs relative to the control. Therefore, these results showed that amino acids could induce BmVg expression through the TOR signaling pathway. Fat body cultured with amino acids in vitro and experiments involving amino acids injected into the silkworm showed that the majority of main amino acids of silk protein could induce BmVg expression. These results suggested that BmVg expression is related to silk spinning and this study would lay a foundation for elucidating the stage specificity expression of BmVg.

The expression of ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase enhances cocoon shell ratio by reducing ecdysteroid titre in last-instar larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori

Ecdysteroid UDP glucosyltransferase (EGT) is a baculovirus-encoded protein which can hinder the normal molting of insects by inactivating 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Here we expressed EGT in the last-instar silkworm larvae using the GAL4/ UAS system. Compared with the control, for the EGT overexpressed silkworm, the hemolymph 20E content was significantly decreased, the feeding and spinning periods of the last-instar silkworm larvae were extended, the cocoon shell ratio was significantly increased, and the transformation from silkworm larvae to pupa was blocked. Increasing EGT expression resulted in the decrease of 20E content in the hemolymph of silkworm larvae, treating the EGT overexpressed male silkworm with 20E decreased the larval weight and cocoon shell ratio, confirming that the increase in the availability of nutrients to the cocoon and an increase in the cocoon shell weight in the hybrid transgenic silkworms is because of the EGT-induced reduction in active 20E content. Furthermore, though the sericin and flavonoid contents were increased in the cocoon of the EGT overexpressing silkworm, the production of silk fibroin didn’t change.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-like peptide and 20-hydroxyecdysone regulate the growth and development of the male genital disk through different mechanisms in the silkmoth, Bombyx mori

It is well established that ecdysteroids play pivotal roles in the regulation of insect molting and metamorphosis. However, the mechanisms by which ecdysteroids regulate the growth and development of adult organs after pupation are poorly understood. Recently, we have identified insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-like peptides (IGFLPs), which are secreted after pupation under the control of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). In the silkmoth, Bombyx mori, massive amounts of Bombyx-IGFLP (BIGFLP) are present in the hemolymph during pupal-adult development, suggesting its importance in the regulation of adult tissue growth. Thus, we hypothesized that the growth and development of adult tissues including imaginal disks are regulated by the combined effects of BIGFLP and 20E. In this study, we investigated the growth-promoting effects of BIGFLP and 20E using the male genital disks of B. mori cultured ex vivo, and further analyzed the cell signaling pathways mediating hormone actions. We demonstrate that 20E induces the elongation of genital disks, that both hormones stimulate protein synthesis in an additive manner, and that BIGFLP and 20E exert their effects through the insulin/IGF signaling pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, respectively. These results show that the growth and development of the genital disk are coordinately regulated by both BIGFLP and 20E.

Molecular mechanism underlying juvenile hormone-mediated repression of precocious larval-adult metamorphosis

Juvenile hormone (JH) represses precocious metamorphosis of larval to pupal and adult transitions in holometabolous insects. The early JH-inducible gene Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) plays a key role in the repression of metamorphosis as a mediator of JH action. Previous studies demonstrated that Kr-h1 inhibits precocious larval-pupal transition in immature larva via direct transcriptional repression of the pupal specifier Broad-Complex (BR-C). JH was recently reported to repress the adult specifier gene Ecdysone-induced protein 93F (E93); however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we found that JH suppressed ecdysone-inducible E93 expression in the epidermis of the silkworm Bombyx mori and in a B. mori cell line. Reporter assays in the cell line revealed that the JH-dependent suppression was mediated by Kr-h1. Genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis identified a consensus Kr-h1 binding site (KBS, 14 bp) located in the E93 promoter region, and EMSA confirmed that Kr-h1 directly binds to the KBS. Moreover, we identified a C-terminal conserved domain in Kr-h1 essential for the transcriptional repression of E93 Based on these results, we propose a mechanism in which JH-inducible Kr-h1 directly binds to the KBS site upstream of the E93 locus to repress its transcription in a cell-autonomous manner, thereby preventing larva from bypassing the pupal stage and progressing to precocious adult development. These findings help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating the metamorphic genetic network, including the functional significance of Kr-h1, BR-C, and E93 in holometabolous insect metamorphosis.

Analysis of gene expression in the midgut of Bombyx mori during the larval molting stage

Background

Insects can be models for understanding human intestinal infection and pathology. Molting, a special period during which the old insect cuticle is shed and a new one is produced, is crucial for insect development. Holometabolous insects may experience several larva-to-larva moltings to become larger, a pupal molt and adult eclosion to become adults. During the larval molts, they stop feeding and become quiescent. Although the molting larvae become quiescent, it is not known if changes in microbiome, physiology, development and immunity of midguts occur.

Results

Transcriptome analysis indicated that functions such as metabolism, digestion, and transport may become reduced due to the downregulated expression of many associated genes. During the molting stage, midguts harbor less microflora and DNA synthesis decreases. Both ecdysone and juvenile hormone in the larval midgut likely degrade after entering the larva-to-larva molting stage. However, at 12 h after ecdysis, the feeding larvae of 5th instars that were injected with 20-hydroxyecdysone entered a molting-like stage, during which changes in midgut morphology, DNA synthesis, gene expression, and microflora exhibited the same patterns as observed in the actual molting state.

Conclusion

This study is important for understanding insect midgut physiology, development and immunity during a special development stage when no food is ingested. Although the molting larva becomes immobile and quiescent, we demonstrate that numerous changes occur in midgut morphology, physiology, metabolism and microbiome during this period.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3162-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Histomorphometric and transcriptomic features characterize silk glands' development during the molt to intermolt transition process in silkworm

The molt-intermolt cycle is an essential feature in holometabolous and hemimetabolous insects' development. In the silkworm, silk glands are under dramatic morphological and functional changes with fibroin genes' transcription being repeatedly turned off and on during the molt-intermolt cycles. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling it are still unknown. Here, silk gland's histomorphology and transcriptome analysis were used to characterize changes in its structure and gene expression patterns from molt to intermolt stages. By using section staining and transmission electron microscope, a renewable cell damage was detected in the silk gland at the molt stage, and an increased number of autophagosomes and lysosomes were found in silk gland cells' cytoplasm. Next, by using RNA sequencing, 54,578,413 reads were obtained, of which 85% were mapped to the silkworm reference genome. The expression level analysis of silk protein genes and silk gland transcription factors revealed that fibroin heavy chain, fibroin light chain, P25/fhx, sericin1, sericin3 and Dimm had consistent alteration trends in temporal expression. In addition, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and most of the DEGs associated with ecdysone signal transduction, mRNA degradation, protein proteolysis, and autophagy were significantly down-regulated in the transition from molt to intermolt, suggesting that these pathways were activated for the silk gland renewal. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of silk gland development and silk protein genes transcriptional regulation during the molt to intermolt transition process.

EVIDENCE THAT ECDYSIS IN THE LARVAL COCKROACH, Periplaneta americana L. IS TRIGGERED BY AN INCREASE IN THE CONCENTRATION OF HEMOLYMPH SUGAR

Ecdysis in insects can be defined as shedding of the cuticle at the end of a larval stadium. This event can only occur after the peak titer of ecdysteroid in the hemolymph has returned to a low level. In the cockroach Periplaneta americana, ecdysis is strongly correlated with a rise in the concentration of trehalose and glucose in the hemolymph, leading to the idea that a causal relationship may exist between both events. The objective in this study was to determine if an increase in hemolymph sugar level would shorten the time to ecdysis in cockroach larvae with experimentally delayed ecdysis. The last larval stadium of P. americana averages 33.5 days but this increases significantly if the larva is injected with a small volume of saline. Injection of 10 μl of saline on day 20 and on four successive days lengthened the stadium by as much as 2 weeks. If, however, trehalose or glucose is incorporated into the saline, approximately 40% of the treated larvae undergo ecdysis at the same time as uninjected larvae. Injection of Peram-AKH, the hypertrehalosemic hormone, also decreases the time for ecdysis to occur. This suggests that peak levels of ecdysteroid trigger the release of Peram-AKH, which then leads to activation of trehalose synthesis. The results support the hypothesis that elevated hemolymph sugar is a contributing factor in the removal of ecdysteroid from the hemolymph.

20-Hydroxyecdysone regulation of H-fibroin gene in the stored grain pest Corcyra cephalonica, during the last instar larval development

20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) controls molting, metamorphosis and reproduction of insects. It binds to a heterodimeric complex of ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP), and regulates the transcription of genes containing ecdysone response elements (EcREs). However, the 20E regulation of silk fibroin genes is largely unexplored. In most lepidopteran larvae, the silk fibroin primarily consists of a large protein, heavy chain fibroin (H-fibroin) that is associated with two small proteins, L-chain fibroin and P25. In the present study, we demonstrate that 20E regulates the expression of H-fibroin gene in Corcyra cephalonica, in a dose-dependent manner during the last instar larval development. Semi-quantitative and real-time PCR studies reveal that physiological doses of 20E do not alter the normal expression, whereas higher doses cause a significant decline in the expression. Luciferase activity assays and gel shift experiments further confirm the presence of a functional EcRE in the upstream region of H-fibroin which regulates the ecdysteroid dependent transcriptional activity of fibroin gene through EcR. In vitro treatment with 20E mimicking insecticides, RH-5849 and RH-5992 decreases the expression of H-fibroin in isolated salivary glands. Insects fed with similar concentrations of these insecticides, metamorphose abnormally. Differences are also observed in the ultrastructure of the silk fibers of control and insecticide fed insects providing additional insight into the disruptive effects of these non-steroidal ecdysteroid agonists.

Light chain fibroin and P25 genes of Corcyra cephalonica: Molecular cloning, characterization, tissue-specific expression, synchronous developmental and 20-hydroxyecdysone regulation during the last instar larval development

The biologically active ecdysteroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), regulates various processes like molting, metamorphosis and reproduction in insects. However, its role in expression of silk genes is obscure. The silk core in insects is generally constituted of a complex of three proteins namely, H-chain fibroin (H-fibroin), L-chain fibroin (L-fibroin) and P25. In the present study, we report full-length cDNA cloning and characterization of L-fibroin and P25 genes from rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica. Northern analyses demonstrated 1.1 and 1kb transcripts of L-fibroin and P25 respectively. The tissue expression pattern shows the presence of these transcripts specifically in the salivary gland. These two genes are developmentally regulated at transcriptional level and their maximum expression is observed during the late-last instar larval stage. Semi-quantitative and real-time PCR studies revealed that 20E regulates the expression of these genes in a dose-dependant manner. This study further shows that physiological dose of 20E does not alter the normal expression of these two genes, whereas treatments with higher doses cause a significant decline in the expression. This study clearly suggests the role of 20E in the regulation of L-fibroin and P25 at molecular level.

MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori)

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent stage-by-stage examinations on nearly one hundred miRNAs in the silkworm.

RESULTS

Our results show that miRNAs display a wide variety of expression profiles over the whole life of the silkworm, including continuous expression from embryo to adult (miR-184), up-regulation over the entire life cycle (let-7 and miR-100), down-regulation over the entire life cycle (miR-124), expression associated with embryogenesis (miR-29 and miR-92), up-regulation from early 3rd instar to pupa (miR-275), and complementary pulses in expression between miR-34b and miR-275. Stage-by-stage examinations revealed further expression patterns, such as emergence at specific time-points during embryogenesis and up-regulation of miRNA groups in late embryos (miR-1 and bantam), expression associated with stage transition between instar and molt larval stages (miR-34b), expression associated with silk gland growth and spinning activity (miR-274), continuous high expression from the spinning larval to pupal and adult stages (miR-252 and miR-31a), a coordinate expression trough in day 3 pupae of both sexes (miR-10b and miR-281), up-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-29b), and down-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-275).

CONCLUSION

We present the full-scale expression profiles of miRNAs throughout the life cycle of Bombyx mori. The whole-life expression profile was further investigated via stage-by-stage analysis. Our data provide an important resource for more detailed functional analysis of miRNAs in this animal.

Control of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in Bombyx mori: cloning of the enzymes in the mevalonate pathway and assessment of their developmental expression in the corpora allata

We have isolated the cDNAs of all enzymes involved in the mevalonate pathway portion of the juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthetic pathway in Bombyx mori, i.e., those responsible for the formation of farnesyl diphosphate from acetyl-CoA. There is a single gene encoding each enzyme of this pathway, with the exception of farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS), for which we identified three homologs. All but two of these enzymes are expressed almost exclusively in the corpora allata (CA), as indicated by quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Phosphomevalonate kinase (MevPK) was expressed in many tissues, including the CA. In day 2 4th instars, FPPS1 expression was detected primarily in the Malpighian tubules, but expression of the structurally related FPPS2 and FPPS3 occurred mainly in the CA. Since FPPS3 transcripts were 55 times less abundant than those of FPPS2, the latter is expected to play a major role in JH biosynthesis at this stage. Studies on the developmental expression of these enzymes in the CA showed that the levels of all transcripts were high during the 4th instar larvae, a stage at which in vitro JH biosynthesis was high. However, the transcripts of all the mevalonate enzymes declined to low levels and JH acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT) transcript disappeared by day 3 when CA ceased JH production after the final larval molt. The CA did not synthesize JH during the pupal stage, coincident with the limited expression of mevalonate kinase, phosphomevalonate kinase, diphosphomevalonate kinase and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase, and the inactivation of the JHAMT gene. Only female CA produced JH in the adult stage, a feature associated with the re-expression of JHAMT in female but little in male adult CA. Altogether, our results point to a relationship between JH biosynthesis and expression of most JH biosynthetic enzymes in the CA.

Estradiol-17β: Tracing its metabolic significance in female fatbody of fifth instar larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori L (race: Nistari)

In recent years, various vertebrate peptide and steroid hormones have been identified in invertebrates, estradiol-17beta (E2) being a major one. We have specifically shown NADP-malate dehydrogenase (NADP-MDH) activity in fifth instar larval fatbody of female silkworm, Bombyx mori, as an E2 responsive parameter. Interestingly enough, estradiol-induced increase in the enzyme activity could be counteracted by simultaneous application of specific E2-inhibitor, ICI-182780. Further, a nice correlation was obtained among the E2 titre, specific *E2 binding and expression of NADP-MDH activity in fatbody during different days of normal fifth instar larval development. Though the nature of the binding sites is quite similar to known steroid receptors of vertebrate, the reported absence of estrogen receptor gene in some insects poses a question. A recent finding regarding the presence of an estrogen-related receptor ortholog in fruit fly may provide some answers. The specific effects elicited by estradiol in the female fatbody of this insect support its possibility of having an important metabolic function. This role played by E2, whether hormonal or not, is yet to be identified.

Synthesis of prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit and type IV collagen in hemocytic granular cells of silkworm, Bombyx mori: Involvement of type IV collagen in self-defense reaction and metamorphosis

The present study shows that hemocytic granular cells synthesize and secrete type IV collagen (ColIV) in the silkworm Bombyx mori (B. mori) and suggests that these cells play roles in the formation of basement membrane, the encapsulation of foreign bodies, and the metamorphic remodeling of the gut. The full- and partial-length cDNA of B. mori prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit (BmP4Halpha) and B. mori ColIV (BmColIV) were cloned, respectively. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry on larval tissues and cells identified hemocytic granular cells as the cells that express mRNAs and proteins of both BmP4Halpha and BmColIV. Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry demonstrated that BmColIV was present in the basement membrane and in the secretory granules of granular cells, respectively. Granular cells in culture secreted BmColIV without accompanying the degranulation and discharged it from the granules when the cells were degranulated. Nylon threads were inserted into the hemocoel of larvae. Granular cells concentrated around the nylon threads and encapsulated them as a self-defense reaction. BmColIV was found to be a component of the capsules. Furthermore, the present study showed that actively BmColIV-expressing granular cells accumulated around the midgut epithelium and formed BmColIV-rich thick basal lamina-like structures there in larval to pupal metamorphosis.

Analysis of ecdysteroidogenic activity of the prothoracic glands during the last larval instar of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The cellular mechanism underlying ecdysteroidogenesis throughout the last larval instar of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, was analyzed by determining the in vitro ecdysteroid secretory activity of the prothoracic glands and cAMP accumulation of gland cells, as well as changes in responsiveness to stimulation by prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) and 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX). It was found that the prothoracic glands during the first 3 days of the last instar cannot produce detectable ecdysteroid and showed no response to stimulation by PTTH or 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX). However, artificial elevation of cellular cAMP levels by in vitro dibutyryl cAMP treatment stimulated the glands to secrete detectable ecdysteroid, implying the presence of a cAMP-dependent ecdysteroidogenic apparatus during this stage. From days 3 to 8, basal gland activities fluctuated, but the glands showed activation responses to PTTH and to the chemicals that increase cellular cAMP levels. After the occurrence of the peak in basal gland activity on day 9, glands on day 10 showed no response to PTTH, implying a refractory state of the glands to PTTH stimulation. For cAMP accumulation, it was found that glands on day 2 began to show increased cAMP accumulation to PTTH, implying that the acquisition of gland competency for elevation of cAMP levels after stimulation by PTTH precedes that of ecdysteroid production. Moreover, during most parts of the last larval instar (between days 3 and 8) and at the pupation stage, greatly increased cAMP accumulation upon stimulation by PTTH was observed only in the presence of MIX, indicating that cAMP phosphodiesterase levels may be high during these stages. From these results, we concluded that development-specific PTTH signal transduction during the last larval instar, which shows a different pattern from that of the penultimate larval instar, may play an important role in regulating changes in prothoracic gland activity and in leading to larval-pupal metamorphosis.

Critical period for pupal commitment in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Changes in ecdysteroid levels that lead to commitment of pupal and adult development were studied in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Application of juvenile hormone at the time of pupal commitment usually results in delay or blockage of pupal and adult development. With methoprene, a juvenile hormone mimic, the JH sensitive period was found to be within 19 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar, at which time methoprene treatment caused a delay in pupation. Consistent with this observation, there was a small peak of ecdysteroid levels between 14 and 28 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar. Therefore, the commitment to pupal development occurs most likely between 14 and 19 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar. Levels of transcription of the ecdysone receptor gene show a small peak between 12 and 24 h, and a larger peak between 46 and 66 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar.

The orphan nuclear receptors BmE75A and BmE75C of the silkmoth Bombyx mori: hornmonal control and ovarian expression

The steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) plays a key role in the stimulation of ovarian follicle development in the silkmoth, Bombyx mori. To understand better the mechanism by which 20E regulates silkmoth oogenesis, Bombyx homologs of the ecdysone-inducible orphan nuclear receptor E75 (BmE75) were cloned and their expression was analyzed in developing ovaries and staged follicles during metamorphosis. Of the two BmE75 isoforms isolated, only the A-isoform (BmE75A) has been identified previously in lepidopteran insects. BmE75C, on the other hand, shows significant sequence homology in its N-terminus to the Drosophila E75C isoform. Northern blot analysis shows unique expression patterns for each isoform mRNA during ovarian development. While the A-isoform seems to be mainly implicated in the earlier stages of the ecdysone response during previtellogenesis and vitellogenesis, expression of the C-isoform becomes strongly induced in an ecdysteroid-independent fashion at the transition from vitellogenesis to choriogenesis. Our data indicate a complex regulation of the expression of the BmE75 gene during oogenesis and postulate a new role for the BmE75C receptor at the end of vitellogenesis and the beginning of choriogenesis.

The orphan nuclear receptor BmHR3A of Bombyx mori: hormonal control, ovarian expression and functional properties

Ovarian development in the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori, is induced by the molting hormone 20-hydroxy-ecdysone (20E) shortly after larval-pupal ecdysis. Studies of the ecdysone response in Drosophila and other insects have shown that 20E exerts its effects initially by the induction of a small number of early genes, including the orphan nuclear receptors HR3, that transduce and amplify the hormone signal. Here we show that the silkmoth orphan receptor BmHR3A acts in the 20E-induced regulatory cascade in the ovary during pupal and pharate adult development in a manner different than that observed in the classical ecdysone regulatory hierarchy in Drosophila salivary glands at the end of the third instar. While other isoforms of BmHR3 are induced as early gene products in the ecdysone response, BmHR3A is induced 2 days after 20E administration in the silkmoth ovary and, thus, behaves as late product. The period of accumulation of BmHR3A in ovarian follicular cells occurs during vitellogenesis and coincides with the period of transcriptional expression of the ESP (egg-specific protein) gene, whose product constitutes a major component of the egg yolk, while it is reciprocal to the period of expression of BmGATAbeta, a gene encoding a regulator of late chorion gene expression. Bandshift experiments demonstrate that BmHR3A binds specifically to RORE (Retinoic acid-related Orphan receptor Response Element)-like sequences in the promoters of both genes, thus suggesting a direct role for BmHR3A in regulating the expression of BmGATAbeta and ESP genes during vitellogenesis. Finally, we show that BmHR3A functions as a constitutive transcriptional activator in a B. mori derived cell line. We propose that BmHR3A may function as a regulator of vitellogenesis in the silkmoth ovary.

Developmental profile of the changes in the prothoracicotropic hormone titer in hemolymph of the silkworm Bombyx mori: correlation with ecdysteroid secretion

A very sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) of the silkworm Bombyx mori has been established. The lower limit of detection in this assay was 0.1 pg. With this assay method, the amounts of PTTH in the central nervous system and hemolymph were quantified. PTTH was detected only in the brain within the central nervous system, and, in the fifth instar, its content in the brain increased gradually with larval growth and decreased rapidly after the beginning of wandering. A substantial amount of PTTH was also found in the retrocerebral complex of day-3 fifth instar larvae, accounting for 28% of total PTTH. The PTTH titer in hemolymph changed dramatically during Bombyx development, with a small peak in the middle of the fourth instar, medium-sized peaks at the wandering and prepupal stages in the fifth instar, and a large prolonged peak during early pupal-adult development. The changes were overall closely correlated with those in hemolymph ecdysteroid titer. However, some unexpected aspects of PTTH dynamics in hemolymph have also been disclosed. Based on these observations, the significance of PTTH secretion in the control of insect development is discussed.

Estradiol-17beta in Bombyx mori: possible significance and its effect on silk production

Although estrogen is well known as a vertebrate sex steroid, its presence in insects, including Bombyx mori, raises questions about its precise role in the physiology of insects. It was reported earlier that estradiol-17beta (E(2)) exerts a specific effect on silk-gland function in B. mori and that it may act in a nuclear-mediated way. To evaluate further the effect of E(2) on cocoon characters, larval growth and development, 1µg/g of E(2) was applied topically to the first and second day of fifth instar larvae. This resulted in a significant enhancement of cocoon characters, such as cocoon shell weight, silk filament length per cocoon, denier per filament and reelability of the cocoons, without any adverse effect on fecundity and hatchability. In the present study, E(2) levels in the haemolymph were quantified on different days of the fifth instar larvae and age-dependent changes in the endogenous E(2) titre have been demonstrated. These age-dependent variations in E(2) content coincide with physiological events occurring during the fifth instar. Such observations exclude the possibility of a dietary origin for E(2), as a sudden and sharp rise of the E(2) level in the haemolymph was observed on the 10th day of the fifth instar, preceded by a small increase on the ninth day after an eight-day feeding period. The increased level of estradiol in the haemolymph of larvae treated topically with E(2) indicates effective penetration of this hormone through the larval cuticle. Moreover, similar patterns of alteration of E(2) levels on different days of the fifth instar in both control and treated groups suggests the existence of some internal metabolic pathway in the silkworm body to regulate the hormone titre. Thus, the present investigation offers a system for investigating the unique function of E(2) in B. mori and offers potential for improvement of silk production.

Characterization and DNA-binding properties of GRF, a novel monomeric binding orphan receptor related to GCNF and betaFTZ-F1

A PCR approach has been used to isolate, from Bombyx mori, a cDNA encoding a novel orphan receptor (GRF) that is most closely related to Bombyx betaFTZ-F1 and to the vertebrate germ cell nuclear factor. The major GRF mRNA is detected in most tissues as an 8-kb transcript whose amount follows the circulating ecdysteroid concentration with a delay. The expression pattern of GRF is similar to that of the Bombyx homologue of the Drosophila early-late gene DHR3, and precedes that of betaFTZ-F1 in all stages and tissues examined. The GRF protein is thus likely to be required in many tissues, but in a temporally restricted manner suggesting that GRF has a well-defined function in the ecdysteroid-induced transcription cascade. The GRF protein binds in vitro to a single oestrogen receptor half-site AGGTCA preceded by a 5'-TCA extension, and is therefore a potential co-regulator of the orphan receptors betaFTZ-F1 and DHR39.

Hemolymph ecdysteroid titer and ecdysteroid-dependent developmental events in the last-larval stadium of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: role of low ecdysteroid titer in larval-pupal metamorphosis and a reappraisal of the head critical period

The endocrine regulation of larval-pupal metamorphosis was studied in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, by measuring the following changes: hemolymph ecdysteroid titer, the secretory activity of prothoracic glands and the responsiveness of larvae to ecdysteroids and prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), with regard to developmental events such as the occurrence of spinneret pigmentation, initiation of cocoon spinning and onset of wandering stage as indicated by gut purge. These measurements were concentrated especially on the time before and after the head critical period (HCP) which falls 3-4 days before the gut purge ([Sakurai, 1984]). A small increase in the hemolymph ecdysteroid titer was first found during the HCP, and then the titer increased with daily fluctuations. Small but significant titer peaks were found prior to the occurrence of both spinneret pigmentation and gut purge, indicating that an individual titer peak could possess a specific role in development. Responsiveness of larvae to exogenous 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) after the HCP was markedly higher than that before the HCP. The sensitivity of the prothoracic gland to PTTH also changed during the HCP. The results thus showed that the HCP is not the period after which an additional PTTH release is not required for the developmental events occurring on schedule, but rather it is the period during which complex events occur not only in the endocrine glands but also in the peripheral tissues. In addition, various developmental phenomena before gut purge are brought about by the hemolymph ecdysteroid whose concentration gradually increased with daily fluctuations, and these precise changes in the titer appeared to be important for the sequential occurrence of developmental events in the larval-pupal metamorphosis.

The DHR78 nuclear receptor is required for ecdysteroid signaling during the onset of Drosophila metamorphosis

Pulses of ecdysteroids direct Drosophila through its life cycle by activating stage- and tissue-specific genetic regulatory hierarchies. Here we show that an orphan nuclear receptor, DHR78, functions at the top of the ecdysteroid regulatory hierarchies. Null mutations in DHR78 lead to lethality during the third larval instar with defects in ecdysteroid-triggered developmental responses. Consistent with these phenotypes, DHR78 mutants fail to activate the mid-third instar regulatory hierarchy that prepares the animal for metamorphosis. DHR78 protein is bound to many ecdysteroid-regulated puff loci, suggesting that DHR78 directly regulates puff gene expression. In addition, ectopic expression of DHR78 has no effects on development, indicating that its activity is regulated post-translationally. We propose that DHR78 is a ligand-activated receptor that plays a central role in directing the onset of Drosophila metamorphosis.

The orphan receptor BmHNF-4 of the silkmoth Bombyx mori: ovarian and zygotic expression of two mRNA isoforms encoding polypeptides with different activating domains

Two silkmoth nuclear receptor isoforms, BmHNF-4a and BmHNF-4b, that are related to the mammalian orphan receptor HNF-4, were characterized. Their characterization revealed that they differ from each other only in their 5' UTR and N-terminus of the predicted polypeptides. In ovarian tissue, the two receptors are expressed as a delayed response to 20-hydroxy-ecdysone and their expression increases during vitellogenesis. BmHNF-4 mRNA is localized in the cytoplasm of follicular cells and a binding activity that recognizes a mammalian HNF-4 response element is present in follicular cell nuclear extracts. BmHNF-4 mRNA is also present in the oocyte, the unfertilized egg and the early embryo, thus displaying a behavior reminiscent of maternal mRNA. Both mRNA isoforms are found in the embryo following fertilization and their abundance is modulated during ensuing embryogenesis. In contrast to the rather limited distribution of HNF-4 in mammalian tissues, BmHNF-4 is expressed in most larval and pharate adult tissues of the silkmoth.

Identification and developmental expression of a Bombyx mori alpha-tubulin gene

A cDNA clone isolated from the wing discs at the metamorphosis of Bombyx mori during the period of morphogenesis has been characterized. The amino acid sequence predicted for the putative protein is highly homologous to the Drosophila alpha1-tubulin. This is the first alpha-tubulin gene isolated in Bombyx mori and other isotype sequences are present in the Bombyx genome. The transcript is detected in the wing discs at every postembryonic stage examined, and is also expressed in other tissues, but at different levels. Although the mRNA level is maximum when the 20-hydroxyecdysone titre is high, its accumulation is independent of the hormone level both in vivo and in vitro. Significance of the accumulation of the mRNA of an ubiquitous alpha-tubulin in developing wing discs is discussed by comparison with our knowledge of the alpha-tubulin family in Drosophila and in other organisms.

A deficiency in prothoracicotropic hormone transduction pathway during the early last larval instar of Bombyx mori

The prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) is an insect cerebral peptide that stimulates the prothoracic glands to produce ecdysteroids that initiate moulting and metamorphosis. During the last larval instar of holometabolous insects, a reduction in the hemolymph juvenile hormone (JH) levels is a necessary step in initiating larval-pupal transformation. Recently we have demonstrated that very low ecdysteroid levels in the early last larval instar of Bombyx mori initiate the complete inactivation of corpora allata (CA). Results presented here further indicate that PTTH signal transduction pathways undergo specific developmental changes, with a deficiency in transduction in prothoracic gland cells occurring during the early last instar. Glands from the early last instar showed no increase in either cAMP levels or steroidogenesis to the stimulation of PTTH, indicating the absence of the PTTH receptors in gland cells. We propose that this absence of PTTH receptors plays a critical role in directing larval-pupal transformation.

Identification of a Bombyx collagenous protein with multiple short domains of Gly-Xaa-Yaa repeats: cDNA characterization and regulation of expression

Using a differential screening strategy, a 2 kb cDNA was isolated from a differentiating Bombyx mori imaginal wing discs library. The available reading frame of 1710 bp specifies a conceptual protein with two distinct regions: a 395 amino acid region corresponding to 105 repetitions of the Gly-Xaa-Yaa triple-helical forming unit arranged in 9 domains of 12-54 residues interspaced by short interruptions of 3-17 residues and a C-terminal domain of 175 amino acids devoided of triplets. These characteristics suggest that the encoded protein is a new member of the collagen superfamily, the first one characterized in Bombyx. Northern blots reveal a unique 7.4 kb mRNA in imaginal wing discs, epidermis and brain. In wing discs, the 7.4 kb transcripts accumulate during the last larval moult and the spinning stage. In vitro studies reveal that this accumulation is dose dependent and detectable within 1 h in response to 20-hydroxyecdysone which acts without de novo protein synthesis. A model of regulation of transcript accumulation with regards to the hormonal level is proposed.

Genes expressed during the differentiation of the pupal wings are also transiently expressed during the larval moult in Bombyx mori

By a differential screening of cDNA libraries made with RNAs present in differentiating imaginal wing discs of Bombyx mori, we have isolated clones whose expression is dramatically modified during the formation of the pupal wings. The RNAs corresponding to all but one of these clones are also transiently accumulated in the wing primordia during the last larvo-larval moult and in response to 20-hydroxyecdysone injections. If the injections are made to juvenilized larvae the expression of the same genes is stimulated but the range of the stimulation is reduced. It is suggested that in Bombyx, cells of the wings reach the pupal stage of differentiation by steps corresponding to the phases during which high levels of ecdysteroids are present.

P25 gene regulation in Bombyx mori silk gland: two promoter-binding factors have distinct tissue and developmental specificities

The gene encoding the silk protein P25 is expressed in the posterior silk gland of Bombyx mori with strict territorial and developmental specificities. The cis-acting regulatory elements previously located within the 441-bp 5' proximal sequence of the gene were examined for protein-binding capacities. We identified two factors, BMFA and SGFB, that lead to prominent band shifts and the target sites for which are included in a region homologous to the fibroin gene enhancer sequence. Analysis of the tissue-specific incidence of both factors showed that BMFA is ubiquitous, whereas SGFB is restricted to the silk gland cells. However, SGFB was found in both posterior and middle silk gland cells and therefore likely directs organ-specific, but not territory-specific, expression. Developmental studies throughout the fourth larval molt, at which the P25 gene status changes from derepressed to repressed, revealed that BMFA is reversibly modified at the transition from intermolt to molt. Indeed, the preexisting BMFA is replaced by a structurally related factor, BMFA', during the 2 h following head capsule apolysis. The exact temporal coincidence of this conversion with the onset of gene repression suggests that BMFA' is involved in transcription inactivation and likely results from a transduction process initiated by the hormonal change at molting.

P25 gene regulation in Bombyx mori silk gland: two promoter-binding factors have distinct tissue and developmental specificities

The gene encoding the silk protein P25 is expressed in the posterior silk gland of Bombyx mori with strict territorial and developmental specificities. The cis-acting regulatory elements previously located within the 441-bp 5' proximal sequence of the gene were examined for protein-binding capacities. We identified two factors, BMFA and SGFB, that lead to prominent band shifts and the target sites for which are included in a region homologous to the fibroin gene enhancer sequence. Analysis of the tissue-specific incidence of both factors showed that BMFA is ubiquitous, whereas SGFB is restricted to the silk gland cells. However, SGFB was found in both posterior and middle silk gland cells and therefore likely directs organ-specific, but not territory-specific, expression. Developmental studies throughout the fourth larval molt, at which the P25 gene status changes from derepressed to repressed, revealed that BMFA is reversibly modified at the transition from intermolt to molt. Indeed, the preexisting BMFA is replaced by a structurally related factor, BMFA', during the 2 h following head capsule apolysis. The exact temporal coincidence of this conversion with the onset of gene repression suggests that BMFA' is involved in transcription inactivation and likely results from a transduction process initiated by the hormonal change at molting.

Juvenile hormone inhibits ecdysone secretion and responsiveness to prothoracicotropic hormone in prothoracic glands of Bombyx mori

The role of juvenile hormone (JH) in the regulation of prothoracic gland activity was investigated during the early days of the last (fifth) larval instar of Bombyx mori. Allatectomy on the day of larval ecdysis into the fifth instar or 1 day before ecdysis shortened the time between larval ecdysis and gut purge. Prothoracic glands of the freshly ecdysed fifth instar larvae were inactive and did not respond to the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), whereas those larvae that were allatectomized 1 day before ecdysis exhibited secretory activity in vitro and were capable of responding to PTTH. When corpora allata were removed from freshly ecdysed fifth instar larvae, the prothoracic glands became competent to respond to PTTH in 6 hr and exhibited secretory activity in vitro 9 hr after the allatectomy. Treatment of allatectomized larvae with a JH analog resulted in the recovery of the normal inactive state of the glands. These data suggest that JH acts during the early stages of the instar to suppress both the secretory activity of prothoracic glands and also the acquisition of competence to respond to PTTH.

Haemolymph control of sericin gene expression studied by organ transplantation

A factor that affects synthesis of sericin mRNAs of Bombyx mori was analyzed by organ transplantation and allatectomy. When silk glands of the third instar larvae were transplanted into the abdomen of fifth instar larvae, substantial amounts of sericin mRNAs were induced in the transplant. The induced sericin gene activity was suppressed upon re-transplantation into the abdomen of fourth instar larvae and induced again when the second hosts grew up to fifth instar larvae. An allatectomy performed on fourth instar larvae promoted production of these mRNAs, suggesting that the synthesis of sericin mRNA is regulated by the titer of juvenile hormone.

Changes in ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone titers in the hemolymph of Galleria mellonella larvae and pupae

The variations in circulating ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JH) in Galleria, from the end of the antepenultimate larval stage until emergence of adults, have been determined. The two hormonal families were extracted separately from the same hemolymph sample and quantified by two radioimmunoassays. Juvenile hormone RIA activity was about 35 nM in larvae of the antepenultimate and penultimate stages. It dropped before each molt and increased thereafter. Moreover, it gradually decreased during the last larval instar. In pupae, it was generally low, but it rose drastically during the late pupal development and in young adults. This rise was very much higher in females than in males. Three different RIA-active compounds were found; they were assumed to be JH-I, JH-II, and JH-III according to their retention times in HPLC. The three compounds were present in almost equal concentration in larvae of the penultimate stage: JH-I predominated, however, during the last larval instar. In late pupae, the main hormone was JH-III both in males and in females. There is no clear relationship between ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone changes, except for a female-specific ecdysteroid rise which coincides with the juvenile hormone release in late pupae. This double hormonal stimulation can be involved in the regulation of vitellogenin synthesis and deposition in oocytes.