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Jiang W, Guo K, Dong H, Zhang X, Guo Z, Duan J, Jing X, Xia Q, Zhao P. Mutation in the Bombyx mori BmGMC2 gene impacts silk production and silk protein synthesis. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 274:133400. [PMID: 38925172 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Silk is a natural protein fiber that is predominantly comprised of fibroin and sericin. In addition, it contains seroins, protease inhibitors, enzymes, and other proteins. We found an ecdysone oxidase BmGMC2, notably, which is specifically and highly expressed only in the silk glands of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). It is also one of the main components of non-cocoon silk, however, its precise function remains unclear. In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of this protein and obtained a homozygous mutant strain (K-GMC2) using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Compared to the wild-type strain (WT), the silk production and main silk proteins significantly decreased in the larval stage, and the adhesive strength of native silk proteins decreased in the final instar. Proteomic data indicated the abundance of ribosomal proteins decreased significantly in K-GMC2, differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were enriched in pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases and genetic information processing, indicating that knockout may lead to a certain degree of cell stress, affecting the synthesis of silk proteins. This study investigated the expression pattern and gene function of ecdysone oxidase BmGMC2 in silk and silk glands, laying the groundwork for understanding the role of enzymes in the production of silk fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchao Jiang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Kaiyu Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Haonan Dong
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhouguanrui Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Jingmin Duan
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyuan Jing
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China.
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Wang W, Ji L, Jing X, Zhao P, Xia Q. MicroRNA let-7 targets BmCDK1 to regulate cell proliferation and endomitosis of silk gland in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:1026-1040. [PMID: 38053466 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs play critical roles in multiple developmental processes in insects. Our previous study showed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock down of the microRNA let-7 in silkworms increased the size of larvae and silk glands, thereby improving the silk production capacity. In this study, we elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying of let-7 regulates growth. Identification of differentially expressed genes in response to let-7 knock down revealed enrichment of pathways associated with cell proliferation and DNA replication. let-7 dysregulation affected the cell cycle and proliferation of the Bombyx mori cell line BmN. Dual-luciferase and target site mutation assays showed that BmCDK1 is a direct target gene of let-7, with only 1 binding site on its 3'-untranslated region. RNA interference of BmCDK1 inhibited cell proliferation, but this effect was counteracted by co-transfection with let-7 antagomir. Moreover, let-7 knock down induced BmCDK1 expression and promoted cell proliferation in multiple tissues, and further induced endomitosis in the silk gland in vivo. Knock down of BmCDK1 resulted in abnormal formation of a new epidermis, and larval development was arrested at the 2nd or 3rd molt stage. Taken together, our results demonstrated that BmCDK1 is a novel target of let-7 in cell fate determination, possessing potential for improving silk yield in silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, China
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing, China
| | - Linshengzhe Ji
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, China
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyuan Jing
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, China
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, China
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, China
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing, China
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Yu S, Zheng H, Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Zhao S, Dai X, Zhong B. TALEN-mediated homologous-recombination-based fibroin light chain in-fusion expression system in Bombyx mori. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1399629. [PMID: 38832132 PMCID: PMC11144906 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1399629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Silkworm was the first domesticated insect and has important economic value. It has also become an ideal model organism with applications in genetic and expression studies. In recent years, the use of transgenic strategies has made the silkworm silk gland an attractive bioreactor for the production of recombinant proteins, in particular, piggyBac-mediated transgenes. However, owing to differences in regulatory elements such as promoters, the expression levels of exogenous proteins have not reached expectations. Here, we used targeted gene editing to achieve site-specific integration of exogenous genes on genomic DNA and established the fibroin light chain (FibL) in-fusion expression system by TALEN-mediated homology-directed recombination. First, the histidine-rich cuticular protein (CP) was successfully site-directed inserted into the native FibL, and the FibL-CP fusion gene was correctly transcribed and expressed in the posterior silk gland under the control of the endogenous FibL promoter, with a protein expression level comparable with that of the native FibL protein. Moreover, we showed based on molecular docking that the fusion of FibL with cuticular protein may have a negative effect on disulfide bond formation between the C-terminal domain of fibroin heavy chain (FibH) and FibL-CP, resulting in abnormal spinning and cocoon in homozygotes, indicating a significant role of FibL in silk protein formation and secretion. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using the FibL fusion system to express exogenous proteins in silkworm. We expect that this bioreactor system will be used to produce more proteins of interest, expanding the application value of the silk gland bioreactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huoqing Zheng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuo Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zheng Zhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dai
- Suposik Bioscience Technologies Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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Lye PY, Shiraki C, Fukushima Y, Takaki K, Liew MWO, Yamamoto M, Wakabayashi K, Mori H, Kotani E. Cytotoxin-mediated silk gland organ dysfunction diverts resources to enhance silkworm fecundity by potentiating nutrient-sensing IIS/TOR pathways. iScience 2024; 27:108853. [PMID: 38303707 PMCID: PMC10830876 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Energy reserves, primarily stored in the insect's fat body, are essential for physiological processes such as reproduction and cocoon formation. However, whether these processes are mutually constraining is unknown. Here, we showed that cocoon-free silkworms accumulate amino acid constituents of silk proteins in the hemolymph and maintain lipid and sugar reserves in the pupal fat body by repressing the expression of sericin and fibroin genes in the middle and posterior silk glands, respectively, via butterfly pierisin-1A catalytic domain expression. This, in turn, upregulates insulin/insulin-like signaling and target of rapamycin (IIS/TOR) signaling, which enhances vitellogenesis and accelerates ovarian development, thus contributing to increased fecundity. The impacts of semi-starvation on fecundity and egg hatchability were also less pronounced in cocoon-free silkworms compared with wildtype silkworms. These data uncover the resource allocation trade-off between cocoon formation and fecundity and demonstrate that nutritional signaling plays a role in regulating silkworm reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ying Lye
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Chika Shiraki
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Yuta Fukushima
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Keiko Takaki
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Mervyn Wing On Liew
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Masafumi Yamamoto
- ICLAS Monitoring Center, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
| | - Keiji Wakabayashi
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Hajime Mori
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| | - Eiji Kotani
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
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Wang X, Ye X, Guo J, Dai X, Yu S, Zhong B. Modeling the 3-dimensional structure of the silkworm's spinning apparatus in silk production. Acta Biomater 2024; 174:217-227. [PMID: 38030101 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The silk-spinning process of the silkworms transforms the liquid silk solution to a solid state under mild conditions, making it an attractive model for bioinspiration However, the precise mechanism behind silk expulsion remains largely unknown. Here we selected the silkworms as representative models to investigate the silk-spinning mechanism. We used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to reconstruct the three-dimensional structures of the spinnerets in silkworms at various stages and with different gene backgrounds. By comparing the musculature and duct deformation of these spinneret models during the spinning process, we were able to simulate the morphological changes of the spinneret. Based on the results, we proposed three essential factors for silkworm spinning: the pressure generated by the silk gland, the opening duct, and the pulling force generated by head movement. Understanding the silkworm spinning process provides insights into clarify the fluid-ejecting mechanism of a group of animals. Moreover, these findings are helpful to the development of biomimetic spinning device that mimics the push-and-pull dual-force system in silkworms. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The silkworms' spinning system produces fibers under mild conditions, making it an ideal candidate for bioinspiration. However, the mechanism of silk expulsion is unknown, and the three-dimensional structure of the spinneret is still uncertain. In this study, we reconstructed a detailed 3-dimensional model of the spinneret at near-nanometer resolution, and for the first time, we observed the changes that occur before and during the silk-spinning process. Our reconstructed models suggested that silkworms have the ability to control the spinning process by opening or closing the spinning duct. During the continuously spinning period, both the pressure generated by the silk gland and the pulling force resulting from head movement work in tandem to expel the silk solution. We believe that gaining a full understanding of the spinning process steps can advance our ability to spin synthetic fibers with properties comparable to those of native fibers by mimicking the natural spinning process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, 310058 Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jiansheng Guo
- Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Center of Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, 310058 Hangzhou, China.
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Ye X, Wu M, Wang X, Dai X, Yu S, Tang X, Wang X, Zhong B. Sex separation by body color via a W-chromosome-linked transgene. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 234:123649. [PMID: 36780960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Sex separation processes are important for commercial insect production and sterile insect techniques. Here, we describe the transgenic insertion of a DsRed expression cassette driven by the enhancer HR3 and strong promoter IE1 into the silkworm W chromosome as a dominant visible marker of sex separation. The obtained transgenic lines showed female-specific body color visible to the naked eye at the second- to fifth-instar larval, pupal and adult stages, and their performance traits were comparable to those of a nontransgenic practical silkworm variety. This strategy can greatly facilitate the sex separation of silkworms for male-only rearing and to obtain hybrids while avoiding sibling mating, and it can also be applied to the sex separation of other light-colored insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
| | - Meiyu Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Tang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
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Zhang X, Dong Z, Guo K, Jiang W, Wu X, Duan J, Jing X, Xia Q, Zhao P. Identification and functional study of fhx-L1, a major silk component in Bombyx mori. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 232:123371. [PMID: 36709809 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The silkworm cocoon was composed of fibroins, sericins, protease inhibitors, and proteins of unknown function. In this study, we focused on fhx-L1 (fibrohexamerin-like1), which was the homolog of fibroin fhx (fibrohexamerin). We identified 154 fhx family genes in 44 Lepidoptera insects, and seven fhx-Ls were found in Bombyx mori. Fhx-L1 was the most abundant of these proteins in silk and was specifically expressed in the silk gland. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that fhx-L1 was secreted into the whole sericin layers, similar to sericin1 (ser1). Western blotting revealed that the fhx-L1 protein contains N-linked oligosaccharide chains. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing was used to generate a homozygous mutant of fhx-L1 (fhx-L1KO). The cocoon of fhx-L1KO was larger and fluffier than that of the wild-type (WT), which was attributed to the lower adhesion between silk fibers. We also found that the content of β-sheet in the mutant silk was lower than in the WT silk, which resulted in further deterioration of the mechanical properties of the fhx-L1KO silk. Our study revealed the properties and function of fhx-L1 as a major structural component in silk. Then, our study provided a potential insight for in-depth study of silk protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaoming Dong
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Kaiyu Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Wenchao Jiang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xianxian Wu
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Jingmin Duan
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyuan Jing
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China.
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8
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Guo K, Dong Z, Zhang X, Chen Y, Li Y, Jiang W, Qin L, Zhang Y, Guo Z, Xia Q, Zhao P. Analysis of histomorphometric and proteome dynamics inside the silk gland lumen of Bombyx mori revealed the dynamic change of silk protein during the molt stage. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 236:123926. [PMID: 36889618 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Silkworms spin different silks at different growth stages for specific purposes. The silk spun before the end of each instar is stronger than that at the beginning of each instar and cocoon silk. However, the compositional changes in silk proteins during this process are unknown. Consequently, we performed histomorphological and proteomic analyses of the silk gland to characterize changes from the instar end to the next instar beginning. The silk glands were collected on day 3 of third- and fourth-instar larvae (III-3 and IV-3) and the beginning of fourth-instar larvae (IV-0). Proteomic analysis identified 2961 proteins from all silk glands. Silk proteins P25 and Ser5 were significantly more abundant in III-3 and IV-3 than in IV-0, and many cuticular proteins and protease inhibitors increased significantly in IV-0 compared with III-3 and IV-3. This shift may cause mechanical property differences between the instar end and beginning silk. Using section staining, qPCR, and western blotting, we found for the first time that silk proteins were degraded first and then resynthesized during the molting stage. Furthermore, we revealed that fibroinase mediated the changes of silk proteins during molting. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of silk proteins dynamic regulation during molting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyu Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaoming Dong
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Li
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Wenchao Jiang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Lixia Qin
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Zhouguanrui Guo
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 400715 Chongqing, China; Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, 400715 Chongqing, China.
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9
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Ye X, Dai X, Wang X, Yu S, Wu M, Zhao S, Ruan J, Zhong B. Mechanism of silk secretion revealed by proteomic analysis of silkworm cocoons with fibroin light chain mutations. J Proteomics 2022; 265:104649. [PMID: 35690343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Silkworm is an economically important insect due to its efficient production of silk proteins. Silk itself and the silk trade have enriched human civilization through art and culture and contributed to early globalization in the Silk Road era for nearly two thousand years. Although a large number of studies on silk have been carried out, the mechanism of silk secretion in silkworms has not been thoroughly studied thus far. As the main component of fibroin, fibroin light chain (Fib-L) plays a key role in the secretion of silk. In this study, we constructed a homozygous Fib-L gene mutant population of a nonpractical variety using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The homozygous mutants displayed a thin cocoon layer, but their viability was not affected by the Fib-L mutation. Furthermore, a comparative proteomic analysis of homozygous mutant cocoons and wild-type cocoons was performed. Strikingly, fibrohexamerin (P25) was secreted almost normally in the homozygous mutant. Further analysis of cocoon proteins revealed that the mutant responded to greater environmental stress caused by a dramatic decrease in fibroin by significantly increasing the secretion of protease inhibitors. These results will further help explain the silk secretion mechanism of silkworm. SIGNIFICANCE: This study generated a homozygous Fib-L gene mutant population of a nonpractical variety using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The homozygous mutants displayed a thin cocoon layer, but their viability was not affected by the Fib-L mutation. Furthermore, a comparative proteomic analysis of homozygous mutant cocoons and wild-type cocoons was performed. The analysis of the abundance of silk proteins in the cocoons revealed that P25 could be secreted almost normally. The analysis of the abundance of cocoon proteins other than silk proteins showed that the homozygous mutants responded to greater environmental stress by increasing the secretion of defense-related proteins, such as protease inhibitors. These results will further help explain the silk secretion mechanism of silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Meiyu Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Shuo Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Jinghua Ruan
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
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