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Li J, Li F, Gao H, Zhang Y, Liu Z. Characterization of cuticular proteins in CPR family in the wolf spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata, and the response of one subfamily genes to environmental stresses. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 150:103859. [PMID: 36265807 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular protein (CP) plays an essential role in the construction and function of exoskeleton in arthropods. CPR family, CP with Rebers and Riddiford (R&R) Consensus, is the largest CP family in insects, but it lacks systematic research in non-insect arthropods. In this study, we explored CPRs in the wolf spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata, a predator to many insect pests. We totally identified 152 CPRs in P. pseudoannulata genome, which were divided into two subgroups based on R&R Consensus sequences, with 12 CPRs in RR-1 and 140 in RR-2. All RR-2 members presented a novel Consensus with 34 amino acids, G-x(8)-G-x(6)-Y-x-A-x(3)-G-x(7)-N-E-x-G, which was a common characteristic for RR-2 CPRs in chelicerates. Transcriptome data was used to document the expression patterns of CPR genes in different tissues and ecdysis processes. The specific expressions were found for part CPR genes, such as five RR-2 genes that were specifically expressed in male genital bulbs and eleven RR-1 genes that were highly expressed in the integument. Due to the limited number and integument-specific expression of RR-1 genes, we further analyzed their responses to different environmental stresses at the transcriptional level. Except for PapsCPR11, ten RR-1 genes responded to at least one environmental stress, among with the expression of PapsCPR12 was significantly changed by three stresses (dryness, low temperature and imidacloprid treatments). Silencing PapsCPR12 increased the tolerance of P. pseudoannulata to imidacloprid. Overall, the results presented novel Consensus characteristics of CPRs in P. pseudoannulata, which was helpful for the identification and evolution analysis of CPRs in non-insect arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Haoli Gao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yixi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Xiong X, Cao Y, Li Z, Huang R, Du X, Zheng Z. Ecdysone signal pathway participates in shell formation in pearl oysters Pinctada fucata martensii. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 217:106045. [PMID: 34915168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.106045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Ecdysone exists in arthropods, Mollusca and other invertebrates and plays vital roles in exoskeleton formation of Ecdysozoa. However, little is known about its functions in bivalve species. Herein, we identified ecdysone from the serum of pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii and obtained the coding sequence of ecdysone receptor (PmEcR) and homologue of its heterodimer protein retinoid X receptor (PmRXR). The deduced amino acid sequences of PmEcR and PmRXR contained a DNA-binding and ligand-binding domain and were very similar to the orthologs of other species. Moreover, PmEcR and PmRXR were located in the nuclei and cytoplasm of HEK-293T cells. PmEcR and PmRXR were highly expressed in early embryos and biomineralized mantle tissue. Moreover, the serum concentration of ecdysone significantly increased at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h post-shell notching. The expression of PmEcR in the mantle tissue was significantly induced at the corresponding time points, while that of PmRXR was significantly induced at 6 h. Ecdysone stimulation remarkably induced the expression of growth factors (BMP2 and BMP7), transcription factors (PmRunt and AP-1), and shell matrix protein genes (chitinase, lysine-rich matrix protein (KRMP), TYR2, and PmCOLVI), which indicated that ecdysone signaling plays important roles in shell repair. However, yeast two-hybrid assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation showed that PmEcR and PmRXR did not form dimers, suggesting the different molecular interactions of EcR in bivalves. These findings provide insights into the function of ecdysone and its regulation pathway in bivalve species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Xiong
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yanfei Cao
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Zhixin Li
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Ronglian Huang
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiaodong Du
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhe Zheng
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang, China.
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Dai ML, Ye WT, Jiang XJ, Feng P, Zhu QY, Sun HN, Li FC, Wei J, Li B. Effect of Tachinid Parasitoid Exorista japonica on the Larval Development and Pupation of the Host Silkworm Bombyx mori. Front Physiol 2022; 13:824203. [PMID: 35250625 PMCID: PMC8889078 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.824203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tachinidae are natural enemies of many lepidopteran and coleopteran pests of crops, forests, and fruits. However, host-tachinid parasitoid interactions have been largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of tachinids on host biological traits, using Exorista japonica, a generalist parasitoid, and the silkworm Bombyx mori, its lepidopteran host, as models. We observed that E. japonica parasitoidism did not affect silkworm larval body weight gain and cocooning rate, whereas they caused shortened duration of molting from the final instar to the pupal stage, abnormal molting from larval to pupal stages, and a subsequent decrease in host emergence rate. Moreover, a decrease in juvenile hormone (JH) titer and an increase in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) titer in the hemolymph of parasitized silkworms occurred. The transcription of JH and 20E responsive genes was downregulated in mature parasitized hosts, but upregulated in parasitized prepupae while Fushi tarazu factor 1 (Ftz-f1), a nuclear receptor essential in larval ecdysis, showed dramatically reduced expression in parasitized hosts at both the mature and prepupal stages. Moreover, the transcriptional levels of BmFtz-f1 and its downstream target genes encoding cuticle proteins were downregulated in epidermis of parasitized hosts. Meanwhile, the content of trehalose was decreased in the hemolymph, while chitin content in the epidermis was increased in parasitized silkworm prepupae. These data reveal that the host may fine-tune JH and 20E synthesis to shorten developmental duration to combat established E. japonica infestation, while E. japonica silences BmFtz-f1 transcription to inhibit host pupation. This discovery highlights the novel target mechanism of tachinid parasitoids and provides new clues to host/tachinid parasitoid relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Li Dai
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wen-Tao Ye
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | | | - Piao Feng
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qing-Yu Zhu
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hai-Na Sun
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Sericulture Institute of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Fan-Chi Li
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Sericulture Institute of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jing Wei
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Sericulture Institute of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Wei,
| | - Bing Li
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Sericulture Institute of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Bing Li,
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Zhang J, Xu G, Qiu B, Zhang X, Feng Q, Yang Q, Zheng S. BR-C Z4 and FoxJ interact to regulate expression of a chitin synthase gene CHSA-2b in the pupal wing discs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 116:103264. [PMID: 31707207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Elaborate regulation of tissue- and stage-specific expression of genes is prerequisite for insect development. The hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) initiates metamorphosis by regulating the expression of a series of genes. However, how 20E orderly regulates the pupa-specific expression of genes remains unclear. In this study, we report a regulatory mechanism for the pupa-specific expression of chitin synthase A 2b (CHSA-2b) in Bombyx mori. We found that Broad-Complex Z4 (BR-C Z4) was up-regulated by 20E just before pupation, while transcription factor FoxJ and CHSA-2b were up-regulated during the pupal stage. There is a Fox cis-regulatory element in the CHSA-2b promoter region, and FoxJ protein bound to this element, enhancing the CHSA-2b transcription during the pupal stage. In addition to CHSA-2b, FoxJ also up-regulated the expression of 16 out of 19 pupa-specific genes tested. However, at the prepupal stage, 20E-induced BR-C Z4 inhibited the FoxJ transcription, indirectly inhibiting the CHSA-2b transcription. These data suggest that at the pre-pupation stage, 20E-induced BR-C Z4 inhibited the expression of pupa-stage genes like CHSA-2b by inhibiting the expression of FoxJ; by the pupal stage, the expression of BR-C Z4 decreased, releasing its inhibition on FoxJ, which then up-regulated the expression of the pupa-specific genes. This study explains the elaborate regulation of the pupa-specific gene expression during metamorphosis in B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Guanfeng Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Binbin Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Xiaojuan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Qili Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Sichun Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
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Microscopic cuticle structure comparison of pupal melanic and wild strain of Spodoptera exigua and their gene expression profiles in three time points. Microb Pathog 2017; 114:483-493. [PMID: 29196168 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.11.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), is one of the major crop pests and is a target for current pest control approaches using insecticides. S. exigua melanic mutants (SEM) spontaneously occurred in the S. exigua wild type (SEW) strain and have been maintained under laboratory conditions on an artificial diet. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the inner cuticle of the SEM had a denser and less orderly structure. We investigated the cuticle protein genes using RNA-seq at three different developmental stages of both SEM and SEW. Comparison of cDNA libraries showed that 7257 CPs were significantly up-regulated and 664 genes were significantly downregulated in SEM at the developmental stage of 46-h in the fifth instar. In addition, 460 genes were significantly up-regulated and 439 genes were significantly down-regulated in the SEM at the development stage of 4-h before pupation. Moreover, 162 genes were significantly up-regulated and 293 genes were significantly downregulated in the SEM, just after pupation. Two genes CPR63 and CPR97 were identified from RNA sequences to verify the differentially expressed gene (DEG) results through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results show that expression of both CPR63 and CPR97 structural cuticular proteins were significantly different between SEM and SEW. This functional analysis may help in understanding the role that these genes play in the cuticle pattern of the SEM.
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Jan S, Liu S, Hafeez M, Zhang X, Dawar FU, Guo J, Gao C, Wang M. Isolation and functional identification of three cuticle protein genes during metamorphosis of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16061. [PMID: 29167522 PMCID: PMC5700046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16435-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), is one of the major crop pests and is a target for current pest control approaches using insecticides. In this study three cuticular protein genes CPG316, CPG860 and CPG4855 have been cloned from 0 h pupal integument of S. exigua through race PCR Strategy. The deduced amino acid sequences were found to contain the RR-2 consensus region of other insect cuticular proteins and construct phylogenetic trees for each protein. Using quantitative RT-PCR, the developmental expression of the three genes through several larval and the early pupal stages was studied. All three genes contribute to the endocuticle although CPG316 may have a different role from the other two genes. All three newly isolated genes were analyzed and their functions were determined by using direct injection of the dsRNA into early 5th instar larvae. All genes are expressed in the larvae and early pupae but in different patterns. Furthermore, phenotypic results show that these genes have differing effects on the development of cuticle, its flexibility and a big role in metamorphosis in both larval and pupal stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saad Jan
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Sisi Liu
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Muhammad Hafeez
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangmei Zhang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Farman Ullah Dawar
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiyun Guo
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Gao
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Mo Wang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China.
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Yang CH, Yang PC, Zhang SF, Shi ZY, Kang L, Zhang AB. Identification, expression pattern, and feature analysis of cuticular protein genes in the pine moth Dendrolimus punctatus (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 83:94-106. [PMID: 28284855 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular proteins (CPs) are vital components of the insects' cuticle that support movement and protect insect from adverse environmental conditions. The CPs exist in a large number and diversiform structures, thus, the accurate annotation is the first step to interpreting their roles in insect growth. The rapid development of sequencing technology has simplified the access to the information on protein sequences, especially for non-model species. Dendrolimus punctatus is a Lepidopteran defoliator, and its periodic outbreaks cause severe damage to the coniferous forests. The transcriptome of D. punctatus integrating the whole developmental periods are available for the potential investigation of CPs. In this study, we identified 216 CPs from D. punctatus, including 147 from CPR family, 4 from TWDL family, 3 from CPF/CPFL families, 22 from CPAP families, 8 low complexity proteins, 1 CPCPC and 31 from other CP families. The putative CPs were compared with homologs in other species such as Bombyx mori, Manduca sexta and Drosophila melanogaster. We further identified five co-orthologous groups have highly similar sequences of CRPs in nine lepidopteran species, which exclusively presented in RR-2 subfamily rather than RR-1. We inferred that in Lepidoptera the difference in RR-2 numbers was maintained by homologs in co-orthologous groups, coincided with observation in Drosophila and Anopheles that gene cluster was the model and source for the expansion of RR-2 genes. In combination with the variation of members in each CP family among different species, these results indicated the evolution of CPs was highly correlated to the adaptation of insect to environment. Furthermore, we compared the amino acid composition of the different types CPRs, and examined the expression patterns of CP genes in various developmental stages. The comprehensive overview of CPs from our study provides an insight into their evolution and the association between them and insect development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong-Hui Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Yang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Su-Fang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry Administration, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Le Kang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ai-Bing Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
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He S, Tong X, Lu K, Lu Y, Luo J, Yang W, Chen M, Han MJ, Hu H, Lu C, Dai F. Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomes among Bombyx mori Strains and Sexes Reveals the Genes Regulating Melanic Morph and the Related Phenotypes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155061. [PMID: 27153103 PMCID: PMC4859508 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As a source of insect polymorphism, melanism plays an important role in ecological adaption and usually endows advantageous phenotypic-effects on insects. However, due to the mechanistic diversity, there are knowledge gaps in the molecular mechanisms underlying melanism and the related phenotypes. In silk moths, a recessive melanic mutant (sex-controlled melanism, sml) strain exhibits extended adult longevity. We took a transcriptome approach to perform a comparative analysis between this sml strain and a wild-type strain (Dazao). Our analysis resulted in the identification of 59 unique differentially expressed genes in the melanic mutant. Two key genes (laccase2 and yellow) involved in melanin formation were significantly up-regulated in melanic individuals. The laccase2 B-type isoform (BGIBMGA006746) was found to likely participate in the silkworm cuticular melanism process at late pupal stage. Moreover, we discovered 22 cuticular protein encoding genes with the possible function in melanin transport and/or maintenance. Based on our findings, we presume that the longer survival of the melanic sml male moths might be associated with the enhanced antioxidant defense systems and a reduction in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway (IIS). These findings will facilitate the understanding of the molecular basis underlying melanism and the derived phenotypic-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songzhen He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xiaoling Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Kunpeng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yaru Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jiangwen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wenhao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Min-jin Han
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Cheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Fangyin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- * E-mail:
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Mutation of a Cuticle Protein Gene, BmCPG10, Is Responsible for Silkworm Non-Moulting in the 2nd Instar Mutant. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153549. [PMID: 27096617 PMCID: PMC4838254 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the silkworm, metamorphosis and moulting are regulated by ecdysone hormone and juvenile hormone. The subject in the present study is a silkworm mutant that does not moult in the 2nd instar (nm2). Genetic analysis indicated that the nm2 mutation is controlled by a recessive gene and is homozygous lethal. Based on positional cloning, nm2 was located in a region approximately 275 kb on the 5th linkage group by eleven SSR polymorphism markers. In this specific range, according to the transcriptional expression of thirteen genes and cloning, the relative expression level of the BmCPG10 gene that encodes a cuticle protein was lower than the expression level of the wild-type gene. Moreover, this gene’s structure differs from that of the wild-type gene: there is a deletion of 217 bp in its open reading frame, which resulted in a change in the protein it encoded. The BmCPG10 mRNA was detectable throughout silkworm development from the egg to the moth. This mRNA was low in the pre-moulting and moulting stages of each instar but was high in the gluttonous stage and in newly exuviated larvae. The BmCPG10 mRNA showed high expression levels in the epidermis, head and trachea, while the expression levels were low in the midgut, Malpighian tubule, prothoracic gland, haemolymph and ventral nerve cord. The ecdysone titre was determined by ELISA, and the results demonstrated that the ecdysone titre of nm2 larvae was lower than that of the wild-type larvae. The nm2 mutant could be rescued by feeding 20-hydroxyecdysone, cholesterol and 7—dehydrocholesterol (7dC), but the rescued nm2 only developed to the 4th instar and subsequently died. The moulting time of silkworms could be delayed by BmCPG10 RNAi. Thus, we speculated that the mutation of BmCPG10 was responsible for the silkworm mutant that did not moult in the 2nd instar.
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10
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Starvation-responsive glycine-rich protein gene in the silkworm Bombyx mori. J Comp Physiol B 2014; 184:827-34. [PMID: 25095972 PMCID: PMC4171585 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-014-0846-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Four glycine-rich protein (GRP) genes were identified from expressed sequence tags of the maxillary galea of the silkworm. All four genes were expressed in the maxillary pulp, antenna, labrum, and labium, but none of the genes were expressed in most internal organs. Expression of one of the genes, termed bmSIGRP, was further increased approximately fivefold in the mouth region (including the maxilla, antenna, labrum, labium, and mandible) after 24 h of starvation. bmSIGRP expression peaked at 24 h and gradually declined during the subsequent 2 days. When a synthetic diet not containing proteins was fed, bmSIGRP expression increased significantly in the mouth region to levels similar to that observed in starved larvae. Synthetic diets that lacked vitamins or salts but contained amino acids did not significantly affect bmSIGRP expression. These results suggest that amino acid depletion increases bmSIGRP expression.
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11
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Cloning and expression profiling of a cuticular protein gene in Daphnia carinata. Dev Genes Evol 2014; 224:129-35. [DOI: 10.1007/s00427-014-0469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Sun R, Zhang Y, Xu B. Characterization of the response to ecdysteroid of a novel cuticle protein R&R gene in the honey bee, Apis cerana cerana. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2013; 166:73-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Abstract
In nature, mollusk shells have a role in protecting the soft body of the mollusk from predators and from the external environment, and the shells consist mainly of calcium carbonate and small amounts of organic matrices. Organic matrices in mollusk shells are thought to play key roles in shell formation. However, enough information has not been accumulated so far. High toughness and stiffness have been focused on as being adaptable to the development of organic–inorganic hybrid materials. Because mollusks can produce elaborate microstructures containing organic matrices under ambient conditions, the investigation of shell formation is expected to lead to the development of new inorganic–organic hybrid materials for various applications. In this review paper, we summarize the structures of mollusk shells and their process of formation, together with the analysis of various organic matrices related to shell calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michio Suzuki
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Nagasawa
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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Kushida A, Horie R, Hattori K, Hamamoto H, Sekimizu K, Tamura H. Xanthurenic acid is an endogenous substrate for the silkworm cytosolic sulfotransferase, bmST1. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2012; 58:83-88. [PMID: 22036934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 10/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/10/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Sulfotransferase enzymes are known to regulate physiologically active substances such as steroids and catecholamines in mammals. Although invertebrates also express sulfotransferases, their biological function is mostly unclear. In a previous study, we reported that 4-nitrocatechol and the gallete ester are substrates for the silkworm sulfotransferase bmST1. The K(m) of bmST1 for these substrates is high. However, endogenous substrates of bmST1 have not yet been determined. We therefore investigated endogenous bmST1 substrates and carried out a detailed expression profile analysis of bmST1. We found that xanthurenic acid, a tryptophan metabolite, is a possible endogenous substrate of bmST1. The K(m) of bmST1 for xanthurenic acid is low, in the μM range, which is lower than that for previously reported substrates. Additionally, xanthurenic acid is a tryptophan metabolite that characteristically shows toxicity in vivo. High dose administration of xanthurenic acid resulted in inhibition of cuticular biosynthesis. The expression of the bmST1 gene reached a maximal level in the Malpighian tubule at the 4th molting stage, when amino acid metabolism might be activated. Our results suggest that bmST1 plays a role in detoxification of xanthurenic acid in the silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Kushida
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Keio University, Minatoku, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Gardner LD, Mills D, Wiegand A, Leavesley D, Elizur A. Spatial analysis of biomineralization associated gene expression from the mantle organ of the pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:455. [PMID: 21936921 PMCID: PMC3191542 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2011] [Accepted: 09/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biomineralization is a process encompassing all mineral containing tissues produced within an organism. One of the most dynamic examples of this process is the formation of the mollusk shell, comprising a variety of crystal phases and microstructures. The organic component incorporated within the shell is said to dictate this architecture. However general understanding of how this process is achieved remains ambiguous. The mantle is a conserved organ involved in shell formation throughout molluscs. Specifically the mantle is thought to be responsible for secreting the protein component of the shell. This study employs molecular approaches to determine the spatial expression of genes within the mantle tissue to further the elucidation of the shell biomineralization. RESULTS A microarray platform was custom generated (PmaxArray 1.0) from the pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. PmaxArray 1.0 consists of 4992 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) originating from mantle tissue. This microarray was used to analyze the spatial expression of ESTs throughout the mantle organ. The mantle was dissected into five discrete regions and analyzed for differential gene expression with PmaxArray 1.0. Over 2000 ESTs were determined to be differentially expressed among the tissue sections, identifying five major expression regions. In situ hybridization validated and further localized the expression for a subset of these ESTs. Comparative sequence similarity analysis of these ESTs revealed a number of the transcripts were novel while others showed significant sequence similarities to previously characterized shell related genes. CONCLUSIONS This investigation has mapped the spatial distribution for over 2000 ESTs present on PmaxArray 1.0 with reference to specific locations of the mantle. Expression profile clusters have indicated at least five unique functioning zones in the mantle. Three of these zones are likely involved in shell related activities including formation of nacre, periostracum and calcitic prismatic microstructure. A number of novel and known transcripts have been identified from these clusters. The development of PmaxArray 1.0, and the spatial map of its ESTs expression in the mantle has begun characterizing the molecular mechanisms linking the organics and inorganics of the molluscan shell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke D Gardner
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
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16
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Deng H, Zheng S, Yang X, Liu L, Feng Q. Transcription factors BmPOUM2 and BmβFTZ-F1 are involved in regulation of the expression of the wing cuticle protein gene BmWCP4 in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2011; 20:45-60. [PMID: 20825506 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2010.01041.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In Bombyx mori, the wing cuticle protein gene BmWCP4 is expressed specifically in the epidermis at the onset and mid-stage of pupation and is responsible for the formation of the pupal cuticle during the larval-pupal metamorphosis. The gene consists of four exons and three introns and is present as a single copy in the genome. Its expression was up-regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the 20E-induced expression was suppressed by juvenile hormone (JH) III. The upstream regulatory sequence region of the BmWCP4 gene was cloned and the regulatory elements responsible for 20E induction were identified. Two cis-regulatory elements (CREs) bound by the transcription factors BmPOUM2 and BmβFTZ-F1 were identified that mediated 20E-regulated expression of this gene. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay detected two nuclear proteins isolated from the epidermis and the BmN cell line that specifically bound to the POU and βFTZ-F1 CREs, respectively. BmPOUM2 recombinant protein explicitly bound to the POU CRE. Developmental and 20E-induced expression of the BmWCP4, BmPOUM2 and BmβFTZ-F1 genes showed that BmPOUM2 and BmβFTZ-F1 were initially expressed, followed by BmWCP4. These data suggest that the 20E-induced expression of BmWCP4 is mediated by the transcription factors BmPOUM2 and BmβFTZ-F1 binding to their CREs in the regulatory sequence region of the BmWCP4 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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17
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Dai FY, Qiao L, Tong XL, Cao C, Chen P, Chen J, Lu C, Xiang ZH. Mutations of an arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase, Bm-iAANAT, are responsible for silkworm melanism mutant. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:19553-60. [PMID: 20332088 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.096743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Coloration is one of the most variable characters in animals and provides rich material for studying the developmental genetic basis of pigment patterns. In the silkworm, more than 100 gene mutation systems are related to aberrant color patterns. The melanism (mln) is a rare body color mutant that exhibits an easily distinguishable phenotype in both larval and adult silkworms. By positional cloning, we identified the candidate gene of the mln locus, Bm-iAANAT, whose homologous gene (Dat) converts dopamine into N-acetyldopamine, a precursor for N-acetyldopamine sclerotin in Drosophila. In the mln mutant, two types of abnormal Bm-iAANAT transcripts were identified, whose expression levels are markedly lower than the wild type (WT). Moreover, dopamine content was approximately twice as high in the sclerified tissues (head, thoracic legs, and anal plate) of the mutant as in WT, resulting in phenotypic differences between the two. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR analyses showed that other genes involved in the melanin metabolism pathway were regulated by the aberrant Bm-iAANAT activity in mln mutant in different ways and degrees. We therefore propose that greater accumulation of dopamine results from the functional deficiency of Bm-iAANAT in the mutant, causing a darker pattern in the sclerified regions than in the WT. In summary, our results indicate that Bm-iAANAT is responsible for the color pattern of the silkworm mutant, mln. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing a role for arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferases in color pattern mutation in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-yin Dai
- College of Biotechnology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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18
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Charles JP. The regulation of expression of insect cuticle protein genes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2010; 40:205-213. [PMID: 20060042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2009] [Revised: 12/09/2009] [Accepted: 12/11/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The exoskeleton of insects (cuticle) is an assembly of chitin and cuticle proteins. Its physical properties are determined largely by the proteins it contains, and vary widely with developmental stages and body regions. The genes encoding cuticle proteins are therefore good models to study the molecular mechanisms of signalling by ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones, which regulate molting and metamorphosis in insects. This review summarizes the studies of hormonal regulation of insect cuticle protein genes, and the recent progress in the analysis of the regulatory sequences and transcription factors important for their expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Charles
- UMR CNRS 5548 Développement-Communication Chimique des Insectes (DCCI), Université de Bourgogne, Faculté des Sciences Gabriel, 6, Bd Gabriel 21000 Dijon, France.
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Wang HB, Nita M, Iwanaga M, Kawasaki H. betaFTZ-F1 and Broad-Complex positively regulate the transcription of the wing cuticle protein gene, BMWCP5, in wing discs of Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2009; 39:624-633. [PMID: 19580866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2009] [Revised: 06/15/2009] [Accepted: 06/28/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to clarify the mechanism regulating cuticle protein gene expression. Expression of BMWCP5 was strong at around pupation and weak at the mid-pupal stage in wing tissues of Bombyx mori. We analyzed the upstream region of the BMWCP5 gene using a transient reporter assay with a gene gun system to identify the regulatory elements responsible for its unique expression pattern. We identified two betaFTZ-F1 binding sites to be important cis-acting elements for the transcription activation of the luciferase reporter gene by an ecdysone pulse. Site-directed mutagenesis of these sites, followed by introduction into wing discs, significantly decreased the reporter activity. We also found that the regions carrying the binding sites for the ecdysone-responsive factor BR-C Z4 (BR-Z4) were responsible for the hormonal enhancement of the reporter gene activity in wing discs. Mutation of the BR-Z4 binding sites decreased the reporter activity. The nuclear proteins that bound to these betaFTZ-F1 and BR-Z4 sites were identified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The results demonstrate for the first time that the BR-Z4 isoform can bind to the upstream region of the cuticle protein gene, BMWCP5, and activate its expression. The results also suggest that the BMWCP5 transcription is primarily regulated by the ecdysone pulse through betaFTZ-F1, and the stage-specific enhancement is brought about through BR-Z4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Bing Wang
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
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20
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Wang HB, Iwanaga M, Kawasaki H. Activation of BMWCP10 promoter and regulation by BR-C Z2 in wing disc of Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2009; 39:615-623. [PMID: 19580867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2009] [Revised: 06/29/2009] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The cuticle protein gene BMWCP10 is transcriptionally upregulated by ecdysone during development. In the present study, using a transient reporter assay, the activity of various genomic segments at the 5'-flanking region of the BMWCP10 gene in driving gene expression and their involvement in ecdysone-mediated activation were assessed in the Bombyx wing disc. The promoter activity of BMWCP10 was responsive to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in a dose-dependent manner, and the highest luciferase activity was observed in the presence of 2 microg/ml 20E. Furthermore, the upstream BMWCP10 promoter was activated by 20E in a stage-specific manner, and the 2.9-kb promoter contained essential elements for the temporal regulation of BMWCP10 in the Bombyx wing disc. Deletion studies revealed that the -598/-387 bp region was required for high-level transcription. In this region, a BR-C Z2 binding element was identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Site-directed mutagenesis of this element in the context of the 598-bp promoter fragment significantly decreased the reporter activity in response to ecdysone treatment. The results confirmed the role of BmBR-C Z2 in the transcription regulation of BMWCP10 and suggested the contribution of BmBR-C Z2 to BMWCP10 induction by 20E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Bing Wang
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
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21
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Futahashi R, Okamoto S, Kawasaki H, Zhong YS, Iwanaga M, Mita K, Fujiwara H. Genome-wide identification of cuticular protein genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 38:1138-1146. [PMID: 19280704 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Many kinds of cuticular proteins are found in a single insect species and their numbers and features are diversified among insects. Because there are so many cuticular proteins and so much sequence variation among them, an overview of cuticular protein gene is needed. Recently, a complete silkworm genome sequence was obtained through the integration of data from two whole genome sequence projects performed independently in 2004. To identify cuticular protein genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori exhaustively, we searched both the Bombyx whole genome sequence as well as various EST libraries, and found 220 putative cuticular protein genes. We also revised the annotation of the gene model, and named each identified cuticular protein based on its motif. The phylogenetic tree of cuticular protein genes among B. mori, Drosophila melanogaster, and Apis mellifera revealed that duplicate cuticular protein clusters have evolved independently among insects. Comparison of EST libraries and northern blot analyses showed that the tissue- and stage-specific expression of each gene was intricately regulated, even between adjacent genes in the same gene cluster. This study reveals many novel cuticular protein genes as well as insights into cuticular protein gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Futahashi
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
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22
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Okamoto S, Futahashi R, Kojima T, Mita K, Fujiwara H. Catalogue of epidermal genes: genes expressed in the epidermis during larval molt of the silkworm Bombyx mori. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:396. [PMID: 18721459 PMCID: PMC2542385 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2008] [Accepted: 08/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The insect cuticle is composed of various proteins and formed during the molt under hormonal regulation, although its precise composition and formation mechanism are largely unknown. The exhaustive catalogue of genes expressed in epidermis at the molt constitutes a massive amount of information from which to draw a complete picture of the molt and cuticle formation in insects. Therefore, we have catalogued a library of full-length cDNAs (designated epM) from epidermal cells during the last larval molt of Bombyx mori. RESULTS Of the 10,368 sequences in the library, we isolated 6,653 usable expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which were categorized into 1,451 nonredundant gene clusters. Seventy-one clusters were considered to be isoforms or premature forms of other clusters. Therefore, we have identified 1,380 putative genes. Of the 6,653 expressed sequences, 48% were derived from 92 cuticular protein genes (RR-1, 24; RR-2, 17; glycine-rich, 29; other classes, 22). A comparison of epM with another epidermal EST data set, epV3 (feeding stage: fifth instar, day 3), showed marked differences in cuticular protein gene. Various types of cuticular proteins are expressed in epM but virtually only RR-1 proteins were expressed in epV3. Cuticular protein genes expressed specifically in epidermis, with several types of expression patterns during the molt, suggest different types of responses to the ecdysteroid pulse. Compared with other Bombyx EST libraries, 13 genes were preferentially included in epM data set. We isolated 290 genes for proteins other than cuticular proteins, whose amino acid sequences retain putative signal peptides, suggesting that they play some role in cuticle formation or in other molting events. Several gene groups were also included in this data set: hormone metabolism, P450, modifier of cuticular protein structure, small-ligand-binding protein, transcription factor, and pigmentation genes. CONCLUSION We have identified 1,380 genes in epM data set and 13 preferentially expressed genes in epidermis at the molt. The comparison of the epM and other EST libraries clarified the totally different gene expression patterns in epidermis between the molting and feeding stages and many novel tissue- and stage-specifically expressed epidermal genes. These data should further our understanding of cuticle formation and the insect molt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Okamoto
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
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Brooks AE, Stricker SM, Joshi SB, Kamerzell TJ, Middaugh CR, Lewis RV. Properties of synthetic spider silk fibers based on Argiope aurantia MaSp2. Biomacromolecules 2008; 9:1506-10. [PMID: 18457450 DOI: 10.1021/bm701124p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spiders have evolved a complex system of silk producing glands. Each of the glands produces silk with strength and elasticity tailored to its biological purpose. Sequence analysis of the major ampullate silk reveals four highly conserved concatenated blocks of amino acids: (GA) n , A n , GPGXX, and GGX. While the GPGXX motif, which has been hypothesized to be responsible for the extensibility of the fiber, displays natural variation in its precise sequence arrangement and content, correlating these differences with particular fiber properties has been difficult. Three genetic constructs based on the Argiope aurantia sequence were engineered to progressively increase the number of GPGXX repeats in a head-to-tail assembly prior to interruption by another motif. Circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of synthetic spider silk spin dopes show secondary structures that correspond to an increase in the repeat number of GPGXX regions and an increase in the extensibility of synthetically spun recombinant fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E Brooks
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming 82070, USA.
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Futahashi R, Fujiwara H. Regulation of 20-hydroxyecdysone on the larval pigmentation and the expression of melanin synthesis enzymes and yellow gene of the swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2007; 37:855-64. [PMID: 17628284 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2007.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2006] [Revised: 02/16/2007] [Accepted: 02/22/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus, changes its larval body pattern dramatically during the fourth ecdysis. Cuticular pigmentation occurs with precise timing just before ecdysis. We previously found that the cuticular pigmentation was regulated by three melanin synthesis genes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopa decarboxylase (DDC), and ebony. We discovered that yellow is strongly expressed in the presumptive black markings earlier than TH and DDC. Because the ecdysis is triggered by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), the effects of 20E on the pigmentation and expression of the melanin synthesis genes were examined. Here, we established a method for the topical application of 20E to molting specimens, so that 20E has only a partial effect, resulting in successful ecdysis. When we applied 20E during the mid-phase of the molting period, when the 20E titer is declining, cuticular pigmentation was completely inhibited. The cessation of hormonal treatments caused delayed pigmentation. yellow expression was promoted by a high titer of 20E, whereas the expression of TH, DDC, and ebony was suppressed, suggesting that a decline in the 20E concentration is necessary for the induction of the expression of the latter three genes. These results indicate that cuticular pigmentation is controlled by the exposure to 20E and its removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Futahashi
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bioscience Building 501, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
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25
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Zhang C, Xie L, Huang J, Liu X, Zhang R. A novel matrix protein family participating in the prismatic layer framework formation of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2006; 344:735-40. [PMID: 16630535 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.03.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2006] [Accepted: 03/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular composition and the formation mechanism of shell matrix framework is of great interest for biomineralization in mollusk shell. The cDNAs encoding a novel matrix protein family (KRMP) were cloned from the mantle of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that KRMP have a high proportion of lysine, glycine, and tyrosine, and their predict isoelectric points are higher than any other identified shell matrix protein to our knowledge. The deduced amino acid sequences of KRMP can be divided into three regions, including an N-terminal signal peptide, a lysine-rich basic region interacting with acidic proteins or CO(3)(2-), and a Gly/Tyr-rich region involved in the protein cross-link via quinone-tanning process. RT-PCR and in situ hybridization demonstrated that KRMP mRNA was specifically expressed in the mantle edge, involved in the prismatic layer formation. Taken together, it seems that KRMP is a matrix protein family participating in the framework formation of prismatic layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen Zhang
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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26
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Zhong YS, Mita K, Shimada T, Kawasaki H. Glycine-rich protein genes, which encode a major component of the cuticle, have different developmental profiles from other cuticle protein genes in Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2006; 36:99-110. [PMID: 16431278 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2005.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2005] [Revised: 07/19/2005] [Accepted: 07/26/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Three types of GRP (glycine-rich proteins) cDNAs were identified in the EST database of Bombyx mori. These came from 21 ESTs in the W3-stage wing disc EST library. We named them BmGRP1, BmGRP2 and BmGRP3. BmGRP1 and BmGRP2 had 57% identity in deduced amino acid sequences. Expression of all BmGRPs was observed in the epidermis at the fourth molting stage, and in the wing at pupation and mid-pupal stage. It is suggested that BmGRPs contribute to larval, pupal and adult cuticles together with other cuticle proteins. Transcripts of BmGRP2 increased after 7 days of pupal stage. BmGRP2 is suggested to construct adult trachea in the wing. Hormonal response of BmGRPs was compared with that of another group of cuticular protein genes, BMWCPs. BmGRPs were induced by a pulse of 20E. Induction of BmGRP3 was observed in W1 wing discs in the presence of JHA which was added with 20E, whereas that of BMWCP2 was inhibited in the presence of JHA. Induction of BmGRPs was observed in the wing discs of V3 and W1 stages, while that of BMWCP2 was not observed in the V3 wing discs. These differences between BMWCPs and BmGRPs in response to hormones at different developmental stages are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Sheng Zhong
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
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Hodgetts RB, O'Keefe SL. Dopa decarboxylase: a model gene-enzyme system for studying development, behavior, and systematics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2006; 51:259-84. [PMID: 16332212 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.51.110104.151143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Throughout its long evolutionary history, the Dopa decarboxylase gene (Ddc) has acquired a variety of functions in insects. The enzyme (DDC) catalyzes the production of the neural transmitters dopamine and serotonin. Not surprisingly, evidence of the enzyme's involvement in the behavior of insects is beginning to accumulate. In addition, DDC plays a role in wound healing, parasite defense, pigmentation, and cuticle hardening. A high degree of sequence conservation has allowed comparisons of the Ddc-coding regions from various insects, facilitating a number of recent studies on insect systematics. This review outlines the diverse functions of Ddc and illustrates how studies of this model system address many questions on insect neurobiology, developmental biology, and systematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross B Hodgetts
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
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Ote M, Mita K, Kawasaki H, Seki M, Nohata J, Kobayashi M, Shimada T. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in wing discs of Bombyx mori during pupal ecdysis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2004; 34:775-784. [PMID: 15262282 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2004.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2004] [Accepted: 04/15/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Wing discs of holometabolous insects undergo dramatic morphological changes during metamorphosis, a process that is controlled by the actions of hundreds of gene products. Using cDNA microarrays constructed from 5086 ESTs, we monitored the gene expression profiles in wing discs of Bombyx mori at 13 time points during pupal ecdysis (day-4 fifth instar larvae to day-0 pupae). Of the 5086 ESTs on the microarrays, 2998 ESTs had significant signals in more than half of the experiments. Of the 2998 ESTs, genes represented by 683 ESTs showed significant perturbations during pupal ecdysis. Genes previously known to be induced during metamorphosis were identified, including E75, Urbain, Chitinases, and cuticle proteins. The expressions of genes represented by 59 ESTs induced at the beginning of wandering contained genes predicted to be involved in protein degradation, amino acid metabolism, and amino acid transport. The expressions of genes represented by 147 ESTs induced after the ecdysteroid peak had a role in cuticle synthesis, pigmentation, ion transport, protein transport, and transcription regulation. The expressions of genes represented by 85 ESTs repressed after the ecdysteroid peak were predicted to be involved in nucleotide and nucleic acid metabolism and cell cycle. This indicates the involvement of several biological processes in wing disc development during metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Ote
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
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Noji T, Ote M, Takeda M, Mita K, Shimada T, Kawasaki H. Isolation and comparison of different ecdysone-responsive cuticle protein genes in wing discs of Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2003; 33:671-679. [PMID: 12826094 DOI: 10.1016/s0965-1748(03)00048-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Microarray analysis was used to isolate an ecdysone up-regulated cuticle protein gene from wing discs of Bombyx mori. Transcripts of isolated cDNAs were identified by Northern blot analysis. Expression of the BMWCP10 gene was observed during the W0-W3 stages with the strongest signal being at the W2 stage. In contrast, expression of the BMWCP2 gene was observed at the W3and P0 stages. Expression of BMWCP10 was identified after exposure to 20E in vitro, while that of BMWCP2 was identified after exposure to 20E followed by its removal. Induction of BMWCP10 by 20E was observed in 30 min and was not inhibited by cycloheximide. Expression of BMWCP2 was observed in wing discs cultured for more than 18 h in a hormone-free medium after 20E removal. At least 4 h exposure to 20E was required before removal for induction of BMWCP2. Induction of BMWCP2 required protein synthesis. Thus, different ecdysone-responsive cuticle protein genes in wing discs of Bombyx mori were isolated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Noji
- Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
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Sawada H, Nakato H, Togawa T, Nakagoshi M, Takikawa SI, Dohke K, Iino T, Mase K, Yamamoto T, Izumi S. Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel cuticle protein in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2003; 134:519-27. [PMID: 12628383 DOI: 10.1016/s1096-4959(03)00002-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We have cloned the full length of a novel cDNA named Bombyx mori cuticle protein that contains an AlaAlaProAla/Val-repeat (BMCPA) from a cDNA library of integument in the larval silkworm. Both a typical tandem repeat (A-A-P-A/V) for cuticle protein and a unique tandem repeat with Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val, Tyr and Thr were observed in the predicted amino acid sequence of the cDNA encoding BMCPA. Approximately 80% of the amino acids in BMCPA were composed of Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val and Tyr. Northern-hybridization analysis indicated that BMCPA mRNA is expressed only in the larval epidermis and that the expression pattern of the BMCPA gene in the developmental stage was observed mainly at the larval stage. We propose BMCPA may be a novel component of cuticle, and may play an important role in the integument of the larval silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Sawada
- Biological Laboratory, Center for Natural Science, Kitasato University, Kitasato 1-15-1, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa 228-8555, Japan.
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