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Sun L, Sun B, Chen L, Ge Q, Chen K. Identification of genes associated with the silk gland size using multi-omics in silkworm (Bombyx mori). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:1-16. [PMID: 37676698 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12870] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Silk gland size in silkworms (Bombyx mori) affects silk output. However, the molecular mechanisms by which genes regulate silk gland size remain unclear. In this study, silk glands from three pure silkworm strains (A798, A306 and XH) with different silk gland weight phenotypes were compared using transcriptomics and proteomics to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins (DEPs). When comparing A798 to A306 and A798 to XH, 830 and 469 DEGs were up-regulated, respectively. These genes were related to the gene ontology terms, metabolic process, transport activity and biosynthesis process. In addition, 372 and 302 up-regulated differentially expressed proteins were detected in A798 to A306 and A798 to XH, respectively, related to the gene ontology terms, ribosome and protein export, ribosome and polypeptide biosynthesis processes. Moreover, combined transcriptomics, proteomics and weighted correlation network analyses showed that five genes (BGIBMGA002524, BGIBMGA002629, BGIBMGA005659, BGIBMGA005711 and BGIBMGA010889) were significantly associated with the silk gland weight. Reverse Transcription-quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) and Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to verify the mRNA and protein expression of five genes in the silk glands and tissues of 18 silkworm strains. The results showed that four genes have higher expression levels in heavier silk glands. These genes are associated with glycogen metabolism, fatty acid synthesis and branched chain amino acid metabolism, thus potentially promoting growth and silk protein synthesis. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between silk gland weight and silk yield in silkworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindan Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Binbin Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Liang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Qi Ge
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Keping Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Wang H, Xie Y, Wang X, Geng X, Gao L. Characterization of the RACK1 gene of Aips cerana cerana and its role in adverse environmental stresses. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 263:110796. [PMID: 35973656 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2022.110796] [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: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Receptors for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1s) are a kind of multifunction scaffold protein that plays an important role in cell signal transductions and animal development. However, the function of RACK1 in the Chinese honeybee Apis cerana cerana is little known. Here, we isolated and identified a RACK1 gene from Apis cerana cerana, named AccRACK1. By bioinformatic analysis, we revealed a high nucleic acid homology between AccRACK1 and RACK1 of Apis cerana. RT-qPCR analyses demonstrated AccRACK1 was mostly expressed in 3rd instar larvae, darked-eyed pupae and adults (one and thirty days post-emergence), suggesting it might participate in the development of A. cerana cerana. Moreover, the expression of AccRACK1 was highest in the thorax, followed by the venom gland. Compared to the blank control group, AccRACK1 was induced by 24 and 44 °C, HgCl2 and pesticides (paraquat, pyridaben and methomyl) but inhibited by 14 °C, H2O2, UV light and cyhalothrin. Additionally, 0.05, 0.1, 1, 5 and 10 mg/ml PPN (juvenile hormone analogue pyriproxyfen) could promote the expression of AccRACK1, with 1 mg/ml showing the highest upregulation, suggesting it was regulated by hormones. Further study found that after knockdown of AccRACK1 by RNAi, the expression of the eukaryotic initiation factor 6 of A. cerana cerana (AcceIF6), an initiation factor regulating the initiation of translation, was inhibited, indicating AccRACK1 might affect cellular responses by translation. These findings, taken together, suggest AccRACK1 is involved in the development and responses to abiotic stresses of A. cerana cerana, and therefore, it may be of critical importance to the survival of A. cerana cerana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Yucai Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoshan Geng
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Lijun Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, Shandong, China.
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Hu X, Zhang B, Zheng X, Ji H, Feng K, Hu X, Gul I, Abbas MN, Cui H, Zhu Y. Molecular Characterization of Two Genes Encoding Novel Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2s from the Silkworm, Bombyx mori. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:777-790. [PMID: 35723339 PMCID: PMC8929031 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Eicosanoids are crucial downstream signals in the insect immune responses. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) catalyzes phospholipids, the initial step in eicosanoid biosynthesis. In mammals, the biological roles of Ca2+-independent Phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) have been extensively studied; however, only a few studies have attempted to explore iPLA2 functions in insects. In this study, we identified two iPLA2 genes (designated as BmiPLA2A and BmiPLA2B) in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. BmiPLA2A had a 2427 base pair (bp) open reading frame (ORF) that coded for a protein with 808 amino acids. In contrast, BmiPLA2B had a 1731 bp ORF that coded for a protein with 576 amino acids. Domain analysis revealed that BmiPLA2A had six ankyrin repeat domains, but BmiPLA2B lacks these domains. BmiPLA2A and BmiPLA2B were transcribed widely in various tissues and developmental stages with different expression patterns. The administration of 20-hydroxyecdysone increased their expression levels in the epidermis and hemocytes. Furthermore, challenged with virus, fungus, Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive bacteria induced the expression of BmiPLA2A and BmiPLA2B with variable degrees along with different time points. Our findings imply that BmiPLA2A and BmiPLA2B may have important biological roles in the development and innate immunity of B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hongjuan Cui
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (Y.Z.); Tel.: +23-6825-1713 (H.C.); +23-6825-1939 (Y.Z.)
| | - Yong Zhu
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (Y.Z.); Tel.: +23-6825-1713 (H.C.); +23-6825-1939 (Y.Z.)
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Hou M, Dai TM, Liang XY, Zhang SX, Cui WZ, Qiu JF, Sima YH, Cui WZ, Xu SQ. Bombyx mori can synthesize ascorbic acid through the l-gulose pathway to varying degrees depending on developmental stage. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 106:e21783. [PMID: 33719082 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin C (VC) is an essential nutrient for many animals. However, whether insects, including Bombyx mori, can synthesize VC remains unclear. In this article, the optimized HPLC method was used to determine the content of l-ascorbic acid (AsA) in silkworm eggs, larvae and pupae, and the activity of l-gulono-1,4-lactone oxidase (GULO), a key enzyme in VC synthesis. The RNA interference method was used to determine the effect of the BmGulo-like gene on embryonic development and GULO activity in the pupal fat body. The AsA content increased significantly during E144 h-E168 h in the late embryonic stage and P48 h-P144 h in the middle-late pupal stage, in which exogenous VC was not ingested. Furthermore, the body AsA content in larvae fed VC-free feed also increased with larval stage. The GULO enzymatic activity was present in eggs and the fat bodies of larvae and pupae, even when the larvae were reared with fresh mulberry leaves. Moreover, the activity was higher in the later embryonic stages (E144 h-E168 h) and the early pupal stage (before P24 h). The GULO activity in the pupal fat body dramatically decreased when the screened BmGulo-like gene (BGIBMGA005735) was knocked down with small interfering RNA; in addition, the survival rate and hatching rate of eggs significantly decreased 21% and 44%, respectively, and embryonic development was delayed. Thus, Bombyx mori can synthesize AsA through the l-gulose pathway, albeit with low activity, and this synthesis ability varies with developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Hou
- College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Tai-Ming Dai
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yin Liang
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Xiang Zhang
- College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Wen-Zhao Cui
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jian-Feng Qiu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yang-Hu Sima
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wei-Zheng Cui
- College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China
| | - Shi-Qing Xu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Leyland B, Boussiba S, Khozin-Goldberg I. A Review of Diatom Lipid Droplets. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9020038. [PMID: 32098118 PMCID: PMC7168155 DOI: 10.3390/biology9020038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The dynamic nutrient availability and photon flux density of diatom habitats necessitate buffering capabilities in order to maintain metabolic homeostasis. This is accomplished by the biosynthesis and turnover of storage lipids, which are sequestered in lipid droplets (LDs). LDs are an organelle conserved among eukaryotes, composed of a neutral lipid core surrounded by a polar lipid monolayer. LDs shield the intracellular environment from the accumulation of hydrophobic compounds and function as a carbon and electron sink. These functions are implemented by interconnections with other intracellular systems, including photosynthesis and autophagy. Since diatom lipid production may be a promising objective for biotechnological exploitation, a deeper understanding of LDs may offer targets for metabolic engineering. In this review, we provide an overview of diatom LD biology and biotechnological potential.
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Md Abdullah AB, Lee DW, Jung J, Kim Y. Deletion mutant of sPLA 2 using CRISPR/Cas9 exhibits immunosuppression, developmental retardation, and failure of oocyte development in legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 103:103500. [PMID: 31589887 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) catalyzes release of free fatty acids linked to phospholipids at sn-2 position. Some of these released free fatty acids are used to synthesize eicosanoids that mediate various physiological processes in insects. Although a large number of PLA2s form a superfamily consisting of at least 16 groups, few PLA2s have been identified and characterized in insects. Furthermore, physiological functions of insect PLA2s remain unclear. Clustered regularly interspaced short parlindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) has been a useful research tool to validate gene function. This study identified and characterized a secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) from legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and validated its physiological functions using CRISPR/Cas9. An open reading frame of M. vitrata sPLA2 (Mv-sPLA2) encoding 192 amino acids contained signal peptide, calcium-binding domain, and catalytic site. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Mv-sPLA2 was related to other Group III sPLA2s. Mv-sPLA2 was expressed in both larval and adult stages. It was inducible by immune challenge. RNA interference (RNAi) of Mv-sPLA2 significantly suppressed cellular immunity and impaired larval development. Furthermore, RNAi treatment in female adults prevented oocyte development. These physiological alterations were also observed in a mutant line of M. vitrata with Mv-sPLA2 deleted by using CRISPR/Cas9. Mv-sPLA2 was not detected in the mutant line from western blot analysis. Addition of an eicosanoid, PGE2, significantly rescued oocyte development of females of the mutant line. These results suggest that Mv-sPLA2 plays crucial role in immune, developmental, and reproductive processes of M. vitrata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Al Baki Md Abdullah
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, 36729, South Korea
| | - Dae-Weon Lee
- School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434, South Korea
| | - Jinkyo Jung
- Division of Crop Cultivation and Environment Research, Department of Central Area Crop Science, National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 16429, South Korea
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, 36729, South Korea.
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Stanley D, Kim Y. Prostaglandins and Other Eicosanoids in Insects: Biosynthesis and Biological Actions. Front Physiol 2019; 9:1927. [PMID: 30792667 PMCID: PMC6375067 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This essay reviews the discoveries, synthesis, and biological significance of prostaglandins (PGs) and other eicosanoids in insect biology. It presents the most current - and growing - understanding of the insect mechanism of PG biosynthesis, provides an updated treatment of known insect phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and details contemporary findings on the biological roles of PGs and other eicosanoids in insect physiology, including reproduction, fluid secretion, hormone actions in fat body, immunity and eicosanoid signaling and cross-talk in immunity. It completes the essay with a prospectus meant to illuminate research opportunities for interested readers. In more detail, cellular and secretory types of PLA2, similar to those known on the biomedical background, have been identified in insects and their roles in eicosanoid biosynthesis documented. It highlights recent findings showing that eicosanoid biosynthetic pathway in insects is not identical to the solidly established biomedical picture. The relatively low concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA) present in insect phospholipids (PLs) (< 0.1% in some species) indicate that PLA2 may hydrolyze linoleic acid (LA) as a precursor of eicosanoid biosynthesis. The free LA is desaturated and elongated into AA. Unlike vertebrates, AA is not oxidized by cyclooxygenase, but by a specific peroxidase called peroxinectin to produce PGH2, which is then isomerized into cell-specific PGs. In particular, PGE2 synthase recently identified converts PGH2 into PGE2. In the cross-talks with other immune mediators, eicosanoids act as downstream signals because any inhibition of eicosanoid signaling leads to significant immunosuppression. Because host immunosuppression favors pathogens and parasitoids, some entomopathogens evolved a PLA2 inhibitory strategy activity to express their virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Stanley
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, South Korea
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Uno T, Ozakiya Y, Furutani M, Sakamoto K, Uno Y, Kajiwara H, Kanamaru K, Mizoguchi A. Functional characterization of insect-specific RabX6 of Bombyx mori. Histochem Cell Biol 2018; 151:187-198. [DOI: 10.1007/s00418-018-1710-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of WD40 Protein Genes in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020527. [PMID: 29425159 PMCID: PMC5855749 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
WD40 proteins are scaffolding molecules in protein-protein interactions and play crucial roles in fundamental biological processes. Genome-wide characterization of WD40 proteins in animals has been conducted solely in humans. We retrieved 172 WD40 protein genes in silkworm (BmWD40s) and identified these genes in 7 other insects, 9 vertebrates and 5 nematodes. Comparative analysis revealed that the WD40 protein gene family underwent lineage-specific expansions during animal evolution, but did not undergo significant expansion during insect evolution. The BmWD40s were categorized into five clusters and 12 classes according to the phylogenetic classification and their domain architectures, respectively. Sequence analyses indicated that tandem and segmental duplication played minor roles in producing the current number of BmWD40s, and domain recombination events of multi-domain BmWD40s might have occurred mainly after gene duplication events. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that a higher proportion of BmWD40s was involved in processes, such as binding, transcription-regulation and cellular component biogenesis, compared to all silkworm genes annotated in GO. Microarray-based analysis demonstrated that many BmWD40s had tissue-specific expression and exhibited high and/or sex-related expression during metamorphosis. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of the animal WD40 protein family and assist the study of the functions of BmWD40s.
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Uno T, Furutani M, Sakamoto K, Uno Y, Kanamaru K, Mizoguchi A, Hiragaki S, Takeda M. Localization and functional analysis of the insect-specific RabX4 in the brain of Bombyx mori. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 96:e21404. [PMID: 28707374 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Rab proteins are small monomeric GTPases/GTP-binding proteins, which form the largest branch of the Ras superfamily. The different Rab GTPases are localized to the cytosolic face of specific intracellular membranes, where they function as regulators of distinct steps in membrane trafficking. RabX4 is an insect-specific Rab protein that has no close homolog in vertebrates. There is little information about insect-specific Rab proteins. RabX4 was expressed in Escherichia coli and subsequently purified. Antibodies against Bombyx mori RabX4 were produced in rabbits for western immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Western blotting of neural tissues revealed a single band, at approximately 26 kD. RabX4-like immunohistochemical reactivity was restricted to neurons of the pars intercerebralis and dorsolateral protocerebrum in the brain. Further immunohistochemical analysis revealed that RabX4 colocalized with Rab6 and bombyxin in the corpus allatum, a neuronal organ that secretes neuropeptides synthesized in the brain into the hemolymph. RabX4 expression in the frontal ganglion, part of the insect stomatogastric nervous system that is found in most insect orders, was restricted to two neurons on the outer region and did not colocalize with allatotropin or Rab6. Furthermore, RNA interference of RabX4 decreased bombyxin expression levels in the brain. These findings suggest that RabX4 is involved in the neurosecretion of a secretory organ in Bombyx mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohide Uno
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Furutani
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan
| | | | - Yuichi Uno
- Department of Plant Resource Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kengo Kanamaru
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Akira Mizoguchi
- Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Aichi Gakuin University, Nisshin, Aichi, Japan
| | - Susumu Hiragaki
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Makio Takeda
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
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