Identification and expression pattern of the chemosensory protein gene family in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) as well as odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) have been supposed to transport hydrophobic chemicals to receptors on sensory neurons. Compared with OBPs, CSPs are expressed more broadly in various insect tissues. We performed a genome-wide analysis of the candidate CSP gene family in the silkworm. A total of 20 candidate CSPs, including 3 gene fragments and 2 pseudogenes, were characterized based on their conserved cysteine residues and their similarity to CSPs in other insects. Some of these genes were clustered in the silkworm genome. The gene expression pattern of these candidates was investigated using RT-PCR and microarray, and the results showed that these genes were expressed primarily in mature larvae and the adult moth, suggesting silkworm CSPs may be involved in development. The majority of silkworm CSP genes are expressed broadly in tissues including the antennae, head, thorax, legs, wings, epithelium, testes, ovaries, pheromone glands, wing disks, and compound eyes.     

家蚕信息素结合蛋白BmPBP2和BmPBP3基因的初步鉴定及表达分析

嗅觉对昆虫的生存、繁殖等起着重要的作用。依据家蚕Bombyx mori全基因组序列设计特异引物,扩增得到了两个信息素结合蛋白BmPBP2和BmPBP3基因的cDNA片段。结合已报道的家蚕信息素结合蛋白BmPBP1和两个普通气味结合蛋白BmGOBP的信息,对其基因结构分析表明,这5个基因均由3个外显子组成,具有保守的外显子/内含子边界和典型的6个Cys残基,且3个PBP基因在基因组上串联分布。序列同源性分析表明,BmPBP2和BmPBP3与烟草天蛾的PBP2和PBP3的同源性高达69%和63%。半定量RT-PCR分析结果显示,BmPBP2和BmPBP3基因在成虫触角中特异表达,且雌雄表达水平相当。这些结果表明BmPBP2和BmPBP3可能起着性信息素识别的作用。     

家蚕组织蛋白酶基因家族的鉴定及表达特征分析

家蚕是鳞翅目完全变态昆虫,在其变态过程中伴随着巨大的形态变化,包括旧组织的解离和新组织的形成,在这过程中有多种组织蛋白酶参与。组织蛋白酶是一类细胞内蛋白酶,广泛存在于各个物种中,包括组织蛋白酶B、H、L等几个亚家族。对家蚕组织蛋白酶的研究将有利于阐明家蚕变态发育的详细过程。通过对家蚕基因组数据库进行筛选,共在家蚕中鉴定到13种组织蛋白酶,并对这13种组织蛋白酶的基本信息和表达模式进行了分析。另外,利用家蚕基因芯片数据和荧光定量PCR分析,鉴定编号为BGIBMGA004622的基因为卵巢特异表达的组织蛋白酶L亚家族基因。该基因全长1 209 bp,编码402个氨基酸。经过序列分析,该酶与其他物种的组织蛋白酶L具有较高的同源性,其活性位点高度保守,且与鳞翅目的组织蛋白酶L在进化上聚为一支。同时,对该基因进行克隆并原核表达,结果显示重组蛋白以包涵体的形式表达。定量PCR结果显示,该酶在蛹发育初期表达量逐渐升高,至蛹3 d达到最高值,推测其可能参与卵巢与卵母细胞的发育过程。     

家蚕CyPA基因的克隆、表达谱及进化分析

CyP蛋白家族在蛋白质折叠过程中起着重要作用。本研究克隆了家蚕Bombyx mori CyPA基因(BmCyPA),该基因由2个外显子和1个内含子组成,推导开放阅读框编码165个氨基酸,分子量为19.4 kD,等电点为8.79。序列分析表明BmCyPA在不同物种间具有高度的保守性,含有肽酰脯氨酸顺反异构酶活性位点及与CsA侧链结合的氨基酸,提示BmCyPA可能具有肽酰脯氨酸顺反异构酶活性和与CsA结合的特性。组织表达谱及EST数据分析显示,BmCyPA在丝腺中高丰度表达。通过对不同物种来源的CyP基因的进化分析,进一步预测了BmCyP基因的功能,BmCyP可能与丝蛋白的正确折叠相关。     

家蚕羧酸酯酶基因BmCarE-9的鉴定与表达分析

羧酸酯酶是一个多功能超家族酶类, 为研究羧酸酯酶基因在家蚕Bombyx mori组织中的功能, 利用5′/3′RACE和RT-PCR方法克隆了一个家蚕羧酸酯酶基因BmCarE-9, 其GenBank登录号为EU523534。该基因含有一个1 680 bp的ORF, 编码559个氨基酸。BmCarE-9预测的分子量64.2 kD, 等电点7.13, 结构分析表明BmCarE-9存在一个类似的催化三联体, 其中两个残基发生改变。利用实时荧光定量PCR方法研究了该基因在家蚕5龄第3天幼虫不同组织以及在5龄期各日龄幼虫丝腺组织中的表达水平。结果表明, 该基因在丝腺中特异性高表达, 且主要在中部和后部丝腺中表达。该基因在5龄期随着丝腺的生长发育表达量逐渐增高, 到末期表达水平逐渐降低。据此推测该基因可能与丝腺的生长发育或丝蛋白的合成相关。     

Serial analysis of gene expression in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The silkworm Bombyx mori is one of the most economically important insects and serves as a model for Lepidoptera insects. We used serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to derive profiles of expressed genes during the developmental life cycle of the silkworm and to create a reference for understanding silkworm metamorphosis. We generated four SAGE libraries, one from each of the four developmental stages of the silkworm. In total we obtained 257,964 SAGE tags, of which 39,485 were unique tags. Sorted by copy number, 14.1% of the unique tags were detected at a median to high level (five or more copies), 24.2% at lower levels (two to four copies), and 61.7% as single copies. Using a basic local alignment search tool on the EST database, 35% of the tags matched known silkworm expressed sequence tags. SAGE demonstrated that a number of the genes were up- or down-regulated during the four developmental phases of the egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Furthermore, we found that the generation of longer cDNA fragments from SAGE tags constituted the most efficient method of gene identification, which facilitated the analysis of a large number of unknown genes.     

Sequence structure and expression pattern of a novel anionic defensin-like gene from silkworm (Bombyx mori)

A defensin-like gene, BmdefA, was rediscovered in the silkworm genome and expressed sequence tags databases. The open reading frame of BmdefA encodes a prepropeptide consisting of a 22-residue signal peptide, a 34-residue propeptide, and a 36-residue mature peptide with a molecular mass of 4.0 kDa. The mature peptide possesses the characteristic six-cysteine motif of insect defensins, and its predicted isoelectric point is 4.12, indicating it is a novel anionic defensin. An intron is present in BmdefA and several cis-regulatory elements are in the regulating region. It is transcribed constitutively at a high level in the hemocyte, silk gland, head, and ovary of the silkworm larvae, and in the fat body of early-stage pupae and moth. BmdefA is also strongly induced by immune challenge. These results suggest that BmdefA plays an important role in both immunity and metamorphosis. Hongxiu Wen and Xiqian Lan contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors.     

家蚕醛氧化酶基因（BmAOXs）的鉴定与表达分析

醛氧化酶（aldehyde oxidases, AO, EC 1.2.3.1）是属于钼-黄素酶（molybdo-flavoenzymes, MFEs）家族的一类蛋白酶。为了探讨该酶在家蚕Bombyx mori中的功能, 本研究对家蚕醛氧化酶基因（BmAOXs）家族进行了鉴定和分析。以其他物种AO基因序列检索家蚕全基因组数据库, 获得了8个BmAOX候选基因, 均具有醛氧化酶保守的功能域。进化分析表明, BmAOX与其他昆虫AO聚为一簇。RT-PCR分析结果显示: BmAOX1, BmAOX2, BmAOX3, BmAOX5具有很强的组织特异性; 而BmAOX4, BmAOX6, BmAOX7, BmAOX8则在蛹和成虫的多个组织中均有表达, 提示它们在家蚕生理代谢活动中起重要作用。利用Native PAGE和活性染色方法, 对BmAOX编码的蛋白进行检测, 结果表明: 家蚕蛹中有5种有活性的醛氧化酶, 而成虫中有6种, 各组织中均有有活性的BmAOX, 只是种类和活性水平有所不同。本研究结果为深入探讨BmAOX家族的功能奠定了基础。     

Identification of a PP2A gene in Bombyx mori with antiviral function against B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus

Ser/Thr protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is one of the type 2 protein phosphatases, which is required for many intracellular physiological processes and pathogen infection. However, the function of PP2A is unclear in silkworm, Bombyx mori. Here, we cloned and identified BmPP2A, a PP2A gene from B. mori, which has two HEAT domains and a high similarity to PP2A from other organisms. Our results showed that BmPP2A is localized in the cytoplasm and highly expressed in silkworm epidermis and midgut, and that Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection induces down‐regulation of BmPP2A expression. Furthermore, up‐regulation of BmPP2A via overexpression significantly inhibited BmNPV multiplication. In contrast, down‐regulation of BmPP2A via RNA interference and okadaic acid (a PP2A inhibitor) treatment allowed robust BmNPV replication. This is the first report of PP2A having an antiviral effect in silkworm and provides insights into the function of BmPP2A, a potential anti‐BmNPV mechanism, and a possible target for the breeding of silkworm‐resistant strains.     

家蚕羧酸酯酶基因克隆及差异表达

家蚕浓核病毒 (Bombyx mori densonucleosis virus,BmDNV)是蚕业生产上危害比较严重的一类病毒。用完全抗浓核病中国镇江株(BmDNV-Z)的家蚕品系秋丰、感性品系华八及以华八为轮回亲本回交8代和自交8代构建的近等基因系BC₈为材料,采用mRNA荧光差显技术首次分离克隆了家蚕羧酸酯酶（B. mori carboxylesterase,BmCarE）基因全长cDNA,并用实时荧光定量PCR检测了添毒后12 h、36 h、72 h BmCarE在感、抗BmDNV-Z家蚕品系中肠内的表达差异。结果表明： （1）添毒后12 h不同品系家蚕中肠BmCarE表达差异最大,抗性品系BC₈和秋丰分别是感性品系华八的17.714倍和3.602倍,三者彼此间的差异达到极显著水平;（2）同一品系添毒后12 h与添清水后12 h BmCarE表达也有较大差异, BC₈添毒是BC₈添清水的15.08倍, 秋丰添毒是秋丰添清水的3.39倍, 差异达到极显著水平,而华八添毒和添清水的BmCarE表达量均低,二者差异不显著;（3）同一品系添毒后不同时间BmCarE表达也有较大差异, BC₈和秋丰添毒后12 h BmCarE表达量最高,显著高于各自添毒后36 h和72 h表达水平,而添毒后36 h与72 h表达无显著差异;华八添毒后12 h、36 h和72 h,BmCarE表达无显著差异。上述结果提示羧酸酯酶基因可能与家蚕抗浓核病毒有一定关系。     

The gene expression profile of Bombyx mori silkgland

During prepupal stage, the genes expression in silkgland is considered as a model for gene expression and regulation of eukaryotes. Aiming to comprehensively interpret gene expression profile in the silkgland, we collected all currently available EST, complete cDNA and protein expression information and other gene expression testing data published before, and explored their roles in their function pathways level. With the analysis of interaction between the known proteins and putative bio-macromolecules partners in silico, we list our prediction results in the form of pathway classification and test some of their expressions by experiments.     

家蚕血细胞特异表达新基因Bm04862的鉴定及表达

通过家蚕组织芯片数据筛选得到家蚕血细胞特异表达基因Bm04862,并首次对该基因进行了克隆与鉴定。应用RACE技术获得该基因全长,并对其进行生物信息学分析。Bm4862基因开放阅读框819 bp,共编码273个氨基酸残基,预测其为跨膜蛋白;通过q RT-PCR技术对其时空表达情况进行分析;结果显示Bm04862基因在家蚕血细胞中特异高表达,并在4龄眠期和预蛹2 d时达到表达高峰;构建Bm04862真核表达载体,转染Sf9细胞分析其蛋白的亚细胞定位情况,结果表明其定位于细胞核膜和部分细胞质中。此外,用大肠杆菌刺激蚕体24 h后,Bm04862基因表达水平显著上调,表明大肠杆菌可以诱导该基因的表达,由此推测该基因可能参与家蚕的免疫应答。这为深入研究该基因在家蚕免疫反应中的功能提供了参考。     

Structure and expression analysis of the cecropin-E gene from the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Cecropins belong to the antibacterial peptides family and are induced after injection of bacteria or their cell-wall components. By silkworm cDNA microarray analysis, a novel type of Cecropin family gene was identified as a cDNA up-regulated in early embryo, 1 day after oviposition. The cDNA isolated was 394 bp with 198 ORF translating 65 amino acids, encoding BmCecropin-E (BmCec-E). Using Southern hybridization and genome search analysis, the number of BmCec-E gene was estimated to be at least two per haploid, which consisted of two exons, as in other Cecropin family members. BmCec-E mRNA was expressed transiently 1 day after egg-laying (AEL, germ-band formation stage), and was specifically expressed in the degenerating intestine during the pre-pupal and pupal stages, unlike other Cecropin family genes. Immune challenge analysis showed that BmCec-E gene expression was more strongly induced by Escherichia coli (gram-negative) than by Micrococus luteus (gram-positive), and not by virus injection. By bacterial challenge, expression of BmCec-E mRNA was induced 12 h after injection, and was maintained for 24 h. Expression of BmCec-E after immune challenge was observed strongly in excretory organs, such as hindgut and malphigian, slightly in fat body, skin, and midgut.