title: The genetics and genomics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
abstract: We review progress in applying molecular genetic and genomic technologies to studies in the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, highlighting its use as a model for Lepidoptera, and in sericulture and biotechnology. Dense molecular linkage maps are being integrated with classical linkage maps for positional cloning and marker-assisted selection. Classical mutations have been identified by a candidate gene approach. Cytogenetic and sequence analyses show that the W chromosome is composed largely of nested full-length long terminal repeat retrotransposons. Z-chromosome-linked sequences show a lack of dosage compensation. The downstream sex differentiation mechanism has been studied via the silkworm homolog of doublesex. Expressed sequence tagged databases have been used to discover Lepidoptera-specific genes, provide evidence for horizontal gene transfer, and construct microarrays. Physical maps using large-fragment bacterial artificial chromosome libraries have been constructed, and whole-genome shotgun sequencing is underway. Germline transformation and transient expression systems are well established and available for functional studies, high-level protein expression, and gene silencing via RNA interference.
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, USA. mki101@uri.edu
authors.forename: Marian R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D016208:Databases, Factual; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D023281:Genomics; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D019849:Sex Determination Processes