RNA interference-mediated silencing of the bursicon gene induces defects in wing expansion of silkworm.
We studied the role of the bursicon gene in wing expansion. First, we investigated its expression at different developmental stages in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Bursicon gene was expressed at low levels in larvae, high levels in pupae, and low levels again in adults. Then, we injected the double-stranded bursicon RNA into B. mori pupae to test RNA interference. The level of bursicon mRNA was reduced significantly in pupae, and a deficit in wing expansion was observed in adults. In addition, the differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (DD-RT-PCR) was used to reveal differences in the expression of transcripts in response to the inhibition of bursicon. In conclusion, bursicon plays a key role in the stereotyped behavioral program involved in wing expansion.
Huang
Jianhua
J
Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
Zhang
Yong
Y
Li
Minghui
M
Wang
Sibao
S
Liu
Wenbin
W
Couble
Pierre
P
Zhao
Guoping
G
Huang
Yongping
Y
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002021:Buffers; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D011679:Pupa / Q000187:drug effects; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000187:drug effects
D002021:Buffers; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C002295:bursicon