The UDP-glucosyltransferase multigene family in Bombyx mori.
BACKGROUND
Glucosidation plays a major role in the inactivation and excretion of a great variety of both endogenous and exogenous compounds. A class of UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) is involved in this process. Insect UGTs play important roles in several processes, including detoxication of substrates such as plant allelochemicals, cuticle formation, pigmentation, and olfaction. Identification and characterization of Bombyx mori UGT genes could provide valuable basic information for this important family and explain the detoxication mechanism and other processes in insects.


RESULTS
Taking advantage of the newly assembled genome sequence, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the candidate UGT family in the silkworm, B. mori. Based on UGT signature and their similarity to UGT homologs from other organisms, we identified 42 putative silkworm UGT genes. Most of them are clustered on the silkworm chromosomes, with two major clusters on chromosomes 7 and 28, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of these identified 42 UGT protein sequences revealed five major groups. A comparison of the silkworm UGTs with homologs from other sequenced insect genomes indicated that some UGTs are silkworm-specific genes. The expression patterns of these candidate genes were investigated with known expressed sequence tags (ESTs), microarray data, and RT-PCR method. In total, 36 genes were expressed in tissues examined and showed different patterns of expression profile, indicating that these UGT genes might have different functions.


CONCLUSIONS
B. mori possesses a largest insect UGT gene family characterized to date, including 42 genes. Phylogenetic analysis, genomic organization and expression profiles provide an overview for the silkworm UGTs and facilitate their functional studies in future.
Huang
Fei-Fei
FF
The Key Sericultural Laboratory of Agricultural Ministry, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China. huangfeifeisd@163.com
Chai
Chun-Li
CL
Zhang
Ze
Z
Liu
Zeng-Hu
ZH
Dai
Fang-Yin
FY
Lu
Cheng
C
Xiang
Zhong-Huai
ZH
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D049750:Genome, Insect; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D019476:Insect Proteins; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate; D005964:Glucosyltransferases