title: A visible dominant marker for insect transgenesis.
abstract: Transgenesis of most insects currently relies on fluorescence markers. Here we establish a transformation marker system causing phenotypes visible to the naked eye due to changes in the color of melanin pigments, which are widespread in animals. Ubiquitous overexpression of arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, changes the color of newly hatched first-instar larvae from black to a distinctive light brown color, and can be used as a molecular marker by directly connecting to baculovirus immediate early 1 gene promoter. Suppression of black pigmentation by Bm-arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase can be observed throughout the larval stages and in adult animals. Alternatively, overexpression in another gene, B. mori β-alanyl-dopamine synthetase (Bm-ebony), changes the larval body color of older instars, although first-instar larvae had normal dark coloration. We further show that ectopic Bm-arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase expression lightens coloration in ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis and fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, highlighting the potential usefulness of this marker for transgenesis in diverse insect taxa.
authors.affiliation: Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
authors.forename: Mizuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osanai-Futahashi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohde
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Keiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Futahashi
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Teruyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niimi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezutsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D047068:Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012831:Bombyx / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007313:Insecta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D019476:Insect Proteins; C047663:cuticle proteins, insects; D047068:Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase