title: Effect of RNAi-mediated knockdown of the Bombyx mori transformer-2 gene on the sex-specific splicing of Bmdsx pre-mRNA.
abstract: In Drosophila melanogaster, transformer-2 (tra-2) is essential for female differentiation and is known to induce female-specific splicing of doublesex (dsx). The function of Bmtra-2, the Bombyx mori homolog of tra-2, on the other hand remains to be elucidated. As an initial step to learn about the biological function of Bmtra-2, we determined whether Bmtra-2 is capable of inducing the female-specific splicing of Drosophila dsx. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Bmtra-2 using Bombyx cultured cells transiently transfected with a dsx minigene revealed that Bmtra-2 can induce female-specific splicing of Drosophila dsx. To examine the role Bmtra-2 plays in regulating sex-specific splicing of Bmdsx pre-mRNA, we used an RNAi approach to reduce BmTra-2 expression in the early embryo. Embryos injected with dsRNAs or siRNAs targeted to Bmtra-2 showed no variation in the sex-specific splicing pattern of Bmdsx pre-mRNA. RNAi knockdown of Bmtra-2 in the early embryo caused abnormal testis formation. Taken together, these results indicate that Bmtra-2 is required for normal testis development, but is not involved in regulating the sex-specific splicing of Bmdsx pre-mRNA, even though it is capable of inducing the female-specific splicing of Drosophila dsx.
authors: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan. gakyo@k.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors: Masataka G
authors: MG
authors: Suzuki
authors: Keiji
authors: K
authors: Suzuki
authors: Fugaku
authors: F
authors: Aoki
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Ajimura
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D034622:RNA Interference; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C442431:Bmdsx protein, Bombyx mori; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins