title: Genome-wide identification and characterization of Fox genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
abstract: The forkhead box (Fox) transcription factor family has a characteristic of forkhead domain, a winged DNA-binding domain. The Fox genes have been classified into 23 subfamilies, designated FoxA to FoxS, of which the FoxR and FoxS subfamilies are specific to vertebrates. In this review, using whole-genome scanning, we identified 17 distinct Fox genes distributed on 13 chromosomes of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. A phylogenetic tree showed that the silkworm Fox genes could be classified into 13 subfamilies. The FoxK subfamily is specifically absent from the silkworm, although it is present in other lepidopteran insects, including Danaus plexippus and Heliconius melpomene. Microarray data revealed that the Fox genes have distinct expression patterns in the tissues on day 3 of the 5th instar larva. A Gene Ontology analysis suggested that the Fox genes have roles in cellular components, molecular functions, and biological processes, except in pore complex biogenesis. An analysis of the selective pressure on the proteins indicated that most of the amino acid sites in the Fox proteins are undergoing strong purifying selection. Here, we summarize the general characteristics of the Fox genes in the silkworm, which should support further functional studies of the silkworm Fox proteins.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: JiangBo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: ZhiQuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: XiaoLing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: ChunLin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: YaQun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: TingTing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.forename: FangYin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D059006:Chromosomes, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D063990:Gene Ontology; D049750:Genome, Insect; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D019476:Insect Proteins