title: Microarray analysis of New Green Cocoon associated genes in silkworm, Bombyx mori.
abstract: Green cocoons in silkworm, Bombyx mori, are caused by flavonoids accumulation in the silk proteins, fibroin and sericin. Despite the economic value of natural green cocoon and medical value of flavonoids, there is limited understanding of the molecular mechanism regulating flavonoids uptake in silkworm, which is tightly associated with the trait of green cocoon. The purpose of this study is to perform a comprehensive analysis to understand the molecular mechanisms of flavonoids uptake in silkworm based on microarray analyses. The study subject was the New Green Cocoon from the silkworm strains, G200 and N100, a new spontaneous dominant green cocoon trait identified in the 2000s. The genes regulating this trait are independent of other green cocoon genes previously reported. Genome-wide gene expression was compared between the New Green Cocoon producing silkworm strains, G200 and N100, and the control sample, which is the white cocoon producing strain 872B. Among these strains, N100 and 872B are near-isogenic lines. The results showed that 130 genes have consistently changing expression patterns in the green cocoon strains when compared with the white cocoon strain. Among these, we focused on the genes related to flavonoids metabolism and absorption, such as sugar transporter genes and UDP-glucosyltransferase genes. Based on our findings, we propose the potential mechanisms for flavonoids absorption and metabolism in silkworm. Our results imply that silkworm might be used as an underlying model for flavonoids in pharmaceutical research.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Song-Zhen
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Min-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Quan
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.|Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Yin
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D047011:Silk / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D019476:Insect Proteins; D047011:Silk
keywords: New Green Cocoon; flavonoids; microarray; silkworm