title: Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomes among Bombyx mori Strains and Sexes Reveals the Genes Regulating Melanic Morph and the Related Phenotypes.
abstract: As a source of insect polymorphism, melanism plays an important role in ecological adaption and usually endows advantageous phenotypic-effects on insects. However, due to the mechanistic diversity, there are knowledge gaps in the molecular mechanisms underlying melanism and the related phenotypes. In silk moths, a recessive melanic mutant (sex-controlled melanism, sml) strain exhibits extended adult longevity. We took a transcriptome approach to perform a comparative analysis between this sml strain and a wild-type strain (Dazao). Our analysis resulted in the identification of 59 unique differentially expressed genes in the melanic mutant. Two key genes (laccase2 and yellow) involved in melanin formation were significantly up-regulated in melanic individuals. The laccase2 B-type isoform (BGIBMGA006746) was found to likely participate in the silkworm cuticular melanism process at late pupal stage. Moreover, we discovered 22 cuticular protein encoding genes with the possible function in melanin transport and/or maintenance. Based on our findings, we presume that the longer survival of the melanic sml male moths might be associated with the enhanced antioxidant defense systems and a reduction in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway (IIS). These findings will facilitate the understanding of the molecular basis underlying melanism and the derived phenotypic-effects.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Songzhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Kunpeng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Yaru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Jiangwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Wenhao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Min-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Fangyin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D059467:Transcriptome