Development Genes and Evolution

, Volume 222, Issue 2, pp 89–97 | Cite as

Ecdysone-responsive transcription factors determine the expression region of target cuticular protein genes in the epidermis of Bombyx mori

Original Article
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Abstract

In the present study, we found that different ecdysone-responsive transcription factors were expressed differentially in different regions of the epidermis at around pupation. βFTZ-F1 transcripts were strongly but E74A transcripts were barely observed in the thoracic region of the epidermis, and vice versa in the abdominal region. Transcripts of all the examined transcription factors were observed in wing disc. Transcript of a cuticular protein gene, BMWCP4, which does not have a βFTZ-F1 binding site in the 2-kb upstream region, was not observed in the thoracic region of the epidermis. Transcript of BMWCP9, which does not have an E74 binding site in the 2-kb upstream region, was not observed in the abdominal region of the epidermis. BMWCP2 has all the transcription factor binding sites examined and was expressed in the thoracic and abdominal region of the epidermis. Thus, it is suggested that ecdysone-responsive transcription factors determined the space where the cuticular protein genes were expressed, which, in turn, determined the character of the cuticle that was characterized by the combination of cuticular proteins.

Keywords

Cuticular protein Epidermis βFTZ-F1 E74A BR-C Ecdysone 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a grant in aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Japan (to HK; 16580036, 19380033).

Supplementary material

427_2012_392_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (71 kb)
Supplementary Table 1 PDF 70 kb
427_2012_392_MOESM2_ESM.pdf (62 kb)
Supplementary Table 2 PDF 61 kb

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Md. Saheb Ali
    • 1
    • 2
  • Masashi Iwanaga
    • 1
  • Hideki Kawasaki
    • 1
  1. 1.Faculty of AgricultureUtsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiyaJapan
  2. 2.United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuJapan

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