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Molecular Characterization of the Functional Genes Associated with Silk Assembly, Transport, and Protection in the Silk Glands of Popular Multivoltine Breeds of Silkworm Bombyx mori. L

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Abstract

Bombyx mori is an agriculturally important insect used extensively for silk production. India, especially the eastern regions, is mostly dependent on the multivoltine breeds of silkworm Bombyx mori and their hybrids/crossbreeds. The multivoltine breeds are indigenous and superior in survival and hardiness but are relatively inferior in terms of qualitative traits, typically the silk quality. Therefore, it is highly relevant to understand the mechanism of silk production in the multivoltine breeds to decipher the reasons for the inferior quality of silk produced by the multivoltine breeds and thus gain leads to improve the quality of silk production in multivoltine breeds. With this background, study was carried to identify differential expression of the major genes associated with silk proteins in the silk gland region of the popular multivoltine breeds. Our results indicated that although fib-L, fib-H, Sericins, and P25 are the major genes associated with silk filament, a few other genes associated with silk assembly, transport, and protection in the silk glands are the ones that largely contribute towards efficient silk production. The differential expression of these genes had a major effect on the movement of silk proteins within the silk gland and the efficiency of silk production as well. The Pearson correlation revealed a positive correlation amongst the genes dealt with in this study, indicating that the concurrent increase in expression of both the types of genes in the silk glands, significantly improves the silk production.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

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Funding

The funding for research work in this paper was supported by Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles Govt. of India. The author Dr. K. S. Tulsi Naik received the grant to carry out the research work under the project code AIT 3584.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seri Biotech Research Laboratory, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Carmelram post, Kodathi, Bangalore-35, India

    K. S. Tulsi Naik, Sahar Ismail, A. R. Pradeep & R. K. Mishra

Authors
  1. K. S. Tulsi Naik
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  2. Sahar Ismail
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  3. A. R. Pradeep
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  4. R. K. Mishra
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Contributions

a) Study, conception, and design of the research work were contributed by Dr. Keremoole Subraya Tulsi Naik and Dr. Appukuttan Renjith Pradeep Nair.

b) Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Dr. Keremoole Subraya Tulsi Naik, Ms. Sahar Ismail, and Dr Appukuttan Renjith Pradeep Nair.

c) The concept and project were approved for implementation by Dr. Rakesh and Kumar Mishra.

d) The first draft of the manuscript was written by Dr. Keremoole Subraya Tulsi Naik and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to K. S. Tulsi Naik.

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Naik, K.S.T., Ismail, S., Pradeep, A.R. et al. Molecular Characterization of the Functional Genes Associated with Silk Assembly, Transport, and Protection in the Silk Glands of Popular Multivoltine Breeds of Silkworm Bombyx mori. L. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 195, 2371–2394 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-022-04158-2

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