Abstract
Eri silkworm (Samia cynthia ricini) is the multivoltine non-mulberry silkworm that could be cultured indoors for silk production. It has been reported that the quality of silk varies with species of silkworms and the host plants. However, the cause of quality variance in silk protein is yet to be unfolded. On this background, the present work has been designed to study the histological structure and protein profile of the silk gland and cocoon of S. c. ricini. The cellular structure of the silk gland has been studied histologically using the routine eosin-haematoxylin staining method. Silk gland and cocoon protein profile has been studied by discontinuous SDS-PAGE followed by Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The results showed that the silk gland is formed by monolayer epithelial cells. The protein globules secreted from the posterior part of the gland coalesce in the lumen. The nuclei are highly convoluted in the middle and posterior silk glands in the day 01 wandering larvae for pupation. Study of protein profile by SDS-PAGE showed 36 protein bands in the whole silk gland and cocoon. LC-MS/MS analysis showed the presence of 109 protein molecules in the silk gland. These include Fibroin heavy chain, Fibrohexamerin (P25), Sericin 1 and Sericin 2. Sericin 3 was not identified in the whole silk gland and cocoon. This study will contribute data for the evolutionary study, biomaterial applications, and genetic engineering, to study the impacts of food plants, environmental parameters, and toxicity of pesticide residues on the silk gland in further studies.
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Acknowledgements
This work got benefit from the support of the Laboratory of Entomology, Department of Zoology and the Faculty of Life sciences (Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity-Phase II), Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) and University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India for the fellowship awarded to Ms. Meth Taba under National Fellowship for Higher Education (NFHE) of ST students. The authors are also thankful to the anonymous reviewers and Prof. H. N. Sarma, Dept. of Zoology, RGU for the suggestions to prepare the revised manuscript.
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Taba, M., Gogoi, H. Structure of the silk gland of Eri silkworm Samia cynthia ricini Boisd. and its secreted proteins. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 1649–1663 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-021-00687-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-021-00687-1