Bombyx mori Vps13d is a key gene affecting silk yield

PLoS One. 2022 Jul 7;17(7):e0270840. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270840. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Bombyx mori is an important economic insect, its economic value mainly reflected in the silk yield. The major functional genes affecting the silk yield of B. mori have not been determined yet. Bombyx mori vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 13d (BmVps13d) has been identified, but its function is not reported. In this study, BmVps13d protein shared 30.84% and 34.35% identity with that of in Drosophila melanogaster and Homo. sapiens, respectively. The expressions of BmVps13d were significantly higher in the midgut and silk gland of JS (high silk yield) than in that of L10 (low silk yield). An insertion of 9 bp nucleotides and two deficiencies of adenine ribonucleotides in the putative promoter region of BmVps13d gene in L10 resulted in the decline of promoter activity was confirmed using dual luciferase assay. Finally, the functions of BmVps13d in B. mori were studied using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and the mutation of BmVps13d resulted in a 24.7% decline in weight of larvae, as well as a 27.1% (female) decline and a 11.8% (male) decline in the silk yield. This study provides a foundation for studying the molecular mechanism of silk yield and breeding the silkworm with high silk yield.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bombyx* / chemistry
  • Bombyx* / genetics
  • Bombyx* / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Drosophila melanogaster / chemistry
  • Female
  • Genes, Insect* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins* / genetics
  • Insect Proteins* / metabolism
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Larva / anatomy & histology
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Proteins
  • Silk* / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Silk
  • VPS13D protein, human
  • Vps13D protein, Drosophila

Grants and funding

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No.32072790) and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX21_3514). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.