Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Hippo Pathway Related Major Genes of Silkworm (<i>Bombyx mori)</i>

Abstract

Hippo kinase cascade shared by a variety of multicellular animals is appreciated as a signaling pathway which aims to inhibit the growth of cells and it is very conservative during evolution. Recent studies have confirmed that the Hippo signal pathway functions in cancer, tissue regeneration as well as stem cell regulation. The silkworm Bombyx mori is a model of Lepidopteran insect, little is known regarding genes related to Hippo kinase cascade. In the present study, the sequences of major genes related to Hippo pathway are obtained successfully in silkworm, B. mori, by in silico cloning or RT-PCR, including BmHop, BmSav, BmMats, BmWts and BmYki. The deduced amino acid sequences of the genes were aligned with those of other species, although the sequence identities of these proteins from different species were not high, the conserved domains were prominent, suggesting that the roles of Hippo pathway in the silkworm are similar to those in other species. These results has laid an important foundation for the further understanding and clarifying the function of the Hippo signaling pathway in silkworm.

Cultured cells and wing disc size of silkworm can be controlled by the Hippo pathway

“…In silkworm, we have identified major components related to the Hippo pathway including BmHop, BmSav, BmMats, BmWts and BmYki. Although these protein sequences did not have high identities with corresponding proteins from different species, the conserved domains were prominent, suggesting that the roles of the Hippo pathway in silkworm are similar to those in other species [ 16 ].…”

“…In our previous study, Hpo, Sav, Mats, Wts and Yki were identified as genes related to the Hippo pathway in silkworm. Although the sequence identities of proteins from different species were not high, the conserved domains were prominent [ 16 ]. Yki has three isoforms in the silkworm.…”