Quantitative Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses of Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Low Silk Production in Silkworm Bombyx mori

Abstract

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the low fibroin production of the ZB silkworm strain, we used both SDS-PAGE-based and gel-free-based proteomic techniques and transcriptomic sequencing technique. Combining the data from two different proteomic techniques was preferable in the characterization of the differences between the ZB silkworm strain and the original Lan10 silkworm strain. The correlation analysis showed that the individual protein and transcript were not corresponded well, however, the differentially changed proteins and transcripts showed similar regulated direction in function at the pathway level. In the ZB strain, numerous ribosomal proteins and transcripts were down-regulated, along with the transcripts of translational related elongation factors and genes of important components of fibroin. The proteasome pathway was significantly enhanced in the ZB strain, indicating that protein degradation began on the third day of fifth instar when fibroin would have been produced in the Lan10 strain normally and plentifully. From proteome and transcriptome levels of the ZB strain, the energy-metabolism-related pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and citrate cycle were enhanced, suggesting that the energy metabolism was vigorous in the ZB strain, while the silk production was low. This may due to the inefficient energy employment in fibroin synthesis in the ZB strain. These results suggest that the reason for the decreasing of the silk production might be related to the decreased ability of fibroin synthesis, the degradation of proteins, and the inefficiency of the energy exploiting.

Proteomics and SSH Analyses of ALA-Promoted Fruit Coloration and Evidence for the Involvement of a MADS-Box Gene, MdMADS1

“…Similar results have been reported in several previous studies (Lan et al, 2012; Arcondéguy et al, 2013; Wang et al, 2014). The regulation of mRNA synthesis, the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA splicing and supervision mechanism, and the post-translational modification of the mRNA translated product can all result in altered protein levels (Arcondéguy et al, 2013).…”

“…Majeran et al (2005) reported that among the 125 chloroplast proteins quantified in the three methods (2-DE, ICAT, and label-free), only 20 proteins were quantified in common. Moreover, the SDS-PAGE-based and gel-free-based proteomic techniques were combined to explore the molecular mechanism responsible for low silk production, a total of 17 of 174 changed proteins were common between the two techniques (Wang et al, 2014). Similarly, here, we identified 85 changed proteins using gel-based and gel-free techniques, among which only 12 proteins were commonly identified by two methods.…”

Bioengineered silkworms with butterfly cytotoxin-modified silk glands produce sericin cocoons with a utility for a new biomaterial

“…A previous study has shown that silkworm PSGs that express Bcl-2-associated X protein become ablated (17), although this study did not present information on the cocoons and the development of the manipulated individual after pupation. Furthermore, a separate report describing T7 RNA polymerase-modified PSGs of transgenic silkworms showed decreased but detectable FibL and FibH expression (33), whereas another study showed that silkworms with transcription activatorlike effector nuclease-mediated FibH gene disruption produced thin-layered cocoons containing no FibH but a normal level of FibL (34). The Nd silkworm strain has a natural genetic mutation that affects silk glands and produces small quantities of cocoons that have very high amounts of sericin and varying percentages of fibroin (22).…”

Developmental Changes for the Hemolymph Metabolome of Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)

“…19 Significant enhancements were observed in this strain for proteasome pathway, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and TCA cycle, indicating the enhanced protein degradation and energy metabolism. 19 …”