Time-dependent changes in genome-wide gene expression and post-transcriptional regulation across the post-death process in silkworm

Abstract

Despite death marking the end of life, several gene expression and miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation events may persist or be initiated. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a valuable model for exploring life processes, including death. In this study, we combined transcriptomics and miRNAomics analyses of young, old, and postmortem silkworms across the entire process after death to unravel the dynamics of gene expression and miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation. In total, 171 genes exhibited sustained differential expression in postmortem silkworms compared to the pre-death state, which are primarily involved in nerve signaling, transport, and immune response. Postmortem time-specific genes were associated with cell cycle regulation, thermogenesis, immunity, and zinc ion homeostasis. We found that the down-regulated expression of 36 genes related to transcription, epigenetic modification, and homeostasis resulted in a significant shift in global gene expression patterns at 2 h post-death. We also identified five mRNA-miRNA pairs (i.e., bmo-miR-2795-mhca, 2784-achi, 2762-oa1, 277-5p-creb, and 1000-tcb1) associated with stress hormone regulation, transcription activity, and signal transduction. The roles of these pairs were validated through in vivo experiments using miRNA mimics in silkworms. The findings provide valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms underlying the transcriptional and miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation events in animals after death.