Work

Bmlark is essential for embryonic development

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Background Transcription factor lark has been demonstrated to play multiple functions in Drosophila, but the function of this gene in embryo development remains to be elucidated. Results In this study, CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method was used to construct a Bmlark mutant strain of Bombyx mori to investigate the roles of this gene. The results showed that the homozygous mutant Bmlark−/− was lethal. The Bmlark−/− embryos showed obvious developmental defects, such as defective sclerotization and melanization of exoskeleton. Transcriptomic comparison of Bmlark−/− and wild-type embryos showed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in the structure and metabolism processes of chitin and cuticles. While the expression levels of chitin metabolism-related enzyme genes did not significantly change, the expression levels of 63 putative cuticle protein genes showed significant difference in the mutant embryos as compared to the wild-type embryos. The expression levels of transcription factor POUM2 and eight wing disc cuticle protein genes (WCPs) were also changed. While the expression level of TH in the tyrosine-mediated pigmentation pathway was up-regulated in the mutant embryos, the expression levels of the four key pigment synthesis genes DDC, aaNAT, Laccase2A, and yellow-f2 were significantly down-regulated. Conclusions The expression levels of 63 putative cuticle protein genes, eight WCPs and five pigment synthesis genes were significantly changed in Bmlark mutants. These results suggest that Bmlark is essential for normal development of cuticle and tyrosine-mediated melanization in silkworm embryo.

Source: BMC Genomics

DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-11107-2