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Proteomic Analysis of Silkworm Antennae
Yunpo Zhao1, Haichao Li2, Xuexia Miao3
1Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China. ypzhao@sippe.ac.cn.
Journal of Chemical Ecology
|October 31, 2015
Summary
Silkworm antennae proteomic analysis identified 364 proteins, including olfactory proteins and juvenile hormone binding proteins. This reveals insights into silkworm olfaction and hormone regulation.
Area of Science:
- Insect olfaction
- Proteomics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an oligophagous insect, primarily feeding on mulberry leaves.
- Its olfactory system serves as a valuable model for studying olfaction in Lepidoptera.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive proteomic analysis of silkmoth antennae.
- To identify proteins involved in olfaction, xenobiotic degradation, and hormone signaling.
Main Methods:
- Shotgun proteomic analysis of silkmoth antennae.
- Mass spectrometry (MS) sequencing for protein identification.
Main Results:
- A total of 364 proteins were identified, with distinct sets specific to female (77) and male (143) antennae, and 144 common to both.
- Key olfactory proteins, including five odorant-binding proteins, two chemosensory proteins, and one olfactory receptor, were detected.
- Proteins involved in xenobiotic degradation (GSTs, cytochrome P450s), antioxidation, immunity, and juvenile hormone regulation (JHBP, JHEH) were identified.
Conclusions:
- The identified proteins provide significant insights into the functional proteome of silkworm antennae.
- This study facilitates future research into the specific roles of these proteins in silkworm olfaction and physiology.
- The presence of juvenile hormone-related proteins suggests antennae are a target for juvenile hormone signaling in silkworms.

