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The piRNA response to BmNPV infection in the silkworm fat body and midgut
Min Feng1,2, Anna Kolliopoulou2, Yao-Hong Zhou1
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a DNA virus that causes huge losses to the silkworm industry but the piRNA responses during BmNPV infection in the silkworm remain uninvestigated. Here, silkworm piRNA profiles of uninfected and BmNPV-infected fat body and midgut were determined by high-through sequencing in the early stages of BmNPV infection. A total of 2675 and 3396 genome-derived piRNAs were identified from fat body and midgut, respectively. These genome-derived piRNAs mainly originated from unannotated instead of transposon regions in the silkworm genome. In total, 572 piRNAs were associated with 280 putative target genes in fat body and 805 piRNAs with 380 target genes in midgut. Compared to uninfected tissues, 322 and 129 piRNAs were significantly upregulated in BmNPV-infected fat body and midgut, respectively. In addition, 276 and 117 piRNAs were significantly downregulated. Moreover, differentially expressed (DE) piRNAs during BmNPV infection differed significantly between fat body and midgut. Putative DE piRNA-targeted genes were associated with "response to stimulus" and "environmental information processing" in fat body after infection with BmNPV, which may indicate an active piRNA response to BmNPV infection in fat body. This study may lay the foundation for future research of the potential roles of the piRNA pathway and specific piRNAs in BmNPV pathogenesis.
Insights
Silkworm piRNA profiles reveal significant changes during Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection. Differentially expressed piRNAs in fat body and midgut suggest an active piRNA pathway response to BmNPV.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
- Genomics
Background:
- Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) causes significant economic losses in the silkworm industry.
- The piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) response to BmNPV infection in silkworms has not been previously investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the piRNA profiles in silkworm fat body and midgut during early stages of BmNPV infection.
- To identify differentially expressed piRNAs and their potential target genes in response to BmNPV.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze piRNA profiles in uninfected and BmNPV-infected silkworm tissues (fat body and midgut).
- Bioinformatic analyses were performed to identify and quantify piRNAs and their putative target genes.
Main Results:
- A substantial number of genome-derived piRNAs were identified in both fat body and midgut tissues.
- Significant upregulation and downregulation of piRNAs were observed in infected tissues compared to controls.
- Differentially expressed piRNAs targeted genes involved in "response to stimulus" and "environmental information processing" in the fat body.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals distinct piRNA responses in silkworm fat body and midgut following BmNPV infection.
- These findings suggest an active role for the piRNA pathway in the silkworm's defense against BmNPV.
- This research provides a foundation for understanding piRNA involvement in BmNPV pathogenesis.
