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Published on: May 28, 2007
Presenilin is involved in larval-pupal metamorphosis development of Bombyx mori
Xiaoran Qian1, Kai Chen2,3, Lijuan Chen1
1School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Disruption of the presenilin (ps) genes are the major genetic cause of familial Alzheimer's disease. The silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori), is an important model insect. The ps homologue gene in B. mori was identified and characterized. However, the role of ps in B. mori was poorly understood. Here, we found that Bmps was ubiquitously expressed in all the tested tissues during metamorphosis. In the current study, loss-of-function analysis of Bmps was performed by the binary transgenic CRISPR/cas9 system. Compared with the wild type, the developmental time of ∆Bmps animals were significantly delayed. In addition, ∆Bmps showed abnormal appendage including antenna, leg, wing and eye during pupal and adult stages. RNA-seq analysis indicated that apoptosis and proliferation related pathways were affected in ∆Bmps. Moreover, the Hippo pathway was affected by Bmps depletion in brain and wing disc. Our results suggest that PS is essential for maintaining the dynamic balance of apoptosis and proliferation during metamorphosis.
Insights
Presenilin (PS) is crucial for development. Silkworms lacking PS show delayed development and abnormal appendages, indicating PS
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Familial Alzheimer's disease is often caused by mutations in presenilin (PS) genes.
- The silkworm, Bombyx mori, serves as a valuable model organism for genetic studies.
- The function of the PS homologue in Bombyx mori (Bmps) remained largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the presenilin homologue gene (Bmps) in Bombyx mori development.
- To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying Bmps function during metamorphosis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the CRISPR/Cas9 system for loss-of-function analysis of Bmps.
- Performed RNA-sequencing to analyze gene expression changes in Bmps-deficient silkworms.
- Examined developmental timing and morphological abnormalities in mutant silkworms.
Main Results:
- Bmps is ubiquitously expressed in silkworm tissues during metamorphosis.
- Loss of Bmps function significantly delayed development and resulted in abnormal appendages (antennae, legs, wings, eyes).
- RNA-seq revealed alterations in apoptosis and proliferation pathways, with Hippo pathway dysregulation in brain and wing discs.
Conclusions:
- Presenilin (PS) is essential for regulating apoptosis and proliferation during silkworm metamorphosis.
- Bmps plays a critical role in maintaining developmental homeostasis and normal morphogenesis.
- This study highlights the conserved function of PS in developmental processes across species.
