Systematic analysis of innate immune-related genes in the silkworm: Application to antiviral research

The silkworm, a crucial model organism of the Lepidoptera, offers an excellent platform for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the innate immune response of insects toward pathogens. Over the years, researchers worldwide have identified numerous immune-related genes in silkworms. However, these identified silkworm immune genes are not well classified and not well known to the scientific community. With the availability of the latest genome data of silkworms and the extensive research on silkworm immunity, it has become imperative to systematically categorize the immune genes of silkworms with different database IDs. In this study, we present a meticulous organization of prevalent immune-related genes in the domestic silkworm, using the SilkDB 3.0 database as a reliable source for updated gene information. Furthermore, utilizing the available data, we classify the collected immune genes into distinct categories: pattern recognition receptors, classical immune pathways, effector genes and others. In-depth data analysis has enabled us to predict some potential antiviral genes. Subsequently, we performed antiviral experiments on selected genes, exploring their impact on Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus replication. The outcomes of this research furnish novel insights into the immune genes of the silkworm, consequently fostering advancements in the field of silkworm immunity research by establishing a comprehensive classification and functional understanding of immune-related genes in the silkworm. This study contributes to the broader understanding of insect immune responses and opens up new avenues for future investigations in the domain of host-pathogen interactions.