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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions
Published on: March 9, 2021
Physiological and cellular basis of inter-species variation in freeze tolerance between Bombyx mori and Antheraea
Xiaoshuai Wang1, Zaize Liu1, Ao Zhu2
1State Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China; School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Abstract:
Freeze tolerance varies dramatically among closely related insects, yet the underlying physiological and cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we performed an integrative biophysical and cellular analysis comparing Bombyx mori (B. mori, domesticated silkworm) and Antheraea pernyi (A. pernyi, Chinese oak silkworm). A. pernyi pupae exhibited markedly higher survival under subzero temperatures compared to B. mori pupae (-15 °C: 24 ± 4.9% vs. 96 ± 4.9%; -20 °C: 0 vs. 44 ± 4.9%). This enhanced freeze tolerance correlates with lower supercooling points (-6.4 ± 0.1 °C vs. -8.4 ± 0.1 °C) and restricted ice crystal growth in the hemolymph. At the cellular level, plasmatocytes of A. pernyi pupae maintained lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and preserved mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) more effectively under cold stress. These findings reveal integrated physio-biochemical cold-adaptation responses in A. pernyi pupae, whereby physical suppression of ice formation is integrated with cellular protection through redox balance and mitochondrial stabilization, collectively enabling maintenance of physiological homeostasis under freezing conditions. This study performed an integrative comparison of B. mori pupae and A. pernyi pupae from biophysical and cellular perspectives to explore the potential mechanisms underlying their differential freeze tolerance. These findings not only clarify the physiological mechanisms of insect cold hardiness but also offer valuable insights for optimizing insect cryopreservation, developing target-specific pest management strategies, and formulating conservation models for ecologically sensitive species under shifting climate regimes.
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