Cloning and partial characterization of a gene in Bombyx mori homologous to a human adiponectin receptor.

In this study, we report the cloning and characteristics of an adiponectin-like receptor gene from Bombyx mori (BmAdipoR) with highly conserved deduced amino-acid sequences and similar structure to the human adiponectin receptor (AdipoR). Structural analysis of the translated cDNA suggested it encoded a membrane protein with seven transmembrane domains. BmAdipoR was found to be expressed in multiple tissues and highly expressed in Malpighian tubules, fat body and testis. BmNPV (Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus) bacmid system combined with confocal microscopy revealed that BmAdipoR was targeted to the cell membrane. We also found that infection with BmNPV did not have an effect on BmAdipoR mRNA quantity in the midgut of susceptible Bombyx mori strain (306) at 48 h, but BmAdipoR mRNA quantity increased significantly at 72 h. We concluded that BmAdipoR gene was a membrane protein ubiquitously expressed in Bombyx mori tissues and that its expression was altered by treating with BmNPV.