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Functional characterization of the vitellogenin promoter in the silkworm, B ombyx mori
Author(s) -
Xu J.,
Wang Y. Q.,
Li Z. Q.,
Ling L.,
Zeng B. S.,
You L.,
Chen Y. Z.,
Aslam A. F. M.,
Huang Y. P.,
Tan A. J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/imb.12102
Subject(s) - bombyx mori , biology , transgene , gene , green fluorescent protein , bombyx , reporter gene , microbiology and biotechnology , endogeny , gene expression , ecdysis , 20 hydroxyecdysone , genetics , moulting , biochemistry , botany , larva
Genetic transformation and genome editing technologies have been successfully established in the lepidopteran insect model, the domesticated silkworm, B ombyx mori , providing great potential for functional genomics and practical applications. However, the current lack of cis ‐regulatory elements in B . mori gene manipulation research limits further exploitation in functional gene analysis. In the present study, we characterized a B . mori endogenous promoter, B mvgp , which is a 798‐bp DNA sequence adjacent to the 5′‐end of the vitellogenin gene ( B mvg ). P iggy B ac ‐based transgenic analysis shows that B mvgp precisely directs expression of a reporter gene, enhanced green fluorescent protein ( EGFP ), in a sex‐, tissue‐ and stage‐specific manner. In transgenic animals, EGFP expression can be detected in the female fat body from larval−pupal ecdysis to the following pupal and adult stage. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that EGFP expression can be activated by 20‐hydroxyecdysone, which is consistent with endogenous B mvg expression. These data indicate that B mvgp is an effective endogenous cis ‐regulatory element in B . mori .