摘要
The coloration and hatchability of insect eggs can affect individual and population survival.However,few genetic loci have been documented to affect both traits,and the genes involved in regulating these two traits are unclear.The silkworm recessive mutant re^(l)shows both red egg color and embryo mortality.We studied the molecular basis of the re^(l)phenotype formation.Through genetic analysis,gene screening and sequencing,we found that two closely linked genes,BGIBMGA003497(Bmre)and BGIBMG4003697(Bm-Semala),control egg color and embryo mortality,respectively.Six base pairs of the Bm-re gene are deleted in its open reading frame,and BmSemala is expressed at abnormally low levels in mutant re^(l).BmSemala gene function verification was performed using RNA interference and clustered randomly interspersed palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associate protein 9.Deficiency of the BmSemala gene can cause the death of silkworm embryos.This study revealed the molecular basis of silkworm re^(l)mutant formation and indicated that the Semala gene is essential for insect embryo development.
基金
the National Natural Sci-ence Foundation of China(No.31830094)
the Hi-Tech Research and Development 863 Program of China Grant(No.2013AA 102507)
funds from the China Agri-culture Research System(No.CARS-18-ZJ0102).
