Abstract:

To study the change in expression of the CYP3 family genes induced by ecdysone, we measured their transcription level by dual spike-in qPCR in the midgut and fat body of Bombyx mori 5th instar larvae fed on mulberry leaves soaked in ecdysone solution (2×10^-3μg/μL) with those fed on mulberry leaves not soaked in ecdysone solution as the control. The results showed that compared with the control, the transcription level of CYP302, CYP306 and CYP339 increased by 191.4, 7.4 and 421 times in fat body, respectively, and that of the other genes induced by ecdysone did not change significantly or was not detectable. These results suggest that CYP339 gene may be involved in the metabolism of silkworm ecdysone. This work laid a theoretical foundation for further study on the relationship between P450 genes and the metabolism of endogenous substances.

Key words: Bombyx mori, CYP3 family, ecdysone, dual spike-in qPCR, transcription level