Abstract: 【Aim】 This study aims to analyze the changes in protein expression in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, under starvation stress, so as to illustrate the mechanism of starvation tolerance of the silkworm. 【Methods】 The silkworm variety 932 was used as the experimental material. The difference of protein expression was analyzed through two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry technology between the silkworms normally feeding and subjected to 24 h starvation stress after the 5th instar newly moulting larval stage. The transcription level of BmLp-c 6 was detected by using real-time quantitative PCR. 【Results】 There were 62 specific proteins in the total proteins of the starved larvae compared with the larvae normally feeding. Their isoelectric points range from 4.22 to 6.98, and their molecular weights are distributed between 20.81 and 144.69 kDa. The specific protein No. 7111, which was expressed only in the starved larvae, was selected and identified by mass spectrometry. According to the amino acid sequence, the primers were designed and the target gene BmLp-c 6 was cloned. The BmLp-c 6 gene was induced to express successfully after being connected with the expression vector pET-21d(+). The real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that when the 5th instar larvae suffered from starvation stress, BmLp-c 6 had a higher transcriptional level in the hemolymph, while its transcriptional level was very low in the midgut. 【Conclusion】 When the 5th instar larvae of B. mori are subjected to starvation stress, the protein expression profiles in the hemolymph change and BmLp-c 6 has a high transcriptional level.

Key words: Bombyx mori, starvation stress, two-dimensional electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, gene expression analysis