Abstract: Diapause is an adaptive developmental strategy and state adopted by insects to survive in challenging environments. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a typical egg diapause insect, and the diapause happens in the early stages of its embryonic development. The diapause hormone (DH) is secreted by the suboesophageal ganglion of B. mori, playing a key role in the process of egg diapause. DH transmits signals via diapause hormone receptor (DHR) on the surface of silkworm ovarian cells, regulating the material metabolism and then determining the diapause of eggs. In this article, we summarized the discovery process and structure and function of DH, reviewed the gene cloning and expression, signal transduction and mechanism of DHR in the silkworm, and put forward the research prospects. It is expected to provide a molecular theoretical basis for studying the whole process of induction, inhibition and termination of embryonic diapause and further utilizing silkworm embryo diapause to improve the technology of traditional silkworm rearing.

Key words: Bombyx mori, diapause hormone, diapause hormone receptor, -coupled receptor')">G protein-coupled receptor, embryonic diapause