Identifying potential maternal genes of Bombyx mori using digital gene expression profiling

PLoS One. 2018 Feb 20;13(2):e0192745. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192745. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Maternal genes present in mature oocytes play a crucial role in the early development of silkworm. Although maternal genes have been widely studied in many other species, there has been limited research in Bombyx mori. High-throughput next generation sequencing provides a practical method for gene discovery on a genome-wide level. Herein, a transcriptome study was used to identify maternal-related genes from silkworm eggs. Unfertilized eggs from five different stages of early development were used to detect the changing situation of gene expression. The expressed genes showed different patterns over time. Seventy-six maternal genes were annotated according to homology analysis with Drosophila melanogaster. More than half of the differentially expressed maternal genes fell into four expression patterns, while the expression patterns showed a downward trend over time. The functional annotation of these material genes was mainly related to transcription factor activity, growth factor activity, nucleic acid binding, RNA binding, ATP binding, and ion binding. Additionally, twenty-two gene clusters including maternal genes were identified from 18 scaffolds. Altogether, we plotted a profile for the maternal genes of Bombyx mori using a digital gene expression profiling method. This will provide the basis for maternal-specific signature research and improve the understanding of the early development of silkworm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bombyx / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Genomic Imprinting*
  • Maternal Inheritance / genetics*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Grants and funding

This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 31302035), Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. BK2012273), National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 31272499) and Natural science fund for colleges and universities in Jiangsu Province (grant no. 13KJD230001).