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Silkworm Genome Of Southwestern University: Control Of Silk Thickness And Color

2010/8/9 21:24:00 60

Chongqing science and Technology Commission recently announced that Southwestern University

Silkworm

The genome research team has made a major breakthrough again, and successfully drew the world's first DNA methylation map of silkworm genome, laying a solid foundation for the future research on the economic characteristics such as the thickness and color of silkgland.

Silkworm is domesticated from China's Bombyx mori 5000 years ago. What changes and connections between genetic variation and specific mutagenicity on its genome has become a subject that academic circles must overcome.

The silkworm genome research team of Southwestern University has completed the world's first silkworm genome frame map, silkworm gene fine map and high precision genetic variation map since 2003, which laid the leading position in the genome research of Bombyx mori.

The birth of the DNA methylation map of Bombyx mori genome is another important genome research achievement of Chinese scientists.

It is reported that this is the world's first insect methylation map.

It is known that as an important chemical substance of epigenetics,

DNA

Methylation plays an important role in genome defense and gene regulation. It can affect the biological characteristics such as morphology and color during the growth of plants and animals.

However, compared with animals and plants, the methylation level of insects is very low, and whether it affects the genetic and biological characteristics of insects, the academic community has been controversial.

Southwestern University silkworm genome research team used the new generation sequencing technology to build the world's first insect methylation map - silk fibroin methylation map.

Silkworm

95% of the genome wide information revealed that about 0.11% of the genome was methylated and closely related to the genes in the silk gland organs of Bombyx mori.

This means that the mapping of DNA methylation map will help future scientists to "freely control" the silkworm silkworm's thickness, color and other properties, thereby affecting the silk production performance of silkworm, and improving the economic value of silkworm research and cultivation.

In this regard, the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Commission official said, as the world's first insect methylation map, the completion of the silkworm methylation spectrum not only provides an important reference material for understanding epigenetic regulation of insects, but also lays a solid foundation for further exploring genetic research in the process of artificial domestication of silkworm.