Ovarian Development and Vitellogenin Gene Expression under Heat Stress in Silkworm,Bombyx mori
Open Access
- 1 January 2016
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Hindawi Limited in Psyche: A Journal of Entomology
- Vol. 2016, 1-8
- https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4242317
Abstract
The present study observed the effect of heat stress on ovarian development, fecundity, and vitellogenin gene expression in silkworm,Bombyx mori. The result showed that the heat shock treatment to spinning larvae and pupae at 39°C (1 h and 2 h) did not cause any adverse effect on the reproductive performance ofB. mori.However, the heat shock treatment at 42°C or above caused a decrease in the fecundity. The heat shock treatment to day 2 pupae for 2 h at 45°C caused a drastic effect on the development of ovary as measured by gonadosomatic index. The study thus showed that a brief exposure ofBombyxlarvae and pupae to a temperature of 42°C or higher, much prevalent in tropical countries like India, greatly affects the ovarian development and reproductive performance of this commercially important insect. The study further showed a developmental- and tissue-specific expression of vitellogenin mRNA in fat body and ovary upon heat shock. When heat shock treatment was done at 39°C and 42°C to spinning larvae, ovary showed an upregulation in the expression of vitellogenin mRNA, whereas fat body failed to do so. However, at 45°C, both fat body and ovary showed a downregulation. The heat shock treatment to day 2 pupae showed an upregulation in the vitellogenin mRNA expression in both fat body and ovary, even at 45°C. The upregulation in the expression of vitellogenin upon heat shock indicates its role in thermal protection ofBombyxlarvae and pupae.Keywords
Funding Information
- Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology (SR/FT/LS-026/2008)
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Vitellogenin from the Silkworm, Bombyx mori: An Effective Anti-Bacterial AgentPLOS ONE, 2013
- Silkworm Thermal Biology: A Review of Heat Shock Response, Heat Shock Proteins and Heat Acclimation in the Domesticated Silkworm,Bombyx moriJournal of Insect Science, 2010
- Effects of heat shock on survival and reproduction of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) adultsJournal of Thermal Biology, 2010
- Impacts of climate warming on terrestrial ectotherms across latitudeProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- Sex specific effects of heat induced hormesis in Hsf-deficient Drosophila melanogasterExperimental Gerontology, 2007
- Hormesis and aging in Caenorhabditis elegansExperimental Gerontology, 2006
- The evolutionary and ecological role of heat shock proteinsEcology Letters, 2003
- Testicular Ecdysteroid Level in the Silkmoth, Bombyx mori, with Special Reference to Heat Treatment during the Wandering StageZoological Science, 1995
- Vitellogenin gene of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: Structure and sex‐dependent expressionFEBS Letters, 1994
- Heat sensitivity and protein synthesis during heat-shock in the tobacco hornworm,Manduca sextaJournal of Comparative Physiology B, 1990