Cellular and signaling mechanisms of cyantraniliprole toxicity in the nontarget organism Bombyx mori.

BmAHR regulates antennal development and olfactory gene expression to control mating behavior in Bombyx mori.

Beauvericin modulates immune responses in the silkworm, Bombyx mori: insights from cellular and transcriptomic analyses.

Functional characterization of a previously unknown gene governing metamorphosis in Bombyx mori.

The mechanism of apoptosis in Bombyx mori BmN cells induced by ultraviolet exposure.

Inactivation of the AMPKα/CncC/GPX4 axis mediates rotenone-induced ferroptosis in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) model.

Late-stage lncRNA profiles in Bombyx mori cells infected with BmNPV.

Natural biotic polymer bombyx mori silk fibroin for gold nanoparticles: Fabrication, characterisations and application as colorimetric ammonia detection

Activity identification and proteomics analysis of water-soluble proteins in cocoon coat from different silkworm varieties.

Comprehensive analysis of pathogenic mechanisms of Enterobacter cancerogenus ECL9 in silkworms.

A sex pheromone isomer modulates pheromone receptor sensitivity in Bombyx mori.

The populations of native roosters exhibit a reduced capacity for reproduction because of thermal stress, which adversely influences the quality of semen and the production of sperm. Nutritional strategies using natural bioactive compounds may boost male reproductive function, with silkworm pupae as a high-quality protein source and fingerroot containing antioxidant phytochemicals This study evaluated the effects of oral silkworm pupae and fingerroot extract on semen quality, fertility, testicular histology, and serum testosterone. Roosters were randomly assigned into three groups: control, silkworm pupae-supplemented (500mg/day), and fingerroot-supplemented (500mg/day). Proximate analysis revealed silkworm pupae is rich in protein (53.7%) and lipids (32.1%), while fingerroot exhibited high antioxidant activity through phenolics and flavonoids. Results demonstrated significant improvements (P < 0.05) in progressive sperm motility (68.54 ± 1.33%) and testosterone levels (6.86 ± 1.38 ng/mL) in the silkworm pupae group compared to controls. Fingerroot supplementation significantly increased sperm concentration (3.89 × 10⁹ sperm/mL; P < 0.05). Furthermore, silkworm pupae improved seminiferous tubule width, germinal epithelial growth, and spermatogenic activity, with significantly higher testosterone levels compared to the control group (2.21 ± 0.51 ng/mL; P < 0.05). In conclusion, silkworm pupae and fingerroot extract effectively improved semen quality and testosterone levels in Thai native roosters. These findings highlight their potential as promising natural dietary supplements to enhance reproductive performance in sustainable indigenous poultry farming.

Kinetochores are essential macromolecular complexes anchoring chromosomes to the mitotic spindle, ensuring faithful cell division. Despite their critical role, the structural organization of kinetochores across diverse species remains poorly understood. We present the inner kinetochore constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN) structure of the silkmoth Bombyx mori, an insect that lacks the canonical centromere-specifying histone variant CENP-A and exhibits chromosome-wide centromeric activity (holocentric). The B. mori CCAN incorporates four previously uncharacterized centromeric subunit proteins that are structurally related to the Dam1/DASH complex but function in scaffolding the inner kinetochore rather than in microtubule binding. Similar to the yeast and human systems, the B. mori CCAN also entraps DNA within its central closed chamber. However, unlike these systems, the B. mori CCAN can also assemble in vitro into a self-contained head-to-head dimer via atypical histone-fold protein dimerization. On the basis of our findings, we propose that the holocentric organization may emerge from the modular arrangement of discrete kinetochore units.

N-Acetyltyramine is increasingly recognized for its diverse pharmaceutically relevant properties. In particular, it exhibits antimicrobial activity against multi-drug resistant pathogens, which pose a considerable health challenge. Therefore, the demand for a sustainable and efficient N-acetyltyramine production arises. Here, we engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum for de novo production of N-acetyltyramine. Heterologous overexpression of different bacterial and insect acetyltransferase genes in a tyramine overproducing strain identified the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase from Bombyx mori as the most promising enzyme, resulting in an N-acetyltyramine titer of 5.5 ± 0.3 mM. Design of Experiment-based optimization of the culture medium revealed urea and L-phenylalanine as media components significantly affecting N-acetyltyramine production. Combining media optimization with genetic engineering to balance the expression strength of the genes encoding the L-tyrosine decarboxylase from Levilactobacillus brevis and the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase from B. mori increased de novo N-acetyltyramine production to 13.8 ± 0.1 mM (2.5 ± 0.1g/L). The optimized medium composition was also transferable to the production of other L-tyrosine derivatives, tyramine and tyrosol, increasing their titers by 24% and 44%, respectively. In addition, supplementing the established N-acetyltyramine producing strain with propionate as a second carbon source enabled the production of N-propionyltyramine. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report describing biotechnological production of N-propionyltyramine. In this study, de novo N-acetyltyramine production was established and substantially increased through the combined implementation of metabolic engineering and media optimization strategies. The successful transfer of the optimized medium to enhance the production of additional L-tyrosine derivatives underscores the potential of integrating genetic engineering with culture media refinement to improve biotechnological processes.

Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight, poses a severe and ongoing threat to the global production of Rosaceous crops. We synthesized 54 garlic-derived disulfides and identified compound b as the most potent candidate (EC50 = 2.85 μg/mL), which significantly surpassed allicin and zhongshengmycin (ZSM). In planta assays on Cuiguan pear demonstrated that b provided exceptional curative and protective efficacy, effectively suppressing fire blight infections in flowers, leaves, shoots, and fruits. Mechanistically, b triggered lethal ROS accumulation by inhibiting catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, leading to compromised cell envelope and ultrastructural damage in E. amylovora. Notably, b attenuated bacterial virulence by suppressing swimming and swarming motility, reducing biofilm formation, and decreasing extracellular cellulase activity, while also inhibiting DNA and protein biosynthesis. Additionally, b exhibited minimal toxicity toward nontarget organisms, such as silkworms (Bombyx mori) and earthworms (Eisenia fetida), highlighting its environmental safety. These findings establish compound b as a highly effective, safe, and eco-friendly candidate for sustainable fire blight management.

Bombyx mori p53 requires multiple domains for transcription-dependent apoptosis induction.

Exogenous microbial agents interact with housefly larvae to reshape the microbiome and accelerate cellulose degradation in silkworm (Bombyx mori) excrement.

Decoy digestive protease strategy in Bombyx mori: Catalytically inactive BmoSPH12723 sequesters mulberry protease inhibitor by a C-terminal compositionally biased region.

Aldehyde reductase via sorbitol synthesis alters diapause incidence in silkworm eggs.

Hematopoiesis is tightly linked to an organism's metabolic state, yet the molecular sensors that convert nutrient availability into hematopoietic output remain poorly understood. Here, we identify a fructose-sensitive gustatory receptor, BmGr9, as a cell-intrinsic nutrient sensor that links circulating sugar levels to blood cell proliferation in the silkworm Bombyx mori. We show that fructose, whose concentration rises sharply after feeding, stimulates hematopoietic organ (HPO) proliferation through BmGr9-dependent Ca2+ influx and activation of the Akt-ornithine decarboxylase/polyamine signaling pathway. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of BmGr9 reduces hemocyte production and impairs fructose-induced Akt phosphorylation and polyamine synthesis. We further demonstrate that the fat body polyol pathway produces fructose de novo, which then acts as an interorgan metabolic signal that promotes hematopoiesis and shapes gene expression in the wing-disc/hematopoietic complex. Together, these findings define a nutrient-receptor-signaling axis that mechanistically links dietary and endogenous fructose to hematopoietic proliferation. By revealing an unexpected systemic role for a gustatory receptor, our work expands the conceptual framework of nutrient sensing and suggests conserved principles by which metabolic state governs blood cell development across animals.