UDP-Glucosyltransferases Induced by <i>Nosema bombycis</i> Provide Resistance to Microsporidia in Silkworm (<i>Bombyx mori</i>)

• Main Authors: Bin Yu, Qiuhua Yang, Junhong Wei, Guoqing Pan, Chunfeng Li, Zeyang Zhou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
• Series: Insects
• Subjects: <i>Bombyx mori</i>; innate immunity; UDP-glucosyltransferase; induced expression
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/9/799

As a silkworm pathogen, the microsporidian <i>N. bombycis</i> can be transovarially transmitted from parent to offspring and seriously impedes sericulture industry development. Previous studies found that Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are involved in regulating diverse cellular processes, such as detoxification, pigmentation, and odorant sensing. Our results showed that <i>BmUGT10295</i> and <i>BmUGT8453</i> genes were specifically induced in infected silkworms, but other BmUGTs were not. Tissue distribution analysis of the two BmUGTs showed that the transcriptions of the two BmUGTs were mainly activated in the midgut and Malpighian tubule of infected silkworms. Furthermore, there were significantly fewer microsporidia in over-expressed BmUGTs compared with the control, but there were significantly more microsporidia in RNA interference BmUGTs compared with the control. These findings indicate that the two BmUGTs were induced by <i>N. bombycis</i> and provided resistance to the microsporidia.