Comprehensive screening for genes involved in photoperiodic diapause regulation of lepidopteran insects

• Project/Area Number: 17K08151
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Sakamoto Katsuhiko 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 教授 (40416673)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 光周性 / 遺伝子 / 昆虫 / 休眠 / 生理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study aimed to screen for genes involved in photoperiodism (photoperiodic responses) of the Chinese oak silkmoth Antheraea pernyi and the silkworm Bombyx mori, which are models for the study of insect photoperiodism. We comprehensively compared the gene expression profiles in the brain between the short-day stimulation group and the long-day stimulation group by nest-generation sequencing, and searched for genes that show expression fluctuations in response to changes in day length. Then, to narrow down and identify the target genes, we performed RNAi-mediated gene knockdown experiments on the candidate genes obtained in the first screening. As a result, we obtained genes that might be involved in photoperiodism: two genes in Antheraea pernyi and two in Bombyx mori.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の研究では、昆虫の光周性に関与することがこれまでに知られていなかった新規遺伝子が複数得られた。光周性を制御する分子メカニズムの解明に一歩近づいたと言える。昆虫光周性の解明が進めば、光周性制御機構を作用点とした農薬の開発が期待できる。こうした農薬は、光周性をもたないヒトにとっては、比較的安全である可能性が高い。