Enhanced heat tolerance in transgenic silkworm via overexpression of Pyrococcus furiosus superoxide reductase. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiang, Liang; Huang, Chunlin; Wang, Bingbing; Guo, Huizhen; Sun, Qiang; Xia, Fei; Xu, Guowen; Xia, Qingyou
• Is Part Of: Insect biochemistry and molecular biology. Volume 92(2018)
• Page Start: 40
• Page End: 44
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Pyrococcus furiosus superoxide reductase (PfSOR) -- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) -- Overexpression -- Silkworm -- Transgenic -- Heat tolerance; Insect biochemistry -- Periodicals; Insects -- Physiology -- Periodicals; Insects -- Molecular aspects -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; Insectes -- Biochimie -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Composition -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Physiologie -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Aspect moléculaire -- Périodiques; Biochimie -- Périodiques; Biochemistry; Insect biochemistry; Insects -- Molecular aspects; Insects -- Physiology; Periodicals; 572.8157
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.11.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-1748

Abstract

Abstract: Heat shock causes a serious harm to organisms by accelerating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Pyrococcus furiosus superoxide reductase (PfSOR) is an enzyme that efficiently detoxifies ROS. In order to generate a silkworm strain with high heat tolerance for sericulture, we synthesized an artificial DNA sequence encoding PfSOR based on the codon bias of Bombyx mori . PfSOR was successfully overexpressed in transgenic silkworm (named A4SOR) and BmE cells, as determined by RT-PCR and western blot analyses. An SOR activity assay confirmed that the expressed enzyme was functional in A4SOR. After exposure to a temperature of 35 °C for 44 h, the mortality rate was about 30% lower in transgenic A4SOR than in non-transgenic silkworms. Moreover, transgene expression had no apparent effect on economic characteristics of silkworms. The heat tolerance of silkworm was thus enhanced by expressing an archaeal SOR; this can be useful for sericulture in regions where the average temperature exceeds the optimal environmental temperature for B. mori of 25 °C. Graphical abstract: Highlights: DNA sequence of Pyrococcus furiosus PfSOR with Bombyx mori codon bias was expressed in silkworm. The transgenic silkworm A4SOR produced a functional PfSOR enzyme. A4SOR exhibited enhanced heat tolerance without obvious changes to economic traits.