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Carotenoid silk coloration is controlled by a carotenoid-binding protein, a product of the Yellow blood gene.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms for the uptake and transport of carotenoids, essential nutrients for humans, are not well understood in any animal system. The Y (Yellow blood) gene, a critical cocoon color determinant in the silkworm Bombyx mori, controls the uptake of carotenoids into the intestinal mucosa and the silk gland. Here we provide evidence that the Y gene corresponds to the intracellular carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) gene. In the Y recessive strain, the absence of an exon, likely due to an incorrect mRNA splicing caused by a transposon-associated genomic deletion, generates a nonfunctional CBP mRNA, resulting in colorless hemolymph and white cocoons. Enhancement of carotenoid uptake and coloration of the white cocoon was achieved by germ-line transformation with the CBP gene. This study demonstrates the existence of a genetically facilitated intracellular process beyond passive diffusion for carotenoid uptake in the animal phyla, and paves the way for modulating silk color and lipid content through genetic engineering.

SUBMITTER: Sakudoh T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1885607 | biostudies-literature | 2007 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Carotenoid silk coloration is controlled by a carotenoid-binding protein, a product of the Yellow blood gene.

Sakudoh Takashi T Sezutsu Hideki H Nakashima Takeharu T Kobayashi Isao I Fujimoto Hirofumi H Uchino Keiro K Banno Yutaka Y Iwano Hidetoshi H Maekawa Hideaki H Tamura Toshiki T Kataoka Hiroshi H Tsuchida Kozo K

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20070511 21

Mechanisms for the uptake and transport of carotenoids, essential nutrients for humans, are not well understood in any animal system. The Y (Yellow blood) gene, a critical cocoon color determinant in the silkworm Bombyx mori, controls the uptake of carotenoids into the intestinal mucosa and the silk gland. Here we provide evidence that the Y gene corresponds to the intracellular carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) gene. In the Y recessive strain, the absence of an exon, likely due to an incorrect m ...[more]

PMID: 17496138

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Carotenoid silk coloration is controlled by a carotenoid-binding protein, a product of the Yellow blood gene.

Publications

Carotenoid silk coloration is controlled by a carotenoid-binding protein, a product of the Yellow blood gene.

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