Systematic cloning and analysis of autophagy-related genes from the silkworm Bombyx mori.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Through the whole life of eukaryotes, autophagy plays an important role in various biological events including development, differentiation and determination of lifespan. A full set of genes and their encoded proteins of this evolutionarily conserved pathway have been identified in many eukaryotic organisms from yeast to mammals. However, this pathway in the insect model organism, the silkworm Bombyx mori, remains poorly investigated.

Results

Based on the autophagy pathway in several model organisms and a series of bioinformatic analyses, we have found more than 20 autophagy-related genes from the current database of the silkworm Bombyx mori. These genes could be further classified into the signal transduction pathway and two ubiquitin-like pathways. Using the mRN

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2693526 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature