Molecular cloning and characterization of Ecdysone oxidase and 3-dehydroecdysone-3α-reductase involved in the ecdysone inactivation pathway of silkworm, Bombyx mori.

ABSTRACT: Molting hormone (ecdysteroid) is one of the most important hormones in insects. The synthesis and inactivation of the ecdysteroid regulate the developmental process of insects. A major pathway of ecdysone inactivation is that ecdysone is converted to 3-dehydroecdysone, and then further to 3-epiecdysone in insects. Two enzymes (ecdysone oxidase: EO and 3DE-3α-reductase) participate in this pathway. In this study, based on the previously characterized cDNAs in Spodoptera littoralis, we cloned and characterized EO and 3DE-3α-reductase genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The heterologously expressed proteins of the two genes in yeast showed the ecdysone oxidase and 3DE-3α-reductase activities, respectively. Expression of BmEO was only detected in the midgut at transcriptional and translational

SUBMITTER: Sun W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3248655 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature