CD36 homolog divergence is responsible for the selectivity of carotenoid species migration to the silk gland of the silkworm Bombyx mori.

ABSTRACT: Dietary carotenoids are absorbed in the intestine and delivered to various tissues by circulating lipoproteins; however, the mechanism underlying selective delivery of different carotenoid species to individual tissues remains elusive. The products of the Yellow cocoon (C) gene and the Flesh (F) gene of the silkworm Bombyx mori determine the selectivity for transport of lutein and β-carotene, respectively, to the silk gland. We previously showed that the C gene encodes Cameo2, a CD36 family member, which is thought to function as a transmembrane lipoprotein receptor. Here, we elucidated the molecular identity of the F gene product by positional cloning, as SCRB15, a paralog of Cameo2 with 26% amino acid identity. In the F mutant, SCRB15 mRNA structure was severely disrupted, due to a 1.4 k

SUBMITTER: Sakudoh T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3588874 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature