Southwestern University Research Breakthrough &Nbsp, Silk Thickness And Color Will Be Controllable.

Chongqing science and Technology Commission recently announced that the Southwestern University silkworm genome research team once again made a major breakthrough, successfully drew the world's first silkworm genome DNA methylation map, laying a solid foundation for future research on economic traits such as the thickness and color of silkgland.

　　 Silkworm It was domesticated from China's Bombyx mori 5000 years ago. What changes and connections between genetic variation and specific mutagenicity on its genome has become an urgent task for academic circles. The silkworm genome research team of Southwestern University has completed the world's first silkworm genome frame map, silkworm gene fine map and high precision genetic variation map since 2003, which laid the leading position in the genome research of Bombyx mori. The birth of the DNA methylation map of Bombyx mori genome is another important genome research achievement of Chinese scientists. It is reported that this is the world's first insect methylation map.

It is known that as an important chemical substance of epigenetics, DNA Methylation plays an important role in genome defense and gene regulation. It can affect the biological characteristics such as morphology and color during the growth of plants and animals. However, compared with animals and plants, the methylation level of insects is very low, and whether it affects the genetic and biological characteristics of insects, the academic community has been controversial.

The silkworm genome research team of Southwestern University used the new generation sequencing technology to build the world's first insect methylation map, the silk gland methylation map, and found that about 0.11% of the genome was methylated by 95% whole genome information of silkworm, and closely related to the genes in the silk gland organs of Bombyx mori. This means that the mapping of DNA methylation map will help future scientists to "freely control" the silkworm silkworm's thickness, color and other properties, thereby affecting the silk production performance of silkworm, and improving the economic value of silkworm research and cultivation.

In this regard, the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Commission official said, as the world's first insect methylation map, silkworm, Bombyx mori Methylation spectrum The completion of the study not only provided important reference materials for understanding epigenetic regulation of insects, but also laid a solid foundation for further exploring genetic research in the process of artificial domestication of silkworm.