|
 The research is focused on functional genome of insects. Silkworm is employed as a model to study the important genes during insect development. The constructed SSR genetic linkage map has been employed to map and clone the silkworm important genes. In addition, we are studying the gene expression and regulation during the larvae and pupae development. Our group is equipped with all necessary facilities for our research targets.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Yong-Ping Huang, Professor. Email: yphuang@sibs.ac.cn
Dr. Xue-Xia Miao, Professor. Email: xxm@sibs.ac.cn
Staff: Dr. Xiao-Nan Yang, Research Associate; Qiu-Hong Guo, Research Assistant; Cong-Sheng He, Research Intern; Yu-Bing Wang, Research Intern
Postdoctoral Fellow: Dr. Qian Wang
Graduate Students: Bo Zhou; Shuai Zhan; Jian-Hao Jiang; Xie Ge; Yun-Po Zhao; Ning Liu; Lei Xie; Hao Zhang
Joint Graduate Students: Yu-Ping Zhang, Yan-Hua Long (Anhui Agricultural University)
Graduated Students: Shi-Hai Jia, 2004 (PhD); Hui Xiang, 2004 (PhD); Yong Zhang, 2005 (PhD); Wen-Bin Liu, 2005 (PhD)
Visiting Scholar: Marian R. Goldsmith, Professor (University of Rhode Island, USA)
Fine Mapping of Ekp-1, a Locus Associated with Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Proleg Development
 The silkworm homeotic mutant Ekp has a pair of rudimentary abdominal legs, called prolegs, in its A2 segment. To explore the possible association of Hox genes with proleg development in the silkworm, a map-based cloning strategy was used to isolate the Ekp-1 locus. Five Ekp-linked SSR markers on chromosome 6 were used to generate a low-resolution map with a total genetic distance of 39.5 cM. Four additional CAPS markers were developed based on the initial map. The closest marker to Ekp-1 was at a genetic distance of 2.7 cM. A high-resolution genetic map was constructed using nine BC1 segregating populations consisting of 2,396 individuals.
Recombination suppression was observed in the vicinity of Ekp-1. Four molecular markers were tightly linked to Ekp-1, and three were clustered with it. These markers were used to screen a BAC library. A single BAC clone spanning the Ekp-1 locus was identified, and Ekp-1 was delimited to a region less than 220 kb long that included the Hox gene abdominal-A (abd-A); however, analysis of the abd-A ORF showed no evidence of a mutation except for splicing in exon 2. Another candidate non-protein-coding gene, iab-4, was also found in the region, but its sequence did not vary between p50 and the Ekp mutant. These results provide essential information for the isolation of this important gene, which may shed light on the mechanism of proleg development in the silkworm and possibly in Lepidoptera.
Publications:
Xiang H, Li MW, Yang F, Guo QH, Zhan S, Lin HX, Miao XX, Huang YP. (2008) Fine mapping of Ekp-1, a locus associated with silkworm (Bombyx mori) proleg development. Heredity 100: 533-540. Liu WB, Yang F, Jia SH, Miao XX, and Huang YP*. (2008) Cloning and characterization of Bmrunt from the silkworm Bombyx mori During embryonic development. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 69: 47-59. Zhang Y, Huang JH, Zhou B, Zhang CL, Liu WB, Miao XX, Huang YP. (2008) Up-regulation of lysozyme gene expression during metamorphosis and immune challenge of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera. Archives of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry 70: 18-29. Miao XX, Li WH, Li MW, Zhao YP, Huang YP*. (2008) Inheritance and linkage analysis of co-dominant SSR markers on the sex chromosome of the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.). Genetic Research 90: 151-156. Liu WB, Zhang Y, Miao XX and Huang YP*. (2008) Identification and phylogeny of five male-specific lethal genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori. Entomological Research 38: S48–S56.
|
