Two Bombyx mori acetylcholinesterase genes influence motor control and development in different ways

Abstract

Among its other biological roles, acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7), encoded by two ace in most insects, catalyses the breakdown of acetylcholine, thereby terminating synaptic transmission. ace1 encodes the synaptic enzyme and ace2 has other essential actions in many insect species, such as Chilo suppressalis and Plutella xylostella. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been domesticated for more than two thousand years and its aces have no history of pesticide exposure. Here, we investigated the functional differences between two ace genes, BmAce1 and BmAce2, in the silkworm. qPCR analysis indicated that BmAce1 is highly expressed in muscle and BmAce2 is more ubiquitously expressed among tissues and enriched in the head. Both genes were separately suppressed using chemically synthesized siRNAs. The mRNA abundance of the two ace genes was significantly reduced to about 13% – 75% of the control levels after siRNA injection. The AChE activities were decreased to 32% to 85% of control levels. Silencing BmAce2 resulted in about 26% mortality, faster and higher than the 20% in the siBmAce1-treated group. Silencing BmAce1 impacted motor control and development to a greater extent than silencing BmAce2, although both treatment groups suffered motor disability, slowed development and reduced cocoons. Both genes have essential, differing biological significance.

Vaccination with Schistosoma mansoni Cholinesterases Reduces the Parasite Burden and Egg Viability in a Mouse Model of Schistosomiasis

“…It could also be that ChE vaccination affected the fecundity and egg maturity given the significantly smaller size of worms recovered from vaccinated groups, compared to controls. Indeed, previous studies on insects demonstrated that the suppression of AChE expression considerably reduced the weight and length of surviving organisms [39][40][41] and severely affected the hatching ability of the eggs laid [39,42]. These reports have suggested that dysregulated cell proliferation and apoptosis during larval growth may be reasons for such phenotypic effects attributed to the absence of AChE, although such a link in trematodes remains to be established.…”

Vaccination withSchistosoma mansonicholinesterases reduces parasite burden and egg viability in a mouse model of schistosomiasis

“…It could also be that ChE vaccination affected fecundity and egg maturity given the significantly smaller size of worms recovered from vaccinated groups, compared to controls. Indeed, previous studies on insects demonstrated that suppression of AChE expression considerably reduced the weight and length of surviving organisms [35][36][37] and severely affected the hatching ability of the eggs laid [35,38]. These reports have suggested that dysregulated cell proliferation and apoptosis during larval growth may be reasons for such phenotypic effects attributed to the absence of AChE, although such a link in trematodes remains to be established.…”

Identification and validation of potential reference gene for effective dsRNA knockdown analysis in Chilo partellus

“…The larvae were sorted according to their growth stages and maintained on fresh maize stem for approximately 3 days to adapt to the new artificial environment (26 °C ± 2 and 65% humidity). dsRNA were targeted against vital genes that have been reported to induce silencing in order Lepidoptera: Chitinase , Vacuolar ATPase , Arginine kinase 47 , acetylcholinesterase 45 , and cytochrome P450 48 . dsRNAs were induced in bacteria as described by 14 and purified according to 49 .…”