Presenilin is involved in larval-pupal metamorphosis development of Bombyx mori

Disruption of the presenilin (ps) genes are the major genetic cause of familial Alzheimer's disease. The silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori), is an important model insect. The ps homologue gene in B. mori was identified and characterized. However, the role of ps in B. mori was poorly understood. Here, we found that Bmps was ubiquitously expressed in all the tested tissues during metamorphosis. In the current study, loss-of-function analysis of Bmps was performed by the binary transgenic CRISPR/cas9 system. Compared with the wild type, the developmental time of increment Bmps animals were significantly delayed. In addition, increment Bmps showed abnormal appendage including antenna, leg, wing and eye during pupal and adult stages. RNA-seq analysis indicated that apoptosis and proliferation related pathways were affected in increment Bmps. Moreover, the Hippo pathway was affected by Bmps depletion in brain and wing disc. Our results suggest that PS is essential for maintaining the dynamic balance of apoptosis and proliferation during metamorphosis.

Automated summary

This study identified the ps homologue gene in B. mori and found that PS plays an essential role in maintaining the dynamic balance of apoptosis and proliferation during metamorphosis. Loss-of-function analysis of Bmps using the binary transgenic CRISPR/cas9 system revealed delayed developmental time and abnormal appendages in Bmps-depleted animals, along with affected apoptosis and proliferation related pathways and the Hippo pathway.