Chitin synthase A: a novel epidermal development regulation gene in the larvae of Bombyx mori

Chitin synthase is the key regulatory enzyme for chitin synthesis and excretion in insects, as well as a specific target of insecticides. The chitin synthase A gene (BmChsA) cloned from Bombyx mori, the model species of lepidopteran, is an epidermis-specific expressed gene during the molting stage. Knockdown BmChsA gene in 3rd instar larvae increased the number of non-molting and abnormal molting larvae. Exposure to nikkomycin Z, a chitin synthase inhibitor downregulated the expression of BmChsA and decreased the amount of epidermis chitin during the molting process. The thickness of the new epidermis and its dense structure varied greatly. The exogenous hormones significantly upregulated the expression of BmChsA with low levels of endogenous MH and high levels of endogenous JH immediately after molting. With low levels of endogenous hormones during the mulberry intake process, BmChsA was rarely upregulated by exogenous hormones. With high levels of endogenous MH and low levels of endogenous JH during the molting stage, we did not detect the upregulation of BmChsA by exogenous hormones. The expression of BmChsA was regulated by endocrine hormones, which directly affected the chitin synthesis-dependent epidermal regeneration and molting process.