Comparative analysis of testis transcriptome between a genetic male sterile line (GMS) and its wild-type 898WB in silkworm, Bombyx mori

Purpose:The purpose of study these processes, is helpful to understand the mechanisms of genetic sterility of lepidopteran insects and achieve sterile insect technique (SIT) for pest control. Methods:Intact testes were dissected on day 5 of fifth-instar larvae and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen for RNA-Seq. The testes from three silkworms were taken as one biological sample, and three samples per strain were prepared as biological replicates. Results: A total of 1,872 up-regulated genes and 1,823 down-regulated genes were detected in the testis of the GMS mutant. Several genes play important roles in spermatogenesis and testicular development, such as “serine/threonine protein kinase”, “organic cation transporter protein”, “tyrosine protein kinase”,“lncRNAs” and “immune-associated genes”, and so on. GO (Gene ontology) annotation and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis was performed for functional annotation of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). KEGG pathway analysis showed that the DEGs annotated to 123 pathways, and 10 pathways were enriched significantly, such as “metabolic pathway”, “biosynthesis of amino acids”, and “phagosome–lysosome pathway” associated with the testis development and spermatogenesis. The qPCR expression results were similar to the results obtained from the RNA-seq data, which showed the sequencing results were reliable. Conclusions:Differentially expressed genes of the testes between GMS mutant and 898WB were screened by RNA-Seq technology, which provide reliable reference for understanding the mechanism of male sterility in GMS mutant. Overall design: comparative transcriptome analysis of testes between three biological replicates of the GMS mutant and wild strain 898WB.