Establishment of a cell-based assay system for measuring the level of Masc-induced dosage compensation in silkworm cultured cells

The Masculinizer (Masc) gene encodes a CCCH-tandem zinc finger protein that controls both masculinization and dosage compensation in the silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). We previously measured the masculinizing activity of the lepidopteran Masc proteins and their derivatives using B. mori ovary-derived cell line BmN-4. In this study, we newly established an RNA-seq data-based assay in which the level of B. mori Masc (BmMasc)-induced dosage compensation can be estimated in BmN-4 cells.