Resistance to Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus via overexpression of an endogenous antiviral gene in transgenic silkworms.

Transgenic technology is a powerful tool for improving disease-resistant species. Bmlipase-1, purified from the midgut juice of Bombyx mori, showed strong antiviral activity against B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). In an attempt to create an antiviral silkworm strain for sericulture, a transgenic vector overexpressing the Bmlipase-1 gene was constructed under the control of a baculoviral immediate early-1 (IE1) promoter. Transgenic lines were generated via embryo microinjection. The mRNA level of Bmlipase-1 in the midguts of the transgenic line was 27.3 % higher than that of the non-transgenic line. After feeding the silkworm with different amounts of BmNPV, the mortality of the transgenic line decreased to approximately 33 % compared with the non-transgenic line when the virus dose was 10(6) OB/larva. These results imply that overexpressing endogenous antiviral genes can enhance the antiviral resistance of silkworms.