Molecular Characterization of Two Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases: p38 MAP Kinase and Ribosomal S6 Kinase From Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), and Insight Into Their Roles in Response to BmNPV Infection

Muhammad, Azharuddin; Toufeeq, Shahzad; Yu, Hai-Zhong; Wang, Jie; Zhang, Shang-Zhi; Li, Bing; Li, Zhen; Yang, Li-Ang; Hu, Pei; Ma, Yan; Xu, Jia-Ping

The translation and transcription profiles of Bmp38 and BmS6K exposed that their expression was higher in BC9 (resistant strain). Next, we analyzed the effect of Bmp38 and BmS6K in BC9 through blocking with antibody on virus proliferation. We injected anti-Bmp38/anti-BmS6K serum, preimmune serum, and CK to silkworm (B. mori). After 30 min, BmNPV (1 × 10 5 /ml) suspension per os was orally administered. RT-qPCR was performed to analysis the relative copy number of viral genes GP41, IE-1, and GP64. The results indicated that after blocking of Bmp38 with anti-Bmp38, relative copy number of viral genes were upregulated than preimmune serum and CK (Fig. 8A) . However, blocking of BmS6K with anti-BmS6K showed that relative copy number of viral genes was significantly upregulated than CK, but significantly downregulated than preimmune serum (Fig. 8B ).