The initiation of pupation by larval DNA broken with ecdysterone or cortisone was investigated by using Bombyx mori. A single strand scission (nick) was produced by treating mildly the DNA with the steroid hormone-i-Cu2+ and the nicked DNA was then injected into the posterior part of the ligated prepupa. It was observed that the pupation-inducing action of DNA treated with ecdysterone is strong...

In the silkworm Bombyx mori, densovirus type 1 (BmDNV-1) replicates only in the midgut and causes fatal disease. Resistance to BmDNV-1 is determined by two genes, nsd-1 and Nid-1, respectively. Neither of them has been identified yet. We investigated the viral transcript by RT-PCR in inoculated silkworms carrying different sets of nsd-1 and Nid-1 genotype. BmDNV-1 transcript was not detected in...

A novel miniature rotation device used in conjunction with a scanning transmission x-ray microscope is described. It provides convenient in situ sample rotation to enable measurements of linear dichroism at high spatial resolution. The design, fabrication, and mechanical characterization are presented. This device has been used to generate quantitative maps of the spatial distribution of the or...

The research work was carried out to evaluate and compare the growth performance and productivity of a strain of silkworm, Bombyx mori (EC1) fed with three different varieties of mulberry plant (K2, S-36 and E-Lobe).The experiment was carried out at ambient conditions 37oC and 55% R.H. The parameters used to evaluate the growth performance were larval length, width and weight while the characte...

The wild silkmoth genus Sinobirma Bryk, 1944 is a poorly known monotypic taxon from the eastern end of the Himalaya Range. It was convincingly proposed to be closely related to some members of an exclusively Afro-tropical group of Saturniidae, but its biogeographical and evolutionary history remains enigmatic. After examining recently collected material from Tibet, northern India, and northeast...

The 30-kDa lipoprotein (LP) family of mulberry silkworm comprises major hemolymph proteins specific to the fifth instar larvae. The family consists of 46 members, 24 of which are referred to as typical 30-kDa LPs. To date, two crystal structures of 30-kDa LPs from Bombyx mori have been described (Bmlp3 and Bmlp7). Here, we present the crystal structure of Bmlp6, another 30-kDa LP member. Bmlp6 ...