A visible dominant marker for insect transgenesis

Mizuko Osanai-Futahashi (), Takahiro Ohde, Junya Hirata, Keiro Uchino, Ryo Futahashi, Toshiki Tamura, Teruyuki Niimi and Hideki Sezutsu ()
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Mizuko Osanai-Futahashi: Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
Takahiro Ohde: Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University
Junya Hirata: Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University
Keiro Uchino: Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
Ryo Futahashi: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Toshiki Tamura: Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
Teruyuki Niimi: Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University
Hideki Sezutsu: Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan

Nature Communications, 2012, vol. 3, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Transgenesis of most insects currently relies on fluorescence markers. Here we establish a transformation marker system causing phenotypes visible to the naked eye due to changes in the color of melanin pigments, which are widespread in animals. Ubiquitous overexpression of arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, changes the color of newly hatched first-instar larvae from black to a distinctive light brown color, and can be used as a molecular marker by directly connecting to baculovirus immediate early 1 gene promoter. Suppression of black pigmentation by Bm-arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase can be observed throughout the larval stages and in adult animals. Alternatively, overexpression in another gene, B. mori β-alanyl-dopamine synthetase (Bm-ebony), changes the larval body color of older instars, although first-instar larvae had normal dark coloration. We further show that ectopic Bm-arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase expression lightens coloration in ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis and fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, highlighting the potential usefulness of this marker for transgenesis in diverse insect taxa.

Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2312

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