• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.149-153
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• 2002

Induction of non-diapause eggs and manifestation of quantitative characters were studied in different seasons by low temperature incubation of eggs of a low yielding diapause with coloured cocoons silkworm breed, RDI of Bombyx mori. Hundred percent of nandiapause eggs were induced when the egg incubation was carried out at 15$^{\circ}C$ followed by incubation initially at $25^{\circ}C$ and then at $15^{\circ}C$. The diapause-nondia-pause relation was found to be reversible. Analysis of variance study demonstrated significant variation in all the quantitative characters whereas significant variation due to different incubation treatments was observed for larval span, fifth instar larval span, cocoon yield/10,000 larvae by weight, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, and cocoon shell ratio. study on hybrid vigour skewed significant heterosis over mid parent value for four economic characters viz., cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio and filament length in a Fl hybrid between RD1 with diapause eggs and Japanese type bivoltine $NB_{4} D_{2}$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.72-76
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• 1996

To investigate the expression efficiency of new transfer vector of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), Escherichia coli lacZ gene was inserted into new transfer vector pBmKSK1, under the control of polyhedrin promoter and expressed in BmN-4 cells and larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori. The recombinant virus containing lacZ gene was isolated from BmN-4 cells coinfected with transfer vectro pBmKSK1-LacZ and wild type BmNPV genome, and analysed by Southern blotting. The expression of ${\beta}$-galactosidase was characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity assay. The results showed that the level of expression in silkworm larvae was higher than that of BmN-4 cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.400-403
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• 2008

The insect baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is useful for producing biologically active recombinant proteins. However, the overexpressions of foreign proteins using this system often results in misfolded proteins and the formation of protein aggregates. To overcome this limitation, we developed a versatile baculovirus expression and secretion system using Bombyx mori protein disulfide isomerase (bPDI) as a fusion partner. bPDI gene fusion was found to improve the secretions and antibacterial activities of recombinant nuecin proteins. Thus, we conclude that bPDI gene fusion is a useful addition to BEVS for the large-scale production of bioactive recombinant proteins.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2001

Screening of fifteen bivoltine silkworm breeds of Bombyx mori Linn at a temperature of $31{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity of 85${\pm}$5% resulted in the identification of eight thermo-tolerant breeds. The survival and cocoon shell ratio of the tolerant breeds ranged from 72.7 to 78.7% and 20.0 to 20.1% respectively. The tolerant breeds comprised of four oval breeds and four dumb-bell breeds. Eight foundation crosses prepared by crossing the oval and dumb-bell parents among themselves were screened at a temperature of $31{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity of 85{\pm}5%. The performance of the foundation crosses on 11 economic characters were analysed by employing Multipie Trait Evaluation Index method. Four foundation crosses which scored average index value > 50 were selected as breeding parents and breeding initiated for the evolution of thermo-tolerant bivoltine silkworm breeds. The methodology and the results of the foundation crosses reared both at 31{\pm}1$^{\circ}C$ and at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ temperatures, are discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2002

The introduction of hybrid and exploitation of heterosis has played a vital role in Indian sericulture industry, which clearly depicts a quantum jump in silk production during the last four decades. Since, the introduction of heterosis, progress in silkworm breeding has depended on success or failure in identifying better combiners. Systematic procedures developed have enabled the breeders to identify the best combiners by combining ability test, line ${\TIMES}$ tester analysis or $D^2$ analysis for maximum expression of heterosis. The level of heterosis expressed in the crossbreed population is determined by the interaction between genotype and prevailing environmental factors. Except some of the pre and post cocoon parameters, heterosis is invariably higher in single crosses compared to three-way and double crosses. However, during hot and humid season, when rearing of F1 bivoltine hybrid is unsuccessful at field level and indigenous races results in very low and poor quality yield, three-way and double crosses can play an important role as an intermediary technology. The objective of this article is to review briefly the concept and causes of heterosis, utilization of different forms of heterosis in silk production and its significance in silkworm, Bombyx mori breeding.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2002

Parthenogenetic development, hybrid vigour and cocoon shape variability were studied in bivoltine F1 hybrids of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Considerable breed differences were observed in parthenogenetic ability. Among the parental breeds, CSR18 exhibited maximum parthenogenetic development (79.65%) followed by CSR4 (67.90%). Among bivoltine F1 hybrids, CSR18 ${\times}$ CSR4 showed highest parthenogenetic development (73.32%) followed by CSR2 ${\times}$ CSR4 (55.43%). Study on hybrid vigour demonstrated that CSR18 ${\times}$ CSR19 expressed maximum significant hybrid vigour for all the seven economic characters over Mid Parent Value (MPV) followed by CSR2 ${\times}$ CSR4 and CSR18 ${\times}$ CSR4 exhibiting significant heterosis for six characters. Cocoon shape measurement study revealed that among ten bivoltine F1 hybrids, cocoons of three hybrids were found comparatively uniform. Importance of this study to know the level of paythenogenetic development, hybrid vigour and cocoon shape variability in different bivoltine F1 hybrids have been discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2002

We have cloned and characterized the complete fibroin light chain gene from the silkworm Baekok-Jam, Bombyx mori, a recommended variety in Korea. It consists of seven exons and six introns. It consists of 14,663 nucleotides long with an open reading frame of 786 nucleotides that encodes a protein of 262 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of approximately 26,000 dalton. The amino acid alignment revealed that the Baekok-Jam fibroin light chain had 98.5 % protein sequence identity to J139 strain: differed at four amino acid positions (11, 46, 80 and 123). The Northern hybridization analysis showed that the Baekok-Jam fibroin light chain gene was specifically expressed in the posterior silk gland.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.129-132
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• 2001

Biometabolic assessment was made in early and late embryonic stage (just before hatching) of one poly, one bi and their hybrids (DP, YPe, DP ${\times} Ype, and YPe ${\times} DP respectively ) of Bombyx mori to observe the racial differences. Protein and nucleic acid (RNA and DNA) concentrations were recorded to be significantly higher in bivoltine breed (YPe) and also in the hybrid than the polyvoltine (DP) strain in both the stages of embryonic development. The single egg weight of polyvoltine race was lower as compared to that of bivoltine and the hybrid studied. Age specific changes in all the biomolecules were evident where protein and RNA concentrations were elevated sharply in prehatched larvae while in case of DNA it was observed to be just reverse. The differences in protein, RNA and DNA composition between breeds and hybrids reflect the racial variations in biometabolic demands responsible for differential growth and development of the breeds and hybrids.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.63-72
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• 2006

Parthenogenesis, the development of unfertilized ovum opens new perspectives in silkworm breeding in the development of homozygous breeds. In order to improve induction of artificial parthenogenesis in the excised unfertilized eggs of different breeds of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., a new method was devised and the results were compared with the routine method. General and specific combining abilities and hybrid vigour of newly developed bivoltine breeds were analyzed utilizing bivoltine breeds viz., $CSR_2,\;CSR_4,\;CSR_{17}\;and\;NB_4D_2$ Estimation of GCA revealed superiority of the breeds, $DNB_1$ for eight characters followed by $DNB_4$ for five characters. Among the testers, $CSR_2$ was found good general combiner for seven characters followed by $CSR_{17}$ for four characters. A great deal of variations was observed among the hybrids studied. Five hybrids namely, $DNB_1{\times}CSR_2,\;DNB_4{\times}CSR_4,\;DNB_4{\times}NB_4D_2,\;DNB_6{\times}CSR_2\;and\;DNB_7{\times}CSR_2$ showed significant SCA effects for 5-6 characters. The hybrid, $DNB_4{\times}CSR_4$ showed its superiority by expressing significant hybrid vigour over BPV for 7 characters. Majority of the hybrids exhibited significant hybrid vigour for survival rate, yield/10,000 larvae by weight, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, filament length and denier.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 2010

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) catalyzes the oxidation of disulfides and the isomerizatiob of incorrect disulfides in new polypeptides during folding in the oxidizing environment of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To increase recombinant protein hSCF (human stem cell factor) production, we have developed expression system using the Bombyx mori PDI (bPDI) as a fusion partner. bPDI gene fusion was found to improve the production of recombinant hSCFs. Thus, we conclude that bPDI gene fusion will be very useful for the large-scale production of biologically active recombinant proteins.