Development of a New piggyBac Vector for Generating Transgenic Silkworms using the Kynurenine 3-mono Oxygenase Gene

Abstract

We constructed a new piggyBac vector using the Bombyx kynurenine 3-mono oxygenase gene under the control of the cytoplasmic actin gene promoter (A3KMO). The vector contains an Upstream Activation Sequence (UAS) from yeast GAL4 with the terminator of the SV40 early gene and A3KMO. We tested whether the new vector could be applied to construct transgenic silkworms by inserting a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene downstream of UAS. The result showed that the vector could be used for making transgenic silkworms. The transgenic first instar larvae were easily visible to the naked eye due to their brown integuments. Strong GFP expression was observed in the eggs and larvae when a G1 silkworm was crossed with a strain showing strong GAL4 expression in all stages and tissues.