Upregulation of cytochrome P450s following exposure of the silkmoth, Bombyx mori to insecticides

Abstract

We examined which proteins were enhanced in the silkmoth in response to its exposure to insecticides. We previously found that the levels of four cytochrome P450s (CYPs) were higher following insecticide exposure (Yamamoto et al., 2010). In this study, we focused on other mRNAs encoding the silkmoth CYP proteins (CYP6B29, CYP18A1, CYP366A1, CYP302A1) induced. mRNA expression analysis revealed that each CYP mRNA was expressed in a tissue-specific manner and that expression was developmentally regulated. Quantitative PCR revealed that these CYP mRNAs were upregulated in the larval fat body after exposure of the silkmoth to various insecticides. Our results suggest that the CYPs can contribute to insecticide resistance in Lepidopterans.