Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr‐h1), a zinc finger transcription factor, is involved in the metamorphosis and adult reproduction of insects. However, the role of Kr‐h1 in reproduction of holometabolic insects remains to be elucidated. The regulation network of Kr‐h1‐associated genes in the reproduction in Bombyx mori was investigated in this study. The higher expression level of BmKr‐h1 in the ovaries was detected during the late pupal stage and adults. RNA interference (RNAi)‐mediated depletion of BmKr‐h1 in the female at day 6 of pupae resulted in abnormal oocytes at 48 h post‐double‐stranded RNA treatment, which showed less yolk protein deposition and partially transparent chorion. RNA‐seq and subsequent differentially expressed transcripts analysis showed that knockdown of BmKr‐h1 caused a decrease in the expression of 2882 genes and an increase in the expression of 2565 genes in the oocytes at day 8 of pupae. Totally, 27 genes coding for transcription factors were down‐regulated, while six genes coding for other transcription factors were up‐regulated. BmKr‐h1 bound to the Kr‐h1 binding site of the transcription factors AP‐1 (activating protein‐1) and FOXG1 to increase their messenger RNA transcripts in the BmN cells, respectively. Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses of that positively co‐expressed with AP‐1 and FOXG1 transcripts showed mainly enrichment in the metabolic‐related pathways, the nutrient absorption and the yolk protein absorption processes. These data suggested that BmKr‐h1 might directly regulate the metabolic‐related pathways, the nutrient absorption and the yolk protein absorption processes or probably through AP‐1 and /or FOXG1 to regulate oocyte development.

中文翻译：

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转录组学分析揭示了家蚕卵母细胞发育中 BmKrüppel 同源基因 1 的调控网络

Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) 是一种锌指转录因子，参与昆虫的变态和成虫繁殖。然而，Kr-h1 在全代谢昆虫繁殖中的作用仍有待阐明。本研究调查了家蚕繁殖中 Kr-h1 相关基因的调控网络。在蛹后期和成虫期检测到卵巢中 BmKr-h1 的较高表达水平。RNA 干扰 (RNAi) 介导的雌性 BmKr-h1 在蛹第 6 天的消耗导致双链 RNA 处理后 48 小时异常卵母细胞，显示较少的卵黄蛋白沉积和部分透明的绒毛膜。RNA-seq 和随后的差异表达转录物分析表明，在蛹第 8 天，BmKr-h1 的敲低导致卵母细胞中 2882 个基因的表达降低和 2565 个基因的表达增加。总共有27个编码转录因子的基因被下调，而6个编码其他转录因子的基因被上调。BmKr-h1 与转录因子 AP-1（激活蛋白 1）和 FOXG1 的 Kr-h1 结合位点结合，以分别增加它们在 BmN 细胞中的信使 RNA 转录。基因本体富集和京都基因和基因组百科全书通路分析显示，与 AP-1 和 FOXG1 转录本正共表达的基因主要富集在代谢相关通路、营养吸收和蛋黄蛋白吸收过程中。