The human macular carotenoid transporter was firstly discovered using silkworm yellow-cocoon strains, known as Bombyx mori carotenoid selective transport system (BmCSTS). However, molecular mechanisms underlying the gene/protein expression and regulations in vivo remain elusive. Here, 620 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 1965 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and 67 co-genes (namely Co-DEGs-DEPs) from yellow-cocoon silkworm middle silk glands (MSGs) were identified by RNA-Seq based transcriptome and SWATH-based proteomic analysis. Notably, previously identified CBP-alike key factors were further demonstrated significantly up-regulated in all six B. mori yellow-cocoon strains (NB, NB × 306, 306 × NB, NB × 798, 798 × NB, and XH × NB) used in this study. The GO and KEGG analysis results clustered most DEGs and DEPs into multiple biological processes including both cellular components and molecular functions, especially protein synthesis and energy-metabolic pathways. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis results further revealed a predominant ribosome-biogenesis regulation working system during silkworm yellow-cocoon color formation. Additionally, high-efficient energy production and metabolism pathways (i.e. oxidative phosphorylation and citrate cycle) were also discovered, which might facilitate key gene/protein expressions and functions in BmCSTS, such as CBP and Cameo2.

人类黄斑类胡萝卜素转运蛋白是首先使用家蚕黄茧菌株（被称为家蚕类胡萝卜素选择性转运系统（BmCSTS））发现的。但是，体内基因/蛋白质表达和调控的分子机制仍然难以捉摸。在这里，通过基于RNA-Seq的转录组鉴定了来自黄茧蚕中丝腺（MSG）的620个差异表达基因（DEGs），1965个差异表达蛋白质（DEPs）和67个同基因（即Co-DEGs-DEPs）。以及基于SWATH的蛋白质组学分析。值得注意的是，先前确定的类似CBP的关键因素在所有六个家蚕中均得到了进一步明显上调。本研究中使用的黄茧菌株（NB，NB×306、306×NB，NB×798、798×NB和XH×NB）。GO和KEGG分析结果将大多数DEG和DEP聚集到多个生物过程中，包括细胞成分和分子功能，尤其是蛋白质合成和能量代谢途径。蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络分析结果进一步揭示了家蚕黄茧颜色形成过程中主要的核糖体-生物发生调控系统。此外，还发现了高效的能量产生和代谢途径（即氧化磷酸化和柠檬酸循环），这可能有助于BmCSTS中关键基因/蛋白质的表达和功能，例如CBP和Cameo2。