Characteristics of genes in carotenoid cocoon color, Bombyx mori L

The cocoon’s color of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. is usually white. But some are yellow, flesh and green colors because of modified characteristics. The yellow and flesh cocoons depend on carotenoid pigments, green cocoons are determined by flavonoid pigments. The cocoon’s color is affected by the genes controlling penetration process from midgut to coelom and silk gland. Y (Yellow blood, 2-25.6) and I (Yellow-inhibitor, 9-16.2) genes are involved in the penetration process of carotenoid pigments from midgut to coelom, C (Outer-layer yellow cocoon, 12-7.2) and F (Flesh, 6-13.6) genes from coelom to silk gland. Therefore, the carotenoid cocoon’s color depends on the genotype Y, I, C and F genes and their combination. Among them, C gene is sympathetic gene, which are known as C, CI and CD. C (Outer-layer yellow cocoon) genes make yellow cocoons on outer-layer and white cocoons on inter-layer, and CI (Inner-layer yellow cocoon) genes do yellow cocoons on inter-layer and dilute yellow cocoons on outer-layer. CD gene is known as making dilute yellow cocoons all layer. In this study, we have checked the dominance relation of C sympathetic genes among carotenoid genes for color cocoons by using strains related to the genes for color cocoons and investigated the aspect that pigments were penetrated in silk gland by action of each gene. ⓒ 2017 The Korean Society of Sericultural Sciences Int. J. Indust. Entomol. 35(2), 71-76 (2017)