Promotional activity of an uncharacterized protein Bm0979 on Nosema bombycis in silkworm, bombyx mori

Microsporidia are intracellular parasites that infect a diverse range of hosts, including economically significant insects like the silkworm (Bombyx mori). In this study, we investigated the effects of the microsporidian pathogen Nosema bombycis (Nb) on B. mori, with a focus on the cloning and functional characterization of the gene Bm0979. Our findings indicate that Bm0979 has at least two isoforms and is significantly upregulated in response to Nb infection. Functional assays involving overexpression and knockdown of Bm0979 in silkworm cells revealed that this gene promotes Nb proliferation, identifying it as a potential target for enhancing silkworm resistance to pebrine disease. Transcriptome sequencing further revealed that Bm0979 modulates the expression of genes related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which is implicated in immune responses and cellular metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions in silkworms and could contribute to the development of strategies for controlling microsporidia infections in sericulture.