Studies on membrane traffic in metazoans using the silkworm mutants and the development of a new model organism for the drug discovery

根据基因组信息，通过定位克隆鉴定了负责 ov（Var 斑驳半透明）和 ovp（针头 ov）的基因，并被揭示为 Bmdysb，编码 Dysbindin，BLOC-1 的亚基，BLOC-1 是形成溶酶体相关细胞器（LRO）所需的蛋白质复合物。 Bmdysb 的转录在 ov 和 ovp 中显着减少。其他幼虫半透明突变体 obt 和 otm 也进行了研究。这些突变体分别是由编码 BLOC-1 不同亚基的基因引起的。因此，BLOC-1亚基对家蚕幼虫表皮细胞尿酸盐颗粒的形成起着至关重要的作用。

The gene responsible for ov (mottled translucent of Var) and ovp (ov of pinhead) was identified by positional cloning based on the genome information, and was revealed to be Bmdysb, encoding the Dysbindin, a subunit of BLOC-1, a protein complex required for formation of lysosome-related organelles (LROs). The transcription of Bmdysb was drastically reduced in ov and ovp. Other larval translucent mutants, obt and otm were also investigated. These mutants were caused by the genes encoding different subunits of BLOC-1, respectively. Therefore, it is concluded that the subunits of BLOC-1 play crucial roles in formation of urate granules in the cells of larval epidermis of the silkworm.