家蚕是重要的经济昆虫和鳞翅目的模式昆虫。家蚕求偶及交配行为的成功对生殖繁衍至关重要，而有关的分子调控机制目前报道较少。模式生物黑腹果蝇的研究结果表明性别决定基因控制了性行为二态性。我们在前期研究家蚕的性别决定通路基因功能时发现fruitless基因的突变会导致雄性交配行为异常，而果蝇中fru突变导致求偶行为异常。这说明家蚕和果蝇性行为存在差异性，并且其调控相关的分子机制目前还不清楚。基于此，本项目拟利用生物信息学、基因组编辑及行为学手段对家蚕性别通路Bmfru基因在家蚕性行为的功能及调控性行为的分子基础进行深入的研究，并揭示Bmfru调控性行为的下游基因网络调控机理。研究结果一方面有利于深入理解性别决定基因在性别调控中的作用机制，另一方面可以揭示生物性行为发育与调控的分子基础。

Silkworm is an important economic insect and the model of lepidoptera. The successful courtship and mating behavior of silkworm are crucial for its reproduction, however, the molecular regulation mechanism is less reported. The results in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster showed that sex-determining genes control sexually dimorphism behaviors. In our previous study, we found that the mutagenesis of silkworm fruitless gene, which is involved in the sex determination, disrupted male mating behavior. However, the Drosophila resulted in an abnormal courtship behavior. These mean that the sex behaviors is different between Drosophila and silkworm. And related molecular mechanism of silkworm Bmfru in courtship and mating is still unclear. Based on these, this project intends to use bioinformatics, genome editing and behavioral approaches to study the molecular function of silkworm sex pathway gene Bmfru in sexual behavior. Our aim is to reveal the mechanism of Bmfru regulation on sexual behavior and downstream gene networks. We hope that the results will be helpful for understanding the regulation mechanism of sex determination genes in sex determination and the molecular basis of development and regulation of sexual behaviors.