家蚕是重要的经济昆虫，约5000年前从野桑蚕驯化而来。蚕丝是纺织丝绸的原料。在长期驯化和育种选择作用下家蚕的茧丝产量比野桑蚕的提高了3-5倍。然而，我们对家蚕与野桑蚕蚕茧蛋白质组的比较分析却发现：家蚕蚕茧中许多丝胶组分蛋白的丰度是显著低于野桑蚕蚕茧的。家蚕蚕茧中3个功能未知的蛋白酶抑制剂排在10个下调最大蛋白之列。本项目拟从蛋白质组入手，利用功能基因组学、群体基因组学等多组学方法研究驯化过程中家蚕蚕茧蛋白丰度下调的分子进化机理和调控机制；研究在家蚕蚕茧中丰度下调而在野桑蚕蚕茧中丰度上调最大的3个功能未知蛋白酶抑制剂的功能和其在抵抗外源微生物方面的作用。该研究不仅对揭示家蚕驯化遗传学机理有重要理论意义，而且对家蚕遗传育种和野生基因资源开发利用有重要实用价值。

The domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect. It was domesticated from its progenitor wild silkworm (B. mandarina) about 5000 years ago. The silk is raw material of silk cloth. Silk yield of cocoon of the domestic silkworm increased 3-5 times compared with that of wild silkworm during domestication. However, our comparative analysis of proteomes of cocoon between the domestic and wild silkworms suggested that abundances of most protein components of sericin of cocoon in the domestic silkworm are significantly less than those in wild silkworm. Of 10 top less abundance proteins, 3 belong to protease inhibitors. In this project, we intend to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms of down-regulated proteins of cocoon during silkworm domestication by exploiting proteomics, functional genomics and population genomics approaches. Also, we will investigate the functions of three the most up-regulated protease inhibitors in wild silkworm cocoon and the effects of these protease inhibitors on microorganisms. The research will not only provide valuable information for understanding genetics of silkworm domestication but also improve the silkworm breeding and use of gene resource in wild silkworm.