Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics

Abstract Holometabolous insects undergo complex phenotypic changes during development in four major stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Such changes are typically driven by strong transcriptome and proteome dynamics, making this process an excellent system for comparing these two levels of regulatio...

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Main Authors: Maya Wilkens, Susanne Zimbelmann, Franziska Roth, Jasmin Cartano, Sergi Sayols, Mario Dejung, Michal Levin, Falk Butter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08414-z
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author Maya Wilkens
Susanne Zimbelmann
Franziska Roth
Jasmin Cartano
Sergi Sayols
Mario Dejung
Michal Levin
Falk Butter
author_facet Maya Wilkens
Susanne Zimbelmann
Franziska Roth
Jasmin Cartano
Sergi Sayols
Mario Dejung
Michal Levin
Falk Butter
author_sort Maya Wilkens
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Holometabolous insects undergo complex phenotypic changes during development in four major stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Such changes are typically driven by strong transcriptome and proteome dynamics, making this process an excellent system for comparing these two levels of regulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive paired transcriptome and proteome dataset of 17 timepoints across the developmental life cycle of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The analysis of this data revealed similarities and differences between transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression, enabling the identification of stage-specific characteristics. Specifically, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was enriched in genes expressed especially in adults. We examined protein-transcript correlations and characterized stage-specific dynamics. The majority of genes for which transcript and protein dynamics differ are linked to translation and RNA regulation. Our data constitute a rich resource enabling comparative analysis of developmental regulatory dynamics. Comparison of silkworm developmental gene expression with publicly available data for D. melanogaster revealed similar gene regulatory patterns at the transcriptome and proteome levels, underscoring the importance of the evolutionary conservation of tightly coordinated developmental processes.
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spelling doaj-art-ed4dc548a1fd4e6ab7245520e767d46f2025-08-20T03:03:45ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-07-018111810.1038/s42003-025-08414-zUnraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomicsMaya Wilkens0Susanne Zimbelmann1Franziska Roth2Jasmin Cartano3Sergi Sayols4Mario Dejung5Michal Levin6Falk Butter7Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)Abstract Holometabolous insects undergo complex phenotypic changes during development in four major stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Such changes are typically driven by strong transcriptome and proteome dynamics, making this process an excellent system for comparing these two levels of regulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive paired transcriptome and proteome dataset of 17 timepoints across the developmental life cycle of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The analysis of this data revealed similarities and differences between transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression, enabling the identification of stage-specific characteristics. Specifically, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was enriched in genes expressed especially in adults. We examined protein-transcript correlations and characterized stage-specific dynamics. The majority of genes for which transcript and protein dynamics differ are linked to translation and RNA regulation. Our data constitute a rich resource enabling comparative analysis of developmental regulatory dynamics. Comparison of silkworm developmental gene expression with publicly available data for D. melanogaster revealed similar gene regulatory patterns at the transcriptome and proteome levels, underscoring the importance of the evolutionary conservation of tightly coordinated developmental processes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08414-z
spellingShingle Maya Wilkens
Susanne Zimbelmann
Franziska Roth
Jasmin Cartano
Sergi Sayols
Mario Dejung
Michal Levin
Falk Butter
Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
Communications Biology
title Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
title_full Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
title_fullStr Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
title_full_unstemmed Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
title_short Unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
title_sort unraveling developmental gene regulation in holometabolous insects through comparative transcriptomics and proteomics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08414-z
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