@article{oai:soar-ir.repo.nii.ac.jp:00019424, author = {Masumoto, Mika and Ohde, Takahiro and Shiomi, Kunihiro and Yaginuma, Toshinobu and Niimi, Teruyuki}, issue = {11}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, month = {Nov}, note = {Many promoters have been used to drive expression of heterologous transgenes in insects. One major obstacle in the study of non-model insects is the dearth of useful promoters for analysis of gene function. Here, we investigated whether the promoter of the immediate-early gene, ie1, from the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) could be used to drive efficient transgene expression in a wide variety of insects. We used a piggyBac-based vector with a 3xP3-DsRed transformation marker to generate a reporter construct; this construct was used to determine the expression patterns driven by the BmNPV ie1 promoter; we performed a detailed investigation of the promoter in transgene expression pattern in Drosophila melanogaster and in B. mori. Drosophila and Bombyx belong to different insect orders (Diptera and Lepidoptera, respectively); however, and to our surprise, ie1 promoter-driven expression was evident in several tissues (e.g., prothoracic gland, midgut, and tracheole) in both insects. Furthermore, in both species, the ie1 promoter drove expression of the reporter gene from a relatively early embryonic stage, and strong ubiquitous ie1 promoter-driven expression continued throughout the larval, pupal, and adult stages by surface observation. Therefore, we suggest that the ie1 promoter can be used as an efficient expression driver in a diverse range of insect species., Article, PLOS ONE.7(11):e49323(2012)}, title = {A Baculovirus Immediate-Early Gene, ie1, Promoter Drives Efficient Expression of a Transgene in Both Drosophila melanogaster and Bombyx mori}, volume = {7}, year = {2012} }