Antiviral activity in the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

The silkworm Bombyx mori is exploited both as a powerful biological model system and also as a tool to convert leaf protein into silk. Silkworm larvae often suffer from viral infections causing heavy losses to the economy of the silk industry. Insects exhibit both humoral and cellular immune responses that are effective against various pathogens like bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc., but no insect immune response is effective against viral infections. To date, no satisfactory reports are available on antiviral immunity of the silkworm. Some efforts have been made by very few workers to identify and characterize the antiviral proteins in the silkworm. In the present article the mode of viral infection, and the activity of certain antiviral proteins involved in silkworm immunity and also in some other insects are discussed. The investigation will be helpful in understanding the molecular aspects of antiviral immunity, disease control and may form the basis for potential use of silkworm in other fields such as medicine.