Downregulation of transcription factor promoted nucleopolyhedrovirus replication in .

The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the viral immune processes of organisms, with STAT being a key transcription factor downstream in this pathway. The gene of has two splicing forms, named and . This study compared the effects of the two splicing forms on nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection through cell-level interference and further explored whether participates in the immune response to BmNPV infection via transgenic intervention at the individual level. Our research results indicated that BmNPV upregulates the expression of and in BmE cells and larvae. Furthermore, BmE cells with interference of or displayed significantly higher expression levels of the viral gene and increased viral fluorescence compared to the control group after 48 h of infection with BmNPV. Then, we constructed transgenic silkworms with genetic interference, and the results showed that both the transgenic silkworms with systemic interference and midgut-specific interference of the two splice forms of exhibited significantly reduced survival rates and increased viral replication numbers after infection with BmNPV. The above results indicated that the gene is involved in the immune response of to BmNPV and these findings lay the foundation for further research on the mechanism of JAK/STAT signaling pathway involvement in BmNPV infection.