Fig. 5.

Functional analysis of the BmTh gene. (A) RNAi effects on coloration in neonate larvae. Double-stranded RNA for EGFP (0.3 ng per individual, Top) or BmTh (3 ng per individual, Middle, and 0.3 ng per individual, Bottom) were injected into eggs within 4 h after laying. (Scale bar, 0.5 mm.) (B) Dose-dependent RNAi-induced suppression of targeted gene transcripts. EGFP-RNAi (EGFP) is shown as control. (C) Effects of the TH inhibitor, 3-iodo-tyrosine (3-IT), on the cuticular pattern of second instar day 0 larvae. (Scale bar, 1.5 mm.) (D) Dosage-dependence of treatment with 3-IT on the black stripe of the larval cuticle on second instar day 0 larvae. (E) Rescue of the sch mutant phenotype from chocolate to black color by feeding L-dopa to sch neonate larvae (Scale bar 0.5 mm.)