Dietary sterol preference in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Abstract

Since insects are unable to biosynthesize sterols de novo, sterols must be obtained from dietary sources. Although it has been reported that β-sitosterol is crucial for larval growth in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, little has been investigated concerning the dietary selection of sterols by Bombyx larvae. Here, we demonstrate that Bombyx larvae have the following sterol preference: β-sitosterol ≫ ergosterol > cholesterol = stigmasterol. Interestingly, Bombyx larvae preferred ergosterol, an inhibitory sterol on larval growth, indicating that sterol selection following first contact of the diet with the mouthpart might be different from the sterol recognition mechanism present in sterol metabolism.