Characterization of the roles of DNA polymerases, clamp, and clamp loaders during s-phase progression and cell cycle regulation in the silkworm, bombyx mori

DNA replication is one of key event in cell-cycle progression, yet due to their importance and lethality, the chronological phenotypes of DNA synthesis machineries after the depletion of corresponding genes have proved difficult to study. In the present study, mRNAs for three DNA polymerases, a clamp, and three clamp loaders were gradually depleted from cultured silkworm cells by soaking RNAi. Interestingly, the depletion of these DNA synthesis factors had different effects on the cell growth rate and arrest of cell-cycle progression during time-lapse observation. The depletion of DNA polymerases immediately arrested the cell-cycle progression at the S phase, while that of PCNA, a DNA clamp, required more time to slow cell growth and finally induced apoptosis. Surprisingly, silkworm cells continued to undergo several rounds of cell division when the components of clamp loaders were knocked down.