Vol. 9, Issue 8, Part I (2025)

The domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) is a model species of great economic and biological significance. Traditional breeding has significantly enhanced silk yield and disease resistance; however, it remains time-consuming and lacks precision. Recent advancements in molecular breeding and genetic engineering—particularly the advent of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9-have revolutionized silkworm research. These approaches enable precise manipulation of target genes, facilitating the development of transgenic silkworms with desirable traits, including enhanced silk productivity, resistance to viral pathogens such as nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), and the ability to produce therapeutic and industrial recombinant proteins, such as human interferon, epidermal growth factor, and spider silk proteins. This review comprehensively discusses the progress in molecular breeding strategies (including marker-assisted selection and traditional transgenic), gene editing tools with a focus on CRISPR-Cas9, and future prospects for the genetic improvement of silkworms in both commercial sericulture and biotechnology applications.