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Liang J, Lu H, Hao H, Zhang Q, Chen K, Xiang Z, He N. Post-ingestive stability of a mulberry Kunitz-type protease inhibitor MnKTI-1 in the digestive lumen of silkworm: dual inhibition towards α-amylase and serine protease. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2860-2873. [PMID: 38375972 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adaptation of specialist insects to their host plants and defense responses of plants to phytophagous insects have been extensively recognized while the dynamic interaction between these two events has been largely underestimated. Here, we provide evidence for characterization of an unrevealed dynamic interaction mode of digestive enzymes of specialist insect silkworm and inhibitor of its host plant mulberry tree. RESULTS MnKTI-1, a mulberry Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, whose messenger RNA (mRNA) transcription and protein expression in mulberry leaf were severely triggered and up-regulated by tens of times in a matter of hours in response to silkworm, Bombyx mori, and other mulberry pest insects, suggesting a quick response and broad spectrum to insect herbivory. MnKTI-1 proteins were detected in gut content and frass of specialist B. mori, and exhibited significant post-ingestive stability. Recombinant refolded MnKTI-1 (rMnKTI-1) displayed binding affinity to digestive enzymes and a dual inhibitory activity to α-amylase BmAmy and serine protease BmSP2956 in digestive juice of silkworm. Moreover, data from in vitro assays proved that the inhibition of recombinant rMnKTI-1 to BmAmy can be reverted by pre-incubation with BmSP15920, an inactivated silkworm digestive protease that lack of complete catalytic triad. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that mulberry MnKTI-1 has the potential to inhibit the digestive enzyme activities of its specialist insect herbivore silkworm, whereas this insect may employ inactivated proteases to block protease inhibitors to accomplish food digestion. The current work provides an insight to better understand the interacting mode between host plant Kunitz protease inhibitors and herbivorous insect digestive enzymes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiubo Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hulin Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiye Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaiying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhonghuai Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ningjia He
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Toepfer S, Toth S, Zupan T, Bogataj U, Žnidaršič N, Ladanyi M, Sabotič J. Diabrotica v. virgifera Seems Not Affected by Entomotoxic Protease Inhibitors from Higher Fungi. INSECTS 2024; 15:60. [PMID: 38249066 PMCID: PMC10816698 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Certain soil insects, such as the root-damaging larvae of the maize pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), are increasingly difficult to control because of recent bans of some insecticides. An alternative and safer approach may be the development of biopesticides based on entomotoxic defense proteins of higher fungi. Many of these potentially interesting proteins are protease inhibitors, and some have been shown to adversely affect insects. We examined the effects of the cysteine protease inhibitors macrocypin 1, 3, and 4 from Macrolepiota procera, clitocypin from Clitocybe nebularis, and cocaprin 1 and the serine protease inhibitor cospin 1 from Coprinopsis cinerea on D. v. virgifera. We confirmed the inhibition by mycocypins of the cysteine catalytic-type proteolytic activities in gut extracts of larvae and adults. The inhibition of pGlu-Phe-Leu-hydrolyzing activity was stronger than that of Z-Phe-Arg-hydrolyzing activity. Mycocypins and cospin resisted long-term proteolytic digestion, whereas cocaprin 1 was digested. Bioassays with overlaid artificial diet revealed no effects of proteins on neonatal mortality or stunting, and no effects on adult mortality. Immersion of eggs in protein solutions had little effect on egg hatching or mortality of hatching neonates. Microscopic analysis of the peritrophic matrix and apical surface of the midguts revealed the similarity between larvae of D. v. virgifera and the chrysomelid Leptinotarsa decemlineata, which are sensitive to these inhibitors. The resistance of D. v. virgifera to fungal protease inhibitors is likely due to effective adaptation of digestive enzyme expression to dietary protease inhibitors. We continue to study unique protein complexes of higher fungi for the development of new approaches to pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Toepfer
- Department of Integrated Plant Protection, Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), 2100 Godollo, Hungary;
- CABI, 2800 Delemont, Switzerland
| | - Szabolcs Toth
- Department of Integrated Plant Protection, Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), 2100 Godollo, Hungary;
| | - Tanja Zupan
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.Z.); (J.S.)
| | - Urban Bogataj
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.B.); (N.Ž.)
| | - Nada Žnidaršič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.B.); (N.Ž.)
| | - Marta Ladanyi
- Department of Applied Statistics, Institute of Mathematics and Basic Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), 1118 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Jerica Sabotič
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.Z.); (J.S.)
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Rathnayaka Gamage SI, Kaewwongwal A, Laosatit K, Yimram T, Lin Y, Chen X, Nakazono M, Somta P. Tandemly duplicated genes encoding polygalacturonase inhibitors are associated with bruchid (Callosobruchus chinensis) resistance in moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia). PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 323:111402. [PMID: 35905896 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bruchids are stored-grain insect pests responsible for serious seed loss in legume crops. A previous study using an F2 population (F2OA) derived from a cross between wild moth-bean (Vigna aconitifolia [Jacq.] Maréchal) accession TN67 (resistant) and cultivated moth-bean accession ICPMO056 (susceptible) revealed that resistance to the azuki bean weevil (Callosobruchus chinensis L.) in TN67 was regulated by a single gene located in the major quantitative trait locus-qVacBrc2.1. In this study, qVacBrc2.1 was finely mapped and candidate genes in this locus were identified using F2OA and another large F2 population (F2NB) derived from the cross mentioned previously. In contrast to the previous study, segregation analysis in the F2NB population revealed that resistance against this pest was controlled by two genes. Furthermore, the addition of novel markers to qVacBrc2.1 and reanalysis of the QTL in the F2OA population demonstrated that qVacBrc2.1 constituted two linked QTLs-qVacBrc2.1-A and qVacBrc2.1-B. The presence of qVacBrc2.1-B was verified using the population F2NB. Comparative genomics using three Vigna spp. strongly suggested the presence of two tandemly duplicated genes, VacPGIP1 and VacPGIP2, which encoded polygalacturonase inhibitors (polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins) as the candidates for conferring resistance, but only VacPGIP1 could be successfully cloned and sequenced. The alignment of VacPGIP1 coding sequences of TN67 and ICPMO056 revealed eight single nucleotide polymorphisms, three of which altered the amino-acid sequence of the predicted domains of polygalacturonase inhibitors in ICPMO056. Overall, these findings indicate that VacPGIP1 and VacPGIP2 regulated C. chinensis resistance in TN67.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyali Iroshani Rathnayaka Gamage
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand; Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Anochar Kaewwongwal
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand
| | - Kularb Laosatit
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand
| | - Tarika Yimram
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand
| | - Yun Lin
- Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Mikio Nakazono
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Prakit Somta
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand.
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Kunert KJ, Pillay P. Loop replacement design: a new way to improve potency of plant cystatins. FEBS J 2022; 289:1823-1826. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Karl J. Kunert
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Department, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute University of Pretoria South Africa
| | - Priyen Pillay
- Future Production Chemicals Cluster Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Pretoria South Africa
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Pandey A, Yadav R, Sanyal I. Evaluating the pesticidal impact of plant protease inhibitors: lethal weaponry in the co-evolutionary battle. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:855-868. [PMID: 34570437 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the arsenal of plant defense, protease inhibitors (PIs) are well-designed defensive products to counter field pests. PIs are produced in plant tissues by means of 'stable defense metabolite' and triggered on demand as the perception of the signal and well established as a part of plant active defense. PIs have been utilized for approximately four decades, initially as a gene-alone approach that was later replaced by multiple gene pyramiding/gene stacking due to insect adaptability towards the PI alone. By considering the adaptive responses of the pest to the single insecticidal gene, the concept of gene pyramiding gained continuous appreciation for the development of transgenic crops to deal with co-evolving pests. Gene pyramiding approaches are executed to bypass the insect's adaptive responses against PIs. Stacking PIs with additional insecticidal proteins, plastid engineering, recombinant proteinase inhibitors, RNAi-based methods and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing are the advanced tools and methods for next-generation pest management. Undoubtedly, the domain associated with the mechanism of PIs in the course of plant-pest interactions will occupy a central role for the advancement of more efficient and sustainable pest control strategies. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankesh Pandey
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Reena Yadav
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
| | - Indraneel Sanyal
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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Tremblay J, Goulet MC, Vorster J, Goulet C, Michaud D. Harnessing the functional diversity of plant cystatins to design inhibitor variants highly active against herbivorous arthropod digestive proteases. FEBS J 2021; 289:1827-1841. [PMID: 34799995 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein engineering approaches have been proposed to improve the inhibitory properties of plant cystatins against herbivorous arthropod digestive proteases, generally involving the site-directed mutagenesis of functionally relevant amino acids or the selection of improved inhibitor variants by phage display approaches. Here, we propose a novel approach where the function-related structural elements of a cystatin are substituted by the corresponding elements of an alternative cystatin. Inhibitory assays were first performed with 20 representative plant cystatins and model Cys proteases, including arthropod proteases, to appreciate the extent of functional variability among the plant cystatin family. The most, and less, potent of these cystatins were then used as 'donors' of structural elements to create hybrids of tomato cystatin SlCYS8 used as a model 'recipient' inhibitor. In brief, inhibitory activities against Cys proteases strongly differed from one plant cystatin to another, with Ki (papain) values diverging by more than 30-fold and inhibitory rates against arthropod proteases varying by up to 50-fold depending on the enzymes assessed. In line with theoretical assumptions from docking models generated for different Cys protease-cystatin combinations, structural element substitutions had a strong impact on the activity of recipient cystatin SlCYS8, positive or negative depending on the basic inhibitory potency of the donor cystatin. Our data confirm the wide variety of cystatin inhibitory profiles among plant taxa. They also demonstrate the usefulness of these proteins as a pool of discrete structural elements for the design of cystatin variants with improved potency against herbivorous pest digestive Cys proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tremblay
- Département de phytologie, Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Claire Goulet
- Département de phytologie, Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Juan Vorster
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Charles Goulet
- Département de phytologie, Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Département de phytologie, Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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Shao E, Song Y, Wang Y, Liao Y, Luo Y, Liu S, Guan X, Huang Z. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of putative digestive proteases in the salivary gland and gut of Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii Matsuda. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:271. [PMID: 33858340 PMCID: PMC8048321 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07578-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infestation by tea green leafhoppers (Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii) can cause a series of biochemical changes in tea leaves. As a typical cell-rupture feeder, E. onukii secretes proteases while using its stylet to probe the tender shoots of tea plants (Camellia sinensis). This study identified and analyzed proteases expressed specifically in the salivary gland (SG) and gut of E. onukii through enzymatic activity assays complemented with an integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data. Results In total, 129 contigs representing seven types of putative proteases were identified. Transcript abundance of digestive proteases and enzymatic activity assays showed that cathepsin B-like protease, cathepsin L-like protease, and serine proteases (trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like protease) were highly abundant in the gut but moderately abundant in the SG. The abundance pattern of digestive proteases in the SG and gut of E. onukii differed from that of other hemipterans, including Nilaparvata lugens, Laodelphax striatellus, Acyrthosiphum pisum, Halyomorpha halys and Nephotettix cincticeps. Phylogenetic analysis showed that aminopeptidase N-like proteins and serine proteases abundant in the SG or gut of hemipterans formed two distinct clusters. Conclusions Altogether, this study provides insightful information on the digestive system of E. onukii. Compared to five other hemipteran species, we observed different patterns of proteases abundant in the SG and gut of E. onukii. These results will be beneficial in understanding the interaction between tea plants and E. onukii. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07578-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ensi Shao
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Yujuan Song
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Yaomin Wang
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Yichen Liao
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Yufei Luo
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Sijun Liu
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, 50011-3222 Ames, Iowa, USA.
| | - Xiong Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops & Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Zhipeng Huang
- China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, School of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China.
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Purification and Characterization of a Novel Thermostable Papain Inhibitor from Moringa oleifera with Antimicrobial and Anticoagulant Properties. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13040512. [PMID: 33917878 PMCID: PMC8068210 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant cystatins (or phytocystatins) comprise a large superfamily of natural bioactive small proteins that typically act as protein inhibitors of papain-like cysteine proteases. In this report, we present the purification and characterization of the first phytocystatin isolated from Moringa oleifera (MoPI). MoPI has a molecular mass of 19 kDa and showed an extraordinary physicochemical stability against acidic pHs and high temperatures. Our findings also revealed that MoPI is one of the most potent cysteine protease inhibitors reported to date, with Ki and IC50 values of 2.1 nM and 5.7 nM, respectively. More interestingly, MoPI presents a strong antimicrobial activity against human pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, MoPI also showed important anticoagulant activity, which is an unprecedented property for this family of protease inhibitors. These results highlight the pharmaceutical potential of this plant and its derived bioactive molecules.
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Kumar P, Akhter T, Bhardwaj P, Kumar R, Bhardwaj U, Mazumdar-Leighton S. Consequences of 'no-choice, fixed time' reciprocal host plant switches on nutrition and gut serine protease gene expression in Pieris brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245649. [PMID: 33471847 PMCID: PMC7817030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid adaptive responses were evident from reciprocal host-plant switches on performance, digestive physiology and relative gene expression of gut serine proteases in larvae of crucifer pest P. brassicae transferred from cauliflower (CF, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, family Brassicaceae) to an alternate host, garden nasturtium, (GN, Tropaeolum majus L., family Tropaeolaceae) and vice-versa under laboratory conditions. Estimation of nutritional indices indicated that larvae of all instars tested consumed the least food and gained less weight on CF-GN diet (significant at p≤0.05) as compared to larvae feeding on CF-CF, GN-GN and GN-CF diets suggesting that the switch to GN was nutritionally less favorable for larval growth. Nevertheless, these larvae, especially fourth instars, were adroit in utilizing and digesting GN as a new host plant type. In vitro protease assays conducted to understand associated physiological responses within twelve hours indicated that levels and properties of gut proteases were significantly influenced by type of natal host-plant consumed, change in diet as well as larval age. Activities of gut trypsins and chymotrypsins in larvae feeding on CF-GN and GN-CF diets were distinct, and represented shifts toward profiles observed in larvae feeding continuously on GN-GN and CF-CF diets respectively. Results with diagnostic protease inhibitors like TLCK, STI and SBBI in these assays and gelatinolytic zymograms indicated complex and contrasting trends in gut serine protease activities in different instars from CF-GN diet versus GN-CF diet, likely due to ingestion of plant protease inhibitors present in the new diet. Cloning and sequencing of serine protease gene fragments expressed in gut tissues of fourth instar P. brassicae revealed diverse transcripts encoding putative trypsins and chymotrypsins belonging to at least ten lineages. Sequences of members of each lineage closely resembled lepidopteran serine protease orthologs including uncharacterized transcripts from Pieris rapae. Differential regulation of serine protease genes (Pbr1-Pbr5) was observed in larval guts of P. brassicae from CF-CF and GN-GN diets while expression of transcripts encoding two putative trypsins (Pbr3 and Pbr5) were significantly different in larvae from CF-GN and GN-CF diets. These results suggested that some gut serine proteases that were differentially expressed in larvae feeding on different species of host plants were also involved in rapid adaptations to dietary switches. A gene encoding nitrile-specifier protein (nsp) likely involved in detoxification of toxic products from interactions of ingested host plant glucosinolates with myrosinases was expressed to similar levels in these larvae. Taken together, these snapshots reflected contrasts in physiological and developmental plasticity of P. brassicae larvae to nutritional challenges from wide dietary switches in the short term and the prominent role of gut serine proteases in rapid dietary adaptations. This study may be useful in designing novel management strategies targeting candidate gut serine proteases of P. brassicae using RNA interference, gene editing or crops with transgenes encoding protease inhibitors from taxonomically-distant host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawan Kumar
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Tabasum Akhter
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Parul Bhardwaj
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Usha Bhardwaj
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Singh S, Singh A, Kumar S, Mittal P, Singh IK. Protease inhibitors: recent advancement in its usage as a potential biocontrol agent for insect pest management. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:186-201. [PMID: 30230264 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant-derived protease inhibitors (PIs) are a promising defensin for crop improvement and insect pest management. Although agronomist made significant efforts in utilizing PIs for managing insect pests, the potentials of PIs are still obscured. Insect ability to compensate nutrient starvation induced by dietary PI feeding using different strategies, that is, overexpression of PI-sensitive protease, expression of PI-insensitive proteases, degradation of PI, has made this innumerable collection of PIs worthless. A practical challenge for agronomist is to identify potent PI candidates, to limit insect compensatory responses and to elucidate insect compensatory and resistance mechanisms activated upon herbivory. This knowledge could be further efficiently utilized to identify potential targets for RNAi-mediated pest control. These vital genes of insects could be functionally annotated using the advanced gene-editing technique, CRISPR/Cas9. Contemporary research is exploiting different in silico and modern molecular biology techniques to utilize PIs in controlling insect pests efficiently. This review is structured to update recent advancements in this field, along with its chronological background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujata Singh
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Kalkaji, New Delhi, India
| | - Archana Singh
- Department of Botany, Hans Raj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Kalkaji, New Delhi, India
| | - Pooja Mittal
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Kalkaji, New Delhi, India
| | - Indrakant K Singh
- Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Kalkaji, New Delhi, India
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Cantón PE, Bonning BC. Transcription and Activity of Digestive Enzymes of Nezara viridula Maintained on Different Plant Diets. Front Physiol 2020; 10:1553. [PMID: 31969835 PMCID: PMC6960134 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nezara viridula is a polyphagous stink bug that feeds on crops of economic importance such as corn, soybean and cotton. To increase understanding of the ability of this pest insect to feed on such diverse cropping systems, we analyzed the impact of an exclusive diet of corn or green bean on the enzymatic activity and transcriptomic profile of digestive enzymes. Growth rate and survival were reduced when insects were reared exclusively on green bean compared to corn. However, the overall protease and nuclease activity profiles were comparable between the two treatments. Distinct differences in inhibitor sensitivity and activity were seen in some cases, particularly for serine proteases in some regions of the midgut. The transcription profiles from N. viridula fed on corn versus green bean were distinct on principal component analysis of RNA-seq data. While specific transcripts differentially transcribed according to diet and across several tissues were identified, a large number of these transcripts remain unannotated. Further annotation for identification of these genes will be important for improved understanding of the remarkable polyphagy of N. viridula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Emiliano Cantón
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Bryony C Bonning
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Savić J, Nikolić R, Banjac N, Zdravković-Korać S, Stupar S, Cingel A, Ćosić T, Raspor M, Smigocki A, Ninković S. Beneficial implications of sugar beet proteinase inhibitor BvSTI on plant architecture and salt stress tolerance in Lotus corniculatus L. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 243:153055. [PMID: 31639537 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2019.153055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Food demands of increasing human population dictate intensification of livestock production, however, environmental stresses could jeopardize producers' efforts. Forage legumes suffer from yield losses and poor nutritional status due to salinity increase of agricultural soils. As tools aimed to reduce negative impacts of biotic or abiotic stresses, proteinase inhibitors (PIs) have been promoted for biotechnological improvements. In order to increase tolerance of Lotus corniculatus L. to salt stress, serine PI, BvSTI, was introduced into this legume using Agrobacterium rhizogenes, with final transformation efficiency of 4.57%. PCR, DNA gel-blot, RT-PCR and in-gel protein activity assays confirmed the presence and activity of BvSTI products in transformed lines. Plants from three selected transgenic lines (21, 73 and 109) showed significant alterations in overall phenotypic appearance, corresponding to differences in BvSTI accumulation. Lines 73 and 109 showed up to 7.3-fold higher number of tillers and massive, up to 5.8-fold heavier roots than in nontransformed controls (NTC). Line 21 was phenotypically similar to NTC, accumulated less BvSTI transcripts and did not exhibit an additional band of recombinant trypsin inhibitor as seen in lines 73 and 109. Exposure of the transgenic lines to NaCl revealed different levels of salt stress susceptibility. The NaCl sensitivity index, based on morphological appearance and chlorophyll concentrations showed that lines 73 and 109 were significantly less affected by salinity than NTC or line 21. High level of BvSTI altered morphology and delayed salt stress related senescence, implicating BvSTI gene as a promising tool for salinity tolerance improvement trials in L. corniculatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Savić
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Radomirka Nikolić
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nevena Banjac
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Snežana Zdravković-Korać
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sofija Stupar
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandar Cingel
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Ćosić
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Martin Raspor
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ann Smigocki
- USDA-ARS, Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Slavica Ninković
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
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Samiksha, Singh D, Kesavan AK, Sohal SK. Exploration of anti-insect potential of trypsin inhibitor purified from seeds of Sapindus mukorossi against Bactrocera cucurbitae. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17025. [PMID: 31745144 PMCID: PMC6863899 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptidase inhibitors (PIs) are defense proteins of plants which are active against gut peptidases of different insects. Sapindus mukorossi was identified as a source of bioactive PIs which could confer resistance against Bactrocera cucurbitae, a most devastating pest of several economically important crops. In the present study, a trypsin inhibitor was purified from mature dry seeds of S. mukorossi and characterized for its biochemical properties as well as its potential for bio control of B. cucurbitae. The purified fractions from RP- HPLC through SDS-PAGE gave an apparent molecular weight of ~29 kDa. S. mukorossi trypsin inhibitor (SMTI) was found to be a non-competitive inhibitor which was active over a broad range of temperature (10–100 °C) and pH (6–11). SMTI when incorporated in artificial diet inhibited the growth and development of B. cucurbitae larvae. Gene expression analysis of trypsin and chymotrypsin genes via qRT-PCR indicated that their mRNA expression was down-regulated while that of other genes namely, Catalase, Elastase, Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione –S-transferase and Alkaline Phosphatase was up regulated. SMTI also showed deleterious effects against different bacterial strains. The results of this study indicated that S. mukorossi trypsin inhibitor has potential to be used as a bio control agent that can reduce the harm caused by melon fruit fly and other devastating pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samiksha
- Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Drishtant Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Anup Kumar Kesavan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Satwinder Kaur Sohal
- Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India.
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Samiksha, Singh D, Kesavan AK, Sohal SK. Purification of a trypsin inhibitor from Psoralea corylifolia seeds and its influence on developmental physiology of Bactrocera cucurbitae. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 139:1141-1150. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.08.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Tsvetkov VO, Yarullina LG. Structural and Functional Characteristics of Hydrolytic Enzymes of Phytophagon Insects and Plant Protein Inhibitors (Review). APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683819050156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Kaur AP, Sohal SK. Purified winged bean protease inhibitor affects the growth of Bactrocera cucurbitae. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 109:550-558. [PMID: 30567617 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485318000913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a serious agricultural pest which has defied the various control measures employed against it. Protease inhibitors present in plants which have the potential to inhibit the growth and development of associated insect pests can be a possible alternative which can be manipulated for developing resistance in plants to the pest. In the present study, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) protease inhibitor isolated through affinity chromatography was explored for its potential to disrupt the development of melon fruit fly, B. cucurbitae. Different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 µg ml-1) of the winged bean protease inhibitor (WBPI) were incorporated into the artificial diet of the second instar (64-72 h old) larvae of B. cucurbitae. The WBPI significantly delayed the larval, pupal, and total development period. The percentage pupation and adult emergence of the treated larvae was reduced as compared with control. The activities of major digestive enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, and elastase) decreased significantly in the larvae treated with different concentrations (50, 100, 200, and 400 µg ml-1) of WBPI. The findings reveal that the inhibitor holds considerable promise for the management of the melon fruit fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Kaur
- Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143 005, India
| | - S K Sohal
- Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143 005, India
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Scott IM, Zhu H, Schieck K, Follick A, Reynolds LB, Menassa R. Non-target Effects of Hyperthermostable α-Amylase Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum in the Laboratory and the Field. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:878. [PMID: 31354758 PMCID: PMC6630089 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Thermostable α-amylases are important enzymes used in many industrial processes. The expression of recombinant Pyrococcus furiosus α-amylase (PFA) in Nicotiana tabacum has led to the accumulation of high levels of recombinant protein in transgenic plants. The initial steps to registering the transgenic tobacco at a commercial production scale and growing it in the field requires a risk assessment of potential non-target effects. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of feeding on transgenic tobacco with 2 indigenous insect species commonly associated with wild and commercial tobacco involving plants grown and evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. The highest levels of PFA ranged from 1.3 to 2.7 g/kg leaf fresh weight produced in the field-grown cultivars Con Havana and Little Crittenden, respectively. These two cultivars also had the highest nicotine (ranging from 4.6 to 10.9 mg/g), but there was little to no negative effect for either tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta L. or aphid Myzus nicotianae (Blackman). Both laboratory and field trials determined no short term (5 days) decrease in the survival or fecundity of the tobacco aphid after feeding on PFA transgenic tobacco compared to non-transgenic plants. In the field, tobacco hornworm larvae showed no differences in survival, final larval weights or development time to adult stage between transgenic lines of four cultivars and their corresponding wild type controls. Laboratory studies confirmed the field trial results indicating the low risk association of PFA expressed in tobacco leaves with tobacco hornworms and aphids that would feed on the transgenic plants.
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Abstract
Dozens of studies have assessed the practical value of plant cystatins as ectopic inhibitors of Cys proteases in biological systems. The potential of these proteins in crop protection to control herbivorous pests and pathogens has been documented extensively over the past 25 years. Their usefulness to regulate endogenous Cys proteases in planta has also been considered recently, notably to implement novel traits of agronomic relevance in crops or to generate protease activity-depleted environments in plants or plant cells used as bioreactors for recombinant proteins. After a brief update on the basic structural characteristics of plant cystatins, we summarize recent advances on the use of these proteins in plant biotechnology. Attention is also paid to the molecular improvement of their structural properties for the improvement of their protease inhibitory effects or the fine-tuning of their biological target range.
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Velasco-Arroyo B, Martinez M, Diaz I, Diaz-Mendoza M. Differential response of silencing HvIcy2 barley plants against Magnaporthe oryzae infection and light deprivation. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 18:337. [PMID: 30522452 PMCID: PMC6282322 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-018-1560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phytocystatins (PhyCys) act as endogenous regulators of cysteine proteases (CysProt) involved in various physiological processes. Besides, PhyCys are involved in plant reactions to abiotic stresses like drought or darkness and have been used as effective molecules against different pests and pathogens. The barley PhyCys-CysProt system is considered a model of protease-inhibitor regulation of protein turnover. Thirteen barley cystatins (HvCPI-1 to HvCPI-13) have been previously identified and characterized. Among them HvCPI-2 has been shown to have a relevant role in plant responses to pathogens and pests, as well as in the plant response to drought. RESULTS The present work explores the multiple role of this barley PhyCys in response to both, biotic and abiotic stresses, focusing on the impact of silencing this gene. HvIcy-2 silencing lines behave differentially against the phytopathogenic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and a light deprivation treatment. The induced expression of HvIcy-2 by the fungal stress correlated to a higher susceptibility of silencing HvIcy-2 plants. In contrast, a reduction in the expression of HvIcy-2 and in the cathepsin-L and -B like activities in the silencing HvIcy-2 plants was not accompanied by apparent phenotypical differences with control plants in response to light deprivation. CONCLUSION These results highlight the specificity of PhyCys in the responses to diverse external prompts as well as the complexity of the regulatory events leading to the response to a particular stress. The mechanism of regulation of these stress responses seems to be focused in maintaining the balance of CysProt and PhyCys levels, which is crucial for the modulation of physiological processes induced by biotic or abiotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Velasco-Arroyo
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus Montegancedo UPM, 28223 Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon Spain
| | - Manuel Martinez
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus Montegancedo UPM, 28223 Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Diaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus Montegancedo UPM, 28223 Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Diaz-Mendoza
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus Montegancedo UPM, 28223 Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon Spain
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Rasoolizadeh A, Goulet MC, Guay JF, Cloutier C, Michaud D. Population-associated heterogeneity of the digestive Cys protease complement in Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 106:125-133. [PMID: 28267460 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Herbivorous insects use complex protease complements to process plant proteins, useful to adjust their digestive functions to the plant diet and to elude the antidigestive effects of dietary protease inhibitors. We here assessed whether basic profiles and diet-related adjustments of the midgut protease complement may vary among populations of the insect herbivore Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). Two laboratory colonies of this insect were used as models, derived from insect samples collected in potato fields ∼1200km distant from each other in North America. Synchronized 4th-instar larvae reared on potato were kept on this plant, or switched to tomato or eggplant, to compare their midgut cathepsin activities and content of intestain Cys proteases under different diet regimes. Cathepsin D activity, cathepsin L activity, cathepsin B activity and total intestain content shortly after larval molting on potato leaves were about two times lower in one population compared to the other. By comparison, cathepsin D activity, cathepsin B activity, total intestain content and relative abundance of the most prominent intestain families were similar in the two populations after three days regardless of the plant diet, unlike cathepsin L activity and less prominent intestain families showing population-associated variability. Variation in Cys protease profiles translated into the differential efficiency of a Cys protease inhibitor, tomato cystatin SlCYS8, to inhibit cathepsin L activity in midgut extracts of the two insect groups. Despite quantitative differences, SlCYS8 single variants engineered to strongly inhibit Cys proteases showed improved potency against cathepsin L activity of either population. These data suggest the feasibility of designing cystatins to control L. decemlineata that are effective against different populations of this insect. They underline, on the other hand, the practical relevance of considering natural variability of the protease complement among L. decemlineata target populations, eventually determinant in the success or failure of cystatin-based control strategies on a large-scale basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asieh Rasoolizadeh
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Marie-Claire Goulet
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | | | - Conrad Cloutier
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Overexpression of HvIcy6 in Barley Enhances Resistance against Tetranychus urticae and Entails Partial Transcriptomic Reprogramming. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19030697. [PMID: 29494488 PMCID: PMC5877558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystatins have been largely used for pest control against phytophagous species. However, cystatins have not been commonly overexpressed in its cognate plant species to test their pesticide capacity. Since the inhibitory role of barley HvCPI-6 cystatin against the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae has been previously demonstrated, the purpose of our study was to determine if barley transgenic lines overexpressing its own HvIcy6 gene were more resistant against this phytophagous infestation. Besides, a transcriptomic analysis was done to find differential expressed genes among wild-type and transformed barley plants. Barley plants overexpressing HvIcy6 cystatin gene remained less susceptible to T. urticae attack when compared to wild-type plants, with a significant lesser foliar damaged area and a lower presence of the mite. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a certain reprogramming of cellular metabolism and a lower expression of several genes related to photosynthetic activity. Therefore, although caution should be taken to discard potential deleterious pleiotropic effects, cystatins may be used as transgenes with impact on agricultural crops by conferring enhanced levels of resistance to phytophagous pests.
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Tian N, Liu F, Wang P, Zhang X, Li X, Wu G. The molecular basis of glandular trichome development and secondary metabolism in plants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plgene.2017.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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23
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Comparative morphology and transcriptome analysis reveals distinct functions of the primary and secondary laticifer cells in the rubber tree. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3126. [PMID: 28600566 PMCID: PMC5466658 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03083-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Laticifers are highly specialized cells that synthesize and store natural rubber. Rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) contain both primary and secondary laticifers. Morphological and functional differences between the two types of laticifers are largely unknown, but such information is important for breeding and cultivation practices. Morphological comparison using paraffin sections revealed only distribution differences: the primary laticifers were distributed randomly, while the secondary laticifers were distributed in concentric rings. Using isolated laticifer networks, the primary laticifers were shown to develop via intrusive "budding" and formed necklace-like morphology, while the secondary laticifers developed straight and smooth cell walls. Comparative transcriptome analysis indicated that genes involved in cell wall modification, such as pectin esterase, lignin metabolic enzymes, and expansins, were highly up-regulated in the primary laticifers and correspond to its necklace-like morphology. Genes involved in defense against biotic stresses and rubber biosynthesis were highly up-regulated in the primary laticifers, whereas genes involved in abiotic stresses and dormancy were up-regulated in the secondary laticifers, suggesting that the primary laticifers are more adequately prepared to defend against biotic stresses, while the secondary laticifers are more adequately prepared to defend against abiotic stresses. Therefore, the two types of laticifers are morphologically and functionally distinct.
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Wang H, Li S, Teng S, Liang H, Xin H, Gao H, Huang D, Lang Z. Transcriptome profiling revealed novel transcriptional regulators in maize responses to Ostrinia furnacalis and jasmonic acid. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177739. [PMID: 28520800 PMCID: PMC5433750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chewing insects cause severe yield losses in crop production worldwide. Crop plants counteract chewing insects by transcriptionally promoting a repertoire of defense gene products that are either toxic to, or attractive to the natural enemies of, pest insects. However, the complexity of the transcriptional reprogramming in plant defense response against chewing insects is still not well understood. In this study, the genome-wide early responses in maize seedlings to Asian corn borer (ACB, Ostrinia furnacalis) and also to jasmonic acid(JA), the pivotal phytohormone controlling plant defense response against herbivory, were transcriptionally profiled by RNA-Seq. Clustering of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) along with functional enrichment analysis revealed important biological processes regulated in response to ACB infestation and/or jasmonic acid. Moreover, DEGs with distinct expression patterns were differentially enriched with diverse families of cis-elements on their promoters. Multiple inventories of differentially expressed transcription factors (DETFs) in each DEG group were also analyzed. A transient expression assay using transfected maize protoplastswas established to examine the potential roles of DETFs in maize defense response and JA signaling, and this was used to show that ZmNAC60, an ACB- and JA-inducible DETF, represented a novel positive regulator of JA and defense pathway genes. This study provided a comprehensive transcriptional picture for the early dynamics of maize defense responses and JA signaling, and the identification of DETFs offered potential targets for further functional genomics investigation of master regulators in maize defense responses against herbivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Wang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shengyan Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shouzhen Teng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Haisheng Liang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Hongjia Xin
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Hongjiang Gao
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Dafang Huang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhihong Lang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
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Ashouri S, Farshbaf Pour Abad R, Zihnioglu F, Kocadag E. Extraction and purification of protease inhibitor(s) from seeds of Helianthus annuus with effects on Leptinotarsa decemlineata digestive cysteine protease. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Diaz-Mendoza M, Velasco-Arroyo B, Santamaria ME, Diaz I, Martinez M. HvPap-1 C1A Protease Participates Differentially in the Barley Response to a Pathogen and an Herbivore. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1585. [PMID: 28955371 PMCID: PMC5601043 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Co-evolutionary processes in plant-pathogen/herbivore systems indicate that protease inhibitors have a particular value in biotic interactions. However, little is known about the defensive role of their targets, the plant proteases. C1A cysteine proteases are the most abundant enzymes responsible for the proteolytic activity during different processes like germination, development and senescence in plants. To identify and characterize C1A cysteine proteases of barley with a potential role in defense, mRNA and protein expression patterns were analyzed in response to biotics stresses. A barley cysteine protease, HvPap-1, previously related to abiotic stresses and grain germination, was particularly induced by flagellin or chitosan elicitation, and biotic stresses such as the phytopathogenic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae or the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae. To elucidate the in vivo participation of this enzyme in defense, transformed barley plants overexpressing or silencing HvPap-1 encoding gene were subjected to M. oryzae infection or T. urticae infestation. Whereas overexpressing plants were less susceptible to the fungus than silencing plants, the opposite behavior occurred to the mite. This unexpected result highlights the complexity of the regulatory events leading to the response to a particular biotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Diaz-Mendoza
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid – Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y AlimentariaMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politecnica de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Velasco-Arroyo
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid – Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y AlimentariaMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politecnica de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - M. Estrella Santamaria
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid – Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y AlimentariaMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politecnica de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Diaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid – Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y AlimentariaMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politecnica de MadridMadrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Martinez
- Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid – Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y AlimentariaMadrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnologia-Biologia Vegetal, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Agronomica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politecnica de MadridMadrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Manuel Martinez,
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Rasoolizadeh A, Munger A, Goulet MC, Sainsbury F, Cloutier C, Michaud D. Functional proteomics-aided selection of protease inhibitors for herbivore insect control. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38827. [PMID: 27958307 PMCID: PMC5153846 DOI: 10.1038/srep38827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have reported the potential of protease inhibitors to engineer insect resistance in transgenic plants but the general usefulness of this approach in crop protection still remains to be established. Insects have evolved strategies to cope with dietary protease inhibitors, such as the use of proteases recalcitrant to inhibition, that often make the selection of effective inhibitors very challenging. Here, we used a functional proteomics approach for the ‘capture’ of Cys protease targets in crude protein extracts as a tool to identify promising cystatins for plant improvement. Two cystatins found to differ in their efficiency to capture Cys proteases of the coleopteran pest Leptinotarsa decemlineata also differed in their usefulness to produce transgenic potato lines resistant to this insect. Plants expressing the most potent cystatin at high level had a strong repressing effect on larval growth and leaf intake, while plants expressing the weakest cystatin showed no effect on both two parameters compared to untransformed parental line used for genetic transformation. Our data underline the relevance of considering the whole range of possible protease targets when selecting an inhibitor for plant pest control. They also confirm the feasibility of developing cystatin-expressing transgenics resistant to a major pest of potato.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aurélie Munger
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Frank Sainsbury
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Conrad Cloutier
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec City QC, Canada
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
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van Wyk SG, Kunert KJ, Cullis CA, Pillay P, Makgopa ME, Schlüter U, Vorster BJ. Review: The future of cystatin engineering. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 246:119-127. [PMID: 26993242 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Plant cystatins are naturally occurring protease inhibitors that prevent proteolysis by papain-like cysteine proteases. Their protective action against environmental stresses has been relatively well characterised. Still, there is a need to greatly improve both potency and specificity based on the current rather poor performance of cystatins in biotechnological applications. Research in creating more potent and specific cystatins, including amino acid substitutions in either conserved cystatin motifs and/or at variable amino acid sites, is reviewed. Existing gaps for better understanding of cystatin-protease interactions are further explored. Current knowledge on multi-cystatins or hybrid protease inhibitors involving cystatins as an additional option for cystatin engineering is further outlined along with the nuances of how cystatins with rather unusual amino acid sequences might actually help in cystatin engineering. Finally, future opportunities for application of cystatins are highlighted which include applications in genetically modified transgenic plants for environmental stress protection and also as nutraceuticals, as part of more nutritious food. Further opportunities might also include the possible management of diseases and disorders, often associated with lifestyle changes, and the most immediate and promising application which is inclusion into plant-based recombinant protein production platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan G van Wyk
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Karl J Kunert
- Department of Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
| | - Christopher A Cullis
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7080, USA
| | - Priyen Pillay
- Department of Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Matome E Makgopa
- Department of Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Urte Schlüter
- Department of Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Barend J Vorster
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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29
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Rasoolizadeh A, Goulet MC, Sainsbury F, Cloutier C, Michaud D. Single substitutions to closely related amino acids contribute to the functional diversification of an insect-inducible, positively selected plant cystatin. FEBS J 2016; 283:1323-35. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Frank Sainsbury
- Département de Phytologie; Université Laval; Québec City Canada
| | - Conrad Cloutier
- Département de Biologie; Université Laval; Québec City Canada
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30
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Munger A, Simon MA, Khalf M, Goulet MC, Michaud D. Cereal cystatins delay sprouting and nutrient loss in tubers of potato, Solanum tuberosum. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 15:296. [PMID: 26691165 PMCID: PMC4687224 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-015-0683-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported agronomically useful ectopic effects for recombinant protease inhibitors expressed in leaves of transgenic plants, including improved tolerance to abiotic stress conditions and partial resistance to necrotrophic pathogens. Here we assessed the effects of these proteins on the post-dormancy sprouting of storage organs, using as a model potato tubers expressing cysteine protease inhibitors of the cystatin protein superfamily. RESULTS Sprout emergence and distribution, soluble proteins, starch and soluble sugars were monitored in tubers of cereal cystatin-expressing clones stored for several months at 4 °C. Cystatin expression had a strong repressing effect on sprout growth, associated with an apparent loss of apical dominance and an increased number of small buds at the skin surface. Soluble protein content remained high for up to 48 weeks in cystatin-expressing tubers compared to control (untransformed) tubers, likely explained by a significant stabilization of the major storage protein patatin, decreased hydrolysis of the endogenous protease inhibitor multicystatin and low cystatin-sensitive cysteine protease activity in tuber tissue. Starch content decreased after several months in cystatin-expressing tubers but remained higher than in control tubers, unlike sucrose showing a slower accumulation in the transgenics. Plantlet emergence, storage protein processing and height of growing plants showed similar time-course patterns for control and transgenic tubers, except for a systematic delay of 2 or 3 d in the latter group likely due to limited sprout size at sowing. CONCLUSIONS Our data point overall to the onset of metabolic interference effects for cereal cystatins in sprouting potato tubers. They suggest, in practice, the potential of endogenous cysteine proteases as relevant targets for the development of potato varieties with longer storage capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Munger
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux|Biotechnologie Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Marie-Aube Simon
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux|Biotechnologie Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
- Present address: Services aux entreprises et formation continue, Cégep de St-Jérôme, St-Jérôme, J7Z 4 V2, QC, Canada.
| | - Moustafa Khalf
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux|Biotechnologie Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Marie-Claire Goulet
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux|Biotechnologie Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Centre de recherche et d'innovation sur les végétaux|Biotechnologie Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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31
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Guo J, Erskine PT, Coker AR, Wood SP, Cooper JB. Structure of a Kunitz-type potato cathepsin D inhibitor. J Struct Biol 2015; 192:554-560. [PMID: 26542926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Potato cathepsin D inhibitor (PDI) is a glycoprotein of 188 amino acids which can inhibit both the aspartic protease cathepsin D and the serine protease trypsin. Here we report the first X-ray structure of PDI at a resolution of 2.1 Å showing that PDI adopts a β-trefoil fold, which is typical of the Kunitz-family protease inhibitors, with the inhibitory loops protruding from the core. Possible reactive-site loops including one involving a unique disulphide and another involving a protruding 310 helix are identified and docking studies indicate the mode of action of this unusual bi-functional inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxu Guo
- Division of Medicine, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Peter T Erskine
- Division of Medicine, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Alun R Coker
- Division of Medicine, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Steve P Wood
- Division of Medicine, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan B Cooper
- Division of Medicine, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.
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32
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Kumar GNM, Knowles LO, Knowles NR. Zebra chip disease decreases tuber (Solanum tuberosum L.) protein content by attenuating protease inhibitor levels and increasing protease activities. PLANTA 2015; 242:1153-1166. [PMID: 26092706 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-015-2346-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Zebra chip disease of potato decreases protease inhibitor levels resulting in enhanced serine-type protease activity, decreased protein content and altered protein profiles of fully mature tubers. Zebra-chip (ZC), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), is a relatively new disease of potato that negatively affects growth, yield, propagation potential, and fresh and process qualities of tubers. Diseased plants produce tubers with characteristic brown discoloration of vascular tissue accompanied by elevated levels of free amino acids and reducing sugars. Here we demonstrate that ZC disease induces selective protein catabolism in tubers through modulating protease inhibitor levels. Soluble protein content of tubers from CLso-infected plants was 33% lower than from non-infected plants and electrophoretic analyses revealed substantial reductions in major tuber proteins. Patatin (~40 kDa) and ser-, asp- (22 kDa) and cys-type (85 kDa) protease inhibitors were either absent or greatly reduced in ZC-afflicted tubers. In contrast to healthy (non-infected) tubers, the proteolytic activity in CLso infected tubers was high and the ability of extracts from infected tubers to inhibit trypsin (ser-type) and papain (cys-type) proteases greatly attenuated. Moreover, extracts from CLso-infected tubers rapidly catabolized proteins purified from healthy tubers (40 kDa patatin, 22 kDa protease inhibitors, 85 kDa potato multicystatin) when subjected to proteolysis individually. In contrast, crude extracts from non-infected tubers effectively inhibited the proteolytic activity from ZC-afflicted tubers. These results suggest that the altered protein profile of ZC afflicted tubers is largely due to loss of ser- and cys-type protease inhibitors. Further analysis revealed a novel PMSF-sensitive (ser) protease (ca. 80-120 kDa) in CLso infected tubers. PMSF abolished the proteolytic activities responsible for degrading patatin, the 22 kDa protease inhibitor(s) and potato multicystatin by CLso infected tubers. The disease-induced loss of patatin and protease inhibitors therefore appears to be modulated by ser-type protease(s). The selective catabolism of proteins in ZC-afflicted tubers undoubtedly affects downstream aspects of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, which is ultimately reflected by the accumulation of reducing sugars, free amino acids and reduced sprouting capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- G N Mohan Kumar
- Postharvest Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, P.O. Box 646414, Pullman, WA, 99164-6414, USA.
| | - Lisa O Knowles
- Postharvest Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, P.O. Box 646414, Pullman, WA, 99164-6414, USA
| | - N Richard Knowles
- Postharvest Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, P.O. Box 646414, Pullman, WA, 99164-6414, USA.
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33
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Vorster J, Rasoolizadeh A, Goulet MC, Cloutier C, Sainsbury F, Michaud D. Positive selection of digestive Cys proteases in herbivorous Coleoptera. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 65:10-19. [PMID: 26264818 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Positive selection is thought to contribute to the functional diversification of insect-inducible protease inhibitors in plants in response to selective pressures exerted by the digestive proteases of their herbivorous enemies. Here we assessed whether a reciprocal evolutionary process takes place on the insect side, and whether ingestion of a positively selected plant inhibitor may translate into a measurable rebalancing of midgut proteases in vivo. Midgut Cys proteases of herbivorous Coleoptera, including the major pest Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), were first compared using a codon-based evolutionary model to look for the occurrence of hypervariable, positively selected amino acid sites among the tested sequences. Hypervariable sites were found, distributed within -or close to- amino acid regions interacting with Cys-type inhibitors of the plant cystatin protein family. A close examination of L. decemlineata sequences indicated a link between their assignment to protease functional families and amino acid identity at positively selected sites. A function-diversifying role for positive selection was further suggested empirically by in vitro protease assays and a shotgun proteomic analysis of L. decemlineata Cys proteases showing a differential rebalancing of protease functional family complements in larvae fed single variants of a model cystatin mutated at positively selected amino acid sites. These data confirm overall the occurrence of hypervariable, positively selected amino acid sites in herbivorous Coleoptera digestive Cys proteases. They also support the idea of an adaptive role for positive selection, useful to generate functionally diverse proteases in insect herbivores ingesting functionally diverse, rapidly evolving dietary cystatins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Vorster
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Department of Plant and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Asieh Rasoolizadeh
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Marie-Claire Goulet
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Conrad Cloutier
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; The University of Queensland, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Centre for Biomolecular Engineering, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Dominique Michaud
- Département de phytologie, CRIV-Biotechnologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Mishra M, Lomate PR, Joshi RS, Punekar SA, Gupta VS, Giri AP. Ecological turmoil in evolutionary dynamics of plant-insect interactions: defense to offence. PLANTA 2015; 242:761-771. [PMID: 26159435 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-015-2364-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Available history manifests contemporary diversity that exists in plant-insect interactions. A radical thinking is necessary for developing strategies that can co-opt natural insect-plant mutualism, ecology and environmental safety for crop protection since current agricultural practices can reduce species richness and evenness. The global environmental changes, such as increased temperature, CO₂ and ozone levels, biological invasions, land-use change and habitat fragmentation together play a significant role in re-shaping the plant-insect multi-trophic interactions. Diverse natural products need to be studied and explored for their biological functions as insect pest control agents. In order to assure the success of an integrated pest management strategy, human activities need to be harmonized to minimize the global climate changes. Plant-insect interaction is one of the most primitive and co-evolved associations, often influenced by surrounding changes. In this review, we account the persistence and evolution of plant-insect interactions, with particular focus on the effect of climate change and human interference on these interactions. Plants and insects have been maintaining their existence through a mutual service-resource relationship while defending themselves. We provide a comprehensive catalog of various defense strategies employed by the plants and/or insects. Furthermore, several important factors such as accelerated diversification, imbalance in the mutualism, and chemical arms race between plants and insects as indirect consequences of human practices are highlighted. Inappropriate implementation of several modern agricultural practices has resulted in (i) endangered mutualisms, (ii) pest status and resistance in insects and (iii) ecological instability. Moreover, altered environmental conditions eventually triggered the resetting of plant-insect interactions. Hence, multitrophic approaches that can harmonize human activities and minimize their interference in native plant-insect interactions are needed to maintain natural balance between the existence of plants and insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasi Mishra
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, 411 008, MS, India
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35
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Dang L, Van Damme EJM. Toxic proteins in plants. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2015; 117:51-64. [PMID: 26057229 PMCID: PMC7111729 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved to synthesize a variety of noxious compounds to cope with unfavorable circumstances, among which a large group of toxic proteins that play a critical role in plant defense against predators and microbes. Up to now, a wide range of harmful proteins have been discovered in different plants, including lectins, ribosome-inactivating proteins, protease inhibitors, ureases, arcelins, antimicrobial peptides and pore-forming toxins. To fulfill their role in plant defense, these proteins exhibit various degrees of toxicity towards animals, insects, bacteria or fungi. Numerous studies have been carried out to investigate the toxic effects and mode of action of these plant proteins in order to explore their possible applications. Indeed, because of their biological activities, toxic plant proteins are also considered as potentially useful tools in crop protection and in biomedical applications, such as cancer treatment. Genes encoding toxic plant proteins have been introduced into crop genomes using genetic engineering technology in order to increase the plant's resistance against pathogens and diseases. Despite the availability of ample information on toxic plant proteins, very few publications have attempted to summarize the research progress made during the last decades. This review focuses on the diversity of toxic plant proteins in view of their toxicity as well as their mode of action. Furthermore, an outlook towards the biological role(s) of these proteins and their potential applications is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyi Dang
- Ghent University, Dept. Molecular Biotechnology, Laboratory Biochemistry and Glycobiology, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
| | - Els J M Van Damme
- Ghent University, Dept. Molecular Biotechnology, Laboratory Biochemistry and Glycobiology, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
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36
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Kunert KJ, van Wyk SG, Cullis CA, Vorster BJ, Foyer CH. Potential use of phytocystatins in crop improvement, with a particular focus on legumes. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2015; 66:3559-70. [PMID: 25944929 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Phytocystatins are a well-characterized class of naturally occurring protease inhibitors that function by preventing the catalysis of papain-like cysteine proteases. The action of cystatins in biotic stress resistance has been studied intensively, but relatively little is known about their functions in plant growth and defence responses to abiotic stresses, such as drought. Extreme weather events, such as drought and flooding, will have negative impacts on the yields of crop plants, particularly grain legumes. The concepts that changes in cellular protein content and composition are required for acclimation to different abiotic stresses, and that these adjustments are achieved through regulation of proteolysis, are widely accepted. However, the nature and regulation of the protein turnover machinery that underpins essential stress-induced cellular restructuring remain poorly characterized. Cysteine proteases are intrinsic to the genetic programmes that underpin plant development and senescence, but their functions in stress-induced senescence are not well defined. Transgenic plants including soybean that have been engineered to constitutively express phytocystatins show enhanced tolerance to a range of different abiotic stresses including drought, suggesting that manipulation of cysteine protease activities by altered phytocystatin expression in crop plants might be used to improve resilience and quality in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl J Kunert
- Department of Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa Centre for Plant Sciences, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Stefan G van Wyk
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Christopher A Cullis
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Barend J Vorster
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Christine H Foyer
- Centre for Plant Sciences, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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37
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Abdollah Hosseini S, Gharechahi J, Heidari M, Koobaz P, Abdollahi S, Mirzaei M, Nakhoda B, Hosseini Salekdeh G. Comparative proteomic and physiological characterisation of two closely related rice genotypes with contrasting responses to salt stress. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2015; 42:527-542. [PMID: 32480698 DOI: 10.1071/fp14274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Salinity is a limiting factor affecting crop growth. We evaluated the responses of a salt-tolerant recombinant inbred rice (Oryza sativa L.) line, FL478, and the salt-sensitive IR29. Seedlings were exposed to salt stress and the growth rate was monitored to decipher the effect of long-term stress. At Day 16, IR29 produced lower shoot biomass than FL478. Significant differences for Na+ and K+ concentrations and Na+ : K+ ratios in roots and shoots were observed between genotypes. Changes in the proteomes of control and salt-stressed plants were analysed, identifying 59 and 39 salt-responsive proteins in roots and leaves, respectively. Proteomic analysis showed greater downregulation of proteins in IR29. In IR29, proteins related to pathways involved in salt tolerance (e.g. oxidative stress response, amino acid biosynthesis, polyamine biosynthesis, the actin cytoskeleton and ion compartmentalisation) changed to combat salinity. We found significant downregulation of proteins related to photosynthetic electron transport in IR29, indicating that photosynthesis was influenced, probably increasing the risk of reactive oxygen species formation. The sensitivity of IR29 might be related to its inability to exclude salt from its transpiration stream, to compartmentalise excess ions and to maintain a healthy photosynthetic apparatus during salt stress, or might be because of the leakiness of its roots, allowing excess salt to enter apoplastically. In FL478, superoxide dismutase, ferredoxin thioredoxin reductase, fibre protein and inorganic pyrophosphatase, which may participate in salt tolerance, increased in abundance. Our analyses provide novel insights into the mechanisms behind salt tolerance and sensitivity in genotypes with close genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
| | - Javad Gharechahi
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 19395-5478, Tehran 1435916471, Iran
| | - Manzar Heidari
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
| | - Parisa Koobaz
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
| | - Shapour Abdollahi
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Babak Nakhoda
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh
- Department of Systems Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, PO Box 31535-1897, Karaj 3135933151, Iran
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Kumar R, Bhardwaj U, Kumar P, Mazumdar-Leighton S. Midgut serine proteases and alternative host plant utilization in Pieris brassicae L. Front Physiol 2015; 6:95. [PMID: 25873901 PMCID: PMC4379908 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pieris brassicae L. is a serious pest of cultivated crucifers in several parts of the world. Larvae of P. brassicae also feed prolifically on garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L., of the family Tropaeolaceae). Proteolytic digestion was studied in larvae feeding on multiple hosts. Fourth instars were collected from cauliflower fields before transfer onto detached, aerial tissues of selected host plants in the lab. Variable levels of midgut proteases were detected in larvae fed on different hosts using protein substrates (casein and recombinant RBCL cloned from cauliflower) and diagnostic, synthetic substrates. Qualitative changes in midgut trypsin activities and quantitative changes in midgut chymotrypsin activities were implicated in physiological adaptation of larvae transferred to T. majus. Midgut proteolytic activities were inhibited to different extents by serine protease inhibitors, including putative trypsin inhibitors isolated from herbivore-attacked and herbivore-free leaves of cauliflower (CfTI) and T. majus (TpTI). Transfer of larvae to T. majus significantly influenced feeding parameters but not necessarily when transferred to different tissues of the same host. Results obtained are relevant for devising sustainable pest management strategies, including transgenic approaches using genes encoding plant protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar
- Insect-Plant Interactions Group, Department of Botany, Delhi University Delhi, India
| | - Usha Bhardwaj
- Insect-Plant Interactions Group, Department of Botany, Delhi University Delhi, India
| | - Pawan Kumar
- Insect-Plant Interactions Group, Department of Botany, Delhi University Delhi, India
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Cingel A, Savić J, Vinterhalter B, Vinterhalter D, Kostić M, Šešlija Jovanović D, Smigocki A, Ninković S. Growth and development of Colorado potato beetle larvae, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, on potato plants expressing the oryzacystatin II proteinase inhibitor. Transgenic Res 2015; 24:729-40. [DOI: 10.1007/s11248-015-9873-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Martel C, Zhurov V, Navarro M, Martinez M, Cazaux M, Auger P, Migeon A, Santamaria ME, Wybouw N, Diaz I, Van Leeuwen T, Navajas M, Grbic M, Grbic V. Tomato Whole Genome Transcriptional Response to Tetranychus urticae Identifies Divergence of Spider Mite-Induced Responses Between Tomato and Arabidopsis. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2015; 28:343-61. [PMID: 25679539 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-14-0291-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae is one of the most significant mite pests in agriculture, feeding on more than 1,100 plant hosts, including model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato, Solanum lycopersicum. Here, we describe timecourse tomato transcriptional responses to spider mite feeding and compare them with Arabidopsis in order to determine conserved and divergent defense responses to this pest. To refine the involvement of jasmonic acid (JA) in mite-induced responses and to improve tomato Gene Ontology annotations, we analyzed transcriptional changes in the tomato JA-signaling mutant defenseless1 (def-1) upon JA treatment and spider mite herbivory. Overlay of differentially expressed genes (DEG) identified in def-1 onto those from the timecourse experiment established that JA controls expression of the majority of genes differentially regulated by herbivory. Comparison of defense responses between tomato and Arabidopsis highlighted 96 orthologous genes (of 2,133 DEG) that were recruited for defense against spider mites in both species. These genes, involved in biosynthesis of JA, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, represent the conserved core of induced defenses. The remaining tomato DEG support the establishment of tomato-specific defenses, indicating profound divergence of spider mite-induced responses between tomato and Arabidopsis.
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Lomate PR, Mahajan NS, Kale SM, Gupta VS, Giri AP. Identification and expression profiling of Helicoverpa armigera microRNAs and their possible role in the regulation of digestive protease genes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 54:129-137. [PMID: 25263090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The present investigation is an effort to determine the possible roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of protease gene expression in Helicoverpa armigera upon exposure to plant protease inhibitors (PIs). Using Illumina platform, deep sequencing of 12 small RNA libraries was performed from H. armigera larvae fed on artificial diet (AD) or recombinant Capsicum annuum PI-7 (rCanPI-7) incorporated diet, at various time intervals (0.5, 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h). Sequencing data were analyzed with miRDeep2 software; a total of 186 unique miRNAs were identified from all the 12 libraries, out of which 96 were conserved while 90 were novel. These miRNAs showed all the conserved characteristics of insect miRNAs. Homology analysis revealed that most of the identified miRNAs were insect-specific, and more than 50 miRNAs were Lepidoptera-specific. Several candidate miRNAs (conserved and novel) were differentially expressed in rCanPI-7 fed larvae as compared to the larvae fed on AD. H. armigera miRNAs were found to have target sites in several protease genes as well as in protease regulation related genes such as serine PI and immune reactive PI. As expected, negative correlation in the relative abundance of miRNAs and their target mRNAs was evident from qualitative real time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The investigation revealed potential roles of miRNAs in H. armigera protease gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purushottam R Lomate
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, MS, India
| | - Neha S Mahajan
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, MS, India
| | - Sandip M Kale
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, MS, India
| | - Vidya S Gupta
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, MS, India
| | - Ashok P Giri
- Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, MS, India.
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42
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Petek M, Rotter A, Kogovšek P, Baebler S, Mithöfer A, Gruden K. Potato virus Y infection hinders potato defence response and renders plants more vulnerable to Colorado potato beetle attack. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:5378-91. [PMID: 25251011 PMCID: PMC4237146 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In the field, plants are challenged by more than one biotic stressor at the same time. In this study, the molecular interactions between potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say; CPB) and Potato virus Y(NTN) (PVY(NTN) ) were investigated through analyses of gene expression in the potato leaves and the gut of the CPB larvae, and of the release of potato volatile compounds. CPB larval growth was enhanced when reared on secondary PVY(NTN) -infected plants, which was linked to decreased accumulation of transcripts associated with the antinutritional properties of potato. In PVY(NTN) -infected plants, ethylene signalling pathway induction and induction of auxin response transcription factors were attenuated, while no differences were observed in jasmonic acid (JA) signalling pathway. Similarly to rearing on virus-infected plants, CPB larvae gained more weight when reared on plants silenced in JA receptor gene (coi1). Although herbivore-induced defence mechanism is regulated predominantly by JA, response in coi1-silenced plants only partially corresponded to the one observed in PVY(NTN) -infected plants, confirming the role of other plant hormones in modulating this response. The release of β-barbatene and benzyl alcohol was different in healthy and PVY(NTN) -infected plants before CPB larvae infestation, implicating the importance of PVY(NTN) infection in plant communication with its environment. This was reflected in gene expression profiles of neighbouring plants showing different degree of defence response. This study thus contributes to our understanding of plant responses in agro-ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Petek
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Quain MD, Makgopa ME, Márquez-García B, Comadira G, Fernandez-Garcia N, Olmos E, Schnaubelt D, Kunert KJ, Foyer CH. Ectopic phytocystatin expression leads to enhanced drought stress tolerance in soybean (Glycine max) and Arabidopsis thaliana through effects on strigolactone pathways and can also result in improved seed traits. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 12:903-13. [PMID: 24754628 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Ectopic cystatin expression has long been used in plant pest management, but the cysteine protease, targets of these inhibitors, might also have important functions in the control of plant lifespan and stress tolerance that remain poorly characterized. We therefore characterized the effects of expression of the rice cystatin, oryzacystatin-I (OCI), on the growth, development and stress tolerance of crop (soybean) and model (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants. Ectopic OCI expression in soybean enhanced shoot branching and leaf chlorophyll accumulation at later stages of vegetative development and enhanced seed protein contents and decreased the abundance of mRNAs encoding strigolactone synthesis enzymes. The OCI-expressing A. thaliana showed a slow-growth phenotype, with increased leaf numbers and enhanced shoot branching at flowering. The OCI-dependent inhibition of cysteine proteases enhanced drought tolerance in soybean and A. thaliana, photosynthetic CO2 assimilation being much less sensitive to drought-induced inhibition in the OCI-expressing soybean lines. Ectopic OCI expression or treatment with the cysteine protease inhibitor E64 increased lateral root densities in A. thaliana. E64 treatment also increased lateral root densities in the max2-1 mutants that are defective in strigolactone signalling, but not in the max3-9 mutants that are defective in strigolactone synthesis. Taken together, these data provide evidence that OCI-inhibited cysteine proteases participate in the control of growth and stress tolerance through effects on strigolactones. We conclude that cysteine proteases are important targets for manipulation of plant growth, development and stress tolerance, and also seed quality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian D Quain
- Faculty of Biology, Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Crops Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Kumasi, Ghana
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Tianpei X, Zhu Y, Li S. Optimized scorpion polypeptide LMX: a pest control protein effective against rice leaf folder. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100232. [PMID: 24964088 PMCID: PMC4070919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lepidopteran insect pests are the main class of pests causing significant damage to crop plant yields. Insecticidal scorpion peptides exhibit toxicity specific for insects. Here, we report that a peptide LMX, optimized from the insect-specific scorpion neurotoxin LqhIT2, showed high levels of activity against rice leaf folder in vitro and in planta. Oral ingestion of LMX protein led to a significant decrease in feeding on rice leaves, repression of larval growth and development, delay in molting, and increase in larval lethality. Compared with LqhIT2 protein, the stability and insecticidal efficacy of LMX was better. Meanwhile, biochemical analysis showed that LMX protein ingestion dramatically decreased ecdysone content in rice leaf folder larvae, and down-regulated enzymatic activities of the detoxification system (α-naphthyl acetate esterase and glutathione S-transferase), the digestive system (tryptase and chymotrypsin), and the antioxidant system (catalase). These changes were tightly correlated with the dosage of LMX protein. Transgene analysis showed that the rate of leaf damage, and the number of damaged tillers and leaves in the transgenic line were greatly reduced relative to wild type plants and empty vector plants. Based on these observations, we propose that the insect-specific scorpion neurotoxin peptide LMX is an attractive and effective alternative molecule for the protection of rice from rice leaf folder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzi Tianpei
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice; Key Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Heterosis in Indica Rice of Ministry of Agriculture; Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education; College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yingguo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice; Key Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Heterosis in Indica Rice of Ministry of Agriculture; Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education; College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaoqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice; Key Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Heterosis in Indica Rice of Ministry of Agriculture; Engineering Research Center for Plant Biotechology and Germplasm Utilization of Ministry of Education; College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
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Quilis J, López-García B, Meynard D, Guiderdoni E, San Segundo B. Inducible expression of a fusion gene encoding two proteinase inhibitors leads to insect and pathogen resistance in transgenic rice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 12:367-77. [PMID: 24237606 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plant proteinase inhibitors (PIs) are considered as candidates for increased insect resistance in transgenic plants. Insect adaptation to PI ingestion might, however, compromise the benefits received by transgenic expression of PIs. In this study, the maize proteinase inhibitor (MPI), an inhibitor of insect serine proteinases, and the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor (PCI) were fused into a single open reading frame and introduced into rice plants. The two PIs were linked using either the processing site of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1B precursor protein or the 2A sequence from the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Expression of each fusion gene was driven by the wound- and pathogen-inducible mpi promoter. The mpi-pci fusion gene was stably inherited for at least three generations with no penalty on plant phenotype. An important reduction in larval weight of Chilo suppressalis fed on mpi-pci rice, compared with larvae fed on wild-type plants, was observed. Expression of the mpi-pci fusion gene confers resistance to C. suppressalis (striped stem borer), one of the most important insect pest of rice. The mpi-pci expression systems described may represent a suitable strategy for insect pest control, better than strategies based on the use of single PI genes, by preventing insect adaptive responses. The rice plants expressing the mpi-pci fusion gene also showed enhanced resistance to infection by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of the rice blast disease. Our results illustrate the usefulness of the inducible expression of the mpi-pci fusion gene for dual resistance against insects and pathogens in rice plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Quilis
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Edifici CRAG, Barcelona, Spain
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Pillay P, Schlüter U, van Wyk S, Kunert KJ, Vorster BJ. Proteolysis of recombinant proteins in bioengineered plant cells. Bioengineered 2014; 5:15-20. [PMID: 23778319 PMCID: PMC4008460 DOI: 10.4161/bioe.25158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Revised: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants are increasingly used as alternative expression hosts for the production of recombinant proteins offering many advantages including higher biomass and the ability to perform post-translational modifications on complex proteins. Key challenges for optimized accumulation of recombinant proteins in a plant system still remain, including endogenous plant proteolytic activity, which may severely compromise recombinant protein stability. Several strategies have recently been applied to improve protein stability by limiting protease action such as recombinant protein production in various sub-cellular compartments or application of protease inhibitors to limit protease action. A short update on the current strategies applied is provided here, with particular focus on sub-cellular sites previously selected for recombinant protein production and the co-expression of protease inhibitors to limit protease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyen Pillay
- Department of Plant Science; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute; University of Pretoria; Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Urte Schlüter
- Department of Plant Science; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute; University of Pretoria; Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Stefan van Wyk
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute; University of Pretoria; Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Karl Josef Kunert
- Department of Plant Science; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute; University of Pretoria; Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Barend Juan Vorster
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute; University of Pretoria; Pretoria, South Africa
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Dunaevsky YE, Popova VV, Semenova TA, Beliakova GA, Belozersky MA. Fungal inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes: classification, properties, possible biological roles, and perspectives for practical use. Biochimie 2013; 101:10-20. [PMID: 24355205 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2013.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Peptidase inhibitors are ubiquitous regulatory proteins controlling catalytic activity of proteolytic enzymes. Interest in these proteins increased substantially after it became clear that they can be used for therapy of various important diseases including cancer, malaria, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review we summarize available data on peptidase inhibitors from fungi, emphasizing their properties, biological role, and possible practical applications of these proteins in the future. A number of fungal peptidase inhibitors with unique structure and specificity of action have no sequence homology with other classes of peptidase inhibitors, thus representing new and specific candidates for therapeutic use. The main classifications of inhibitors in current use are considered. Available data on structure, mechanisms and conditions of action, and diversity of functions of peptidase inhibitors of fungi are analyzed. It is mentioned that on one side the unique properties of some inhibitors can be used for selective inhibition of peptidases responsible for initiation and development of pathogenic processes. On the other side, general inhibitory activity of other inhibitors towards peptidases of various catalytic classes might be able to provide efficient defense of transgenic plants against insect pests by overcoming compensatory synthesis of new peptidases by these pests in response to introduction of a fungal inhibitor. Together, the data analyzed in this review reveal that fungal inhibitors extend the spectrum of known peptidase inhibitors potentially suitable for use in medicine and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y E Dunaevsky
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia.
| | - V V Popova
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - T A Semenova
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - G A Beliakova
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - M A Belozersky
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
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Ali M, Sugimoto K, Ramadan A, Arimura GI. Memory of plant communications for priming anti-herbivore responses. Sci Rep 2013; 3:1872. [PMID: 23695148 PMCID: PMC3660719 DOI: 10.1038/srep01872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The emission of a specific blend of volatiles in response to Mythimna separata (herbivore-induced plant volatiles, HIPVs) plays a great ecological role by priming neighbouring plants. Maize plants placed downwind of infested, conspecific plants showed reduced larval development not only immediately after exposure to HIPVs but also when receiver plants were tested after a time lag of up to 5 days, compared to those exposed to volatiles from uninfested plants and tested after the same time lag. The molecular basis of this plant memory was, in part, the similarly recalled expression of a Bowman-Birk type trypsin inhibitor (TI) gene, in a jasmonic acid induction-independent manner. Moreover, in the promoter region of TI, a suite of methylation sites was found to be demethylated by the HIPV treatment. These findings provide an innovative mechanism for the epigenetic basis of the memory of HIPV-mediated habituation for plant defence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Ali
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu 520-2113, Japan
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Chen H, Zhu YC, Whitworth RJ, Reese JC, Chen MS. Serine and cysteine protease-like genes in the genome of a gall midge and their interactions with host plant genotypes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 43:701-711. [PMID: 23727407 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Revised: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Proteases play important roles in a wide range of physiological processes in organisms. For plant-feeding insects, digestive proteases are targets for engineering protease inhibitors for pest control. In this study, we identified 105 putative serine- and cysteine-protease genes from the genome of the gall midge Mayetiola destructor (commonly known as Hessian fly), a destructive pest of wheat. Among the genes, 31 encode putative trypsins, 18 encode putative chymotrypsins, seven encode putative cysteine proteases, and the remaining may encode either other proteases or protease homologues. Developmental stage- and tissue-specific expression profiles of the genes encoding putative trypsins, chymotrypsins, and cysteine proteases were determined by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Comparative analyses of stage- and tissue-specific expression patterns suggested that several genes are likely to encode digestive proteases in the M. destructor larval gut, including genes encoding putative trypsins MDP3, MDP5, MDP9, MDP24, MDP48, MDP51, MDP57, MDP61, MDP71, and MDP90; genes encoding putative chymotrypsins MDP1, MDP7, MDP8, MDP18, MDP19, and MDP20; and genes encoding putative cysteine proteases MDP95 and MDP104. The expression of some protease genes was affected by plant genotypes. Genes encoding trypsins MDP3, MDP9, and MPD23, chymotrypsins MDP20 and MDP21, and cysteine proteases MDP99 and MDP104 were upregulated in M. destructor larvae feeding in resistant plants, whereas genes encoding trypsins MDP12, MDP24, and MDP33, and chymotrypsins mdp8, mdp15, and mdp16 were downregulated in M. destructor larvae feeding in resistant plants. This study provides a foundation for further comparative studies on proteases in different insects, and further characterization of M. destructor digestive proteases and their interactions with host plants, as well as potential targets for transgenic wheat plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Chen
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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50
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Smigocki AC, Ivic-Haymes S, Li H, Savić J. Pest protection conferred by a Beta vulgaris serine proteinase inhibitor gene. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57303. [PMID: 23468963 PMCID: PMC3582505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 01/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteinase inhibitors provide a means of engineering plant resistance to insect pests. A Beta vulgaris serine proteinase inhibitor gene (BvSTI) was fused to the constitutive CaMV35S promoter for over-expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants to study its effect on lepidopteran insect pests. Independently derived BvSTI transgenic tobacco T2 homozygous progeny were shown to have relatively high BvSTI gene transcript levels. BvSTI-specific polyclonal antibodies cross-reacted with the expected 30 kDA recombinant BvSTI protein on Western blots. In gel trypsin inhibitor activity assays revealed a major clear zone that corresponded to the BvSTI proteinase inhibitor that was not detected in the untransformed control plants. BvSTI-transgenic plants were bioassayed for resistance to five lepidopteran insect pests. Spodoptera frugiperda, S. exigua and Manduca sexta larvae fed BvSTI leaves had significant reductions in larval weights as compared to larvae fed on untransformed leaves. In contrast, larval weights increased relative to the controls when Heliothis virescens and Agrotis ipsilon larvae were fed on BvSTI leaves. As the larvae entered the pupal stage, pupal sizes reflected the overall larval weights. Some developmental abnormalities of the pupae and emerging moths were noted. These findings suggest that the sugar beet BvSTI gene may prove useful for effective control of several different lepidopteran insect pests in genetically modified tobacco and other plants. The sugar beet serine proteinase inhibitor may be more effective for insect control because sugar beet is cropped in restricted geographical areas thus limiting the exposure of the insects to sugar beet proteinase inhibitors and build up of non-sensitive midgut proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann C Smigocki
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA.
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