Insecticidal activities of three recombinant venom proteins of the predatory stink bug, Arma custos

Affiliations

• Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
• Institute of Plant Protection, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, China.
• Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Company Zunyi Branch, Zunyi, China.
• Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
• National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

PMID: 39166741 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8382

Abstract

Background: Widespread resistance of insect pests to insecticides and transgenic crops in the field is a significant challenge for sustainable agriculture, and calls for the development of novel alternative strategies to control insect pests. One potential resource for the discovery of novel insecticidal molecules is natural toxins, particularly those derived from the venoms of insect predators.

背景: 在田间，害虫对杀虫剂和转基因作物的广泛抗性是可持续农业面临的重大挑战，因此需要开发新的替代策略来控制害虫。天然毒素，尤其是来自捕食性昆虫毒液的毒素，是发现新型杀虫分子的一种潜在资源。

Results: In this study, we identified three insecticidal proteinaceous toxins from the venom glands (VGs) of the predatory stink bug, Arma custos (Hemiptera: Asopinae). Transcriptomic analysis of A. custos VGs revealed 151 potentially secreted VG-rich venom proteins. Three VG-rich venom proteins (designated AcVP1 ~ 3) were produced by overexpression in Escherichia coli. Injection of the recombinant proteins into tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) larvae showed that all of the three recombinant proteins caused paralysis, liquefaction and death. Injection of recombinant proteins into rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) nymphs showed higher insecticidal activities, among which a trypsin (AcVP2) caused 100% mortality postinjection at 1.27 pmol mg-1 body weight.

结果: 在本研究中，我们从捕食性臭虫Arma custos（半翅目：盾蝽亚科）的毒腺中鉴定出三种具有杀虫活性的蛋白毒素。A. custos毒腺的转录组分析显示有151种潜在的毒腺富集分泌毒蛋白。通过在大肠杆菌中过表达，成功生产了三种毒腺富集的毒蛋白（命名为AcVP1~3）。将重组蛋白注射到烟青虫（Spodoptera litura）幼虫体内，结果表明这三种重组蛋白均引起了瘫痪、液化和死亡。将重组蛋白注射到水稻褐飞虱（Nilaparvata lugens）若虫体内，显示出更高的杀虫活性，其中一种胰蛋白酶（AcVP2）在注射后以1.27 pmol mg⁻¹体重的剂量导致100%的致死率。

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