Potential of the bean α‐amylase inhibitor αAI‐1 to inhibit α‐amylase activity in true bugs (Hemiptera) |
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Authors: | C Lüthi F Álvarez‐Alfageme Y Li S E Naranjo T J V Higgins J Romeis |
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Institution: | 1. Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS, Zürich, Switzerland;2. State Key Laboratory of Plant Disease and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China;3. USDA‐ARS, Arid‐Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, USA;4. CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, ACT, Australia |
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Abstract: | True bugs (Hemiptera) are an important pest complex not controlled by Bt‐transgenic crops. An alternative source of resistance includes inhibitors of digestive enzymes, such as protease or amylase inhibitors. αAI‐1, an α‐amylase inhibitor from the common bean, inhibits gut‐associated α‐amylases of bruchid pests of grain legumes. Here we quantify the in vitro activity of α‐amylases of 12 hemipteran species from different taxonomic and functional groups and the in vitro inhibition of those α‐amylases by αAI‐1. α‐Amylase activity was detected in all species tested. However, susceptibility to αAI‐1 varied among the different groups. α‐Amylases of species in the Lygaeidae, Miridae and Nabidae were highly susceptible, whereas those in the Auchenorrhyncha (Cicadellidae, Membracidae) had a moderate susceptibility, and those in the Pentatomidae seemed to be tolerant to αAI‐1. The species with αAI‐1 susceptible α‐amylases represented families which include both important pest species but also predatory species. These findings suggest that αAI‐1‐expressing crops have potential to control true bugs in vivo. |
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Keywords: | in vitro α ‐amylase activity insect‐resistant genetically modified crops integrated pest management Phaseolus vulgaris α ‐amylase inhibitor |
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