我国主要蚧螬对乳状菌的敏感性

我国主要蛴螬种类对乳状菌(Bacillus popilliae Dutky)(以下简称B.p.)敏感性的测定:已有14种蛴螬能注射感染B.p.。超出了Dutky(1963)的记录。敏感寄主毛喙丽金龟(Adoretus hirsutus Ohaus)、四纹丽金龟(Popillia quadriguttata F.)、暗黑鳃金龟(Holotrichia morosa Waterh)、黑棕鳃金龟(Apogonia cupreoviridis Fairm.)的幼虫注射感病率达91.6—100%。E.P.拌种喂食四纹、阔胸犀金龟(Pentodon patruelis Friv.)的幼虫,感病率分别达到68.9%和50%。B.p.拌土喂食阔胸幼虫,感病率为28.5%,田间小区试验,保苗效果达49.5%,虫口减退率达40.0%。定向转主驯化B.p.对华北大黑鳃金龟(Holotrichia oblitaFald.)幼虫,注射感病率已由不感病提高至感染率34.6%。 利用病原微生物防治害虫是综合防治的一个重要环节,应用乳状菌防治金龟子幼虫是以菌治虫方面值得研究的课题之一。 早在本世纪三十年代已发现日本金龟子(Popillia japonicaNewm.)幼虫罹患乳臭病的事实。1940年Dutky首先对其病原菌(B.popilliae)和(B.lentimorbus)进行命名和描述,继之White 1941,Beard 1945等对其生理生化、致病机理等作了较多的研究。五十年代后,对这类菌的超显微结构、离体培养等研究更为广泛。它作为第一个商品化的细菌杀虫剂,美国最早用于防治草地下的日本金龟子幼虫,取得了显著的效果。 我国蛴螬种类在千种以上,在华北、东北、西北的农田里为害十分严重,由于蛴螬的种类多,分布广,因而寄生于蛴螬的乳状菌株也相当丰富。目前已从主要蛴螬种类上陆续分离出一些菌株,将为我国开发利用乳状菌提供资源。近几年来,我们除对我国菌株进行研究外,也做了引进菌种Bacillus popilliae Dutky对我国主要蛴螬敏感性的研究,本文主要报道这方面结果。     

玫烟色棒束孢侵染对小菜蛾幼虫体内不同酶活的影响

在实验室条件下,测定了昆虫病原真菌玫烟色棒束孢Isaria fumosorosea的侵染对小菜蛾Plutella xylostella3龄幼虫体内酚氧化酶(PO)和不同抗氧化酶类,包括超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢(CAT)及谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GSTs)活力的变化。结果表明,玫烟色棒束孢侵染小菜蛾3龄幼虫后,体内PO、SOD、POD、CAT和GSTs活力均受到明显的影响。其中感病小菜蛾幼虫体内的PO活力始终高于同期未感染的小菜蛾幼虫,当接菌40h时,酚氧化酶活力达到最大37.4U/g,为对照的2.6倍,而SOD、POD、CAT和GSTs活力在感病前期明显高于对照,接菌40–48h各种酶活力均达到最大,当接菌56h酶活力开始下降,64h时酶活力均明显低于对照。可见玫烟色棒束孢的侵染严重干扰了小菜蛾幼虫体内正常的生理活动。     

白纹伊蚊感染登革Ⅱ型病毒后的屏障

以高、低两种浓度病毒液分别经胸接种和经口感染海南株白纹伊蚊Aedes albopictus后,经不同时间内对蚊虫中肠、脑、神经节和涎腺进行IFA染色检查.比较各器官感染率后可知该蚊存在中肠感染屏障(mesenteronal infection barrier MIB)、中肠释放屏障(mesenteronal escape barrier,MEB)和涎腺感染屏障(salivary gland infection barrier,SGIB)并且各屏障率分别与时间及剂量呈负相关.     

丛枝菌根真菌定殖银中杨对舞毒蛾幼虫食物利用及适应性的影响

丛枝菌根真菌可提高寄主植物的抗虫性,但在林木方面的研究较少。为探明丛枝菌根真菌对林木的抗虫机制,以银中杨Populus alba × P. berolinensis为研究对象,分别进行摩西斗管囊霉Funneliformis mosseae (FM)、根内根孢囊霉Rhizophagus intraradices (RI)接种处理,以不接种处理为对照,比较两种丛枝菌根真菌定殖银中杨对舞毒蛾Lymantria dispar幼虫食物利用及适应性的影响。结果显示,FM处理可显著降低(P<0.05) 3-5龄幼虫的取食量、食物转化率和3-4龄幼虫食物利用率,且显著抑制(P<0.05) 4龄幼虫酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、羧酸酯酶(CarE)和谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GSTs)活性及5龄幼虫淀粉酶、脂肪酶、胰蛋白酶和ACP活性。而RI处理可显著降低(P<0.05) 3-5龄幼虫的食物消耗率,显著抑制(P<0.05) 4龄幼虫CarE、GSTs和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及5龄幼虫ACP、GSTs和SOD活性。结论认为,FM和RI定殖均能在一定程度上诱导银中杨产生抗虫性,但综合来看FM比RI定殖银中杨产生的抗虫性更强。     

4株海洋酵母菌胞外酶活力及其对水产养殖有机污染物的降解

研究利用平板鉴别培养基法观察比较4株海洋酵母菌生淀粉酶、蛋白酶、脂肪酶和纤维素酶等胞外水解酶的能力,并进一步分析测定其酶活性。结果表明, 圆丘假丝酵母菌 (Candida.colliculosa)DY11-1能产淀粉酶、蛋白酶和脂肪酶, 其酶活力分别为181.4 U/mL、123.1 U/mL和36.7 U/mL;毕赤酵母(Pichia sp)DY11-6和近平滑假丝酵母(Candida parapsilosis)DY07-1都能产生淀粉酶和蛋白酶, 它们淀粉酶的活力分别为108.1 U/mL和96.5 U/mL, 蛋白酶的活力分别是35.1 U/mL和128.4 U/mL;粘红酵母(Rhodotorula glutinis)DY02-3四种胞外酶皆无。以罗非鱼(Tilapia mossambica)饲料浸出液作为养殖有机污染物, 分析比较4株酵母菌对其的降解率。结果显示, 圆丘假丝酵母DY-11-1菌株对饲料浸出液的COD、总氮、总磷降解能力最高, 9 d后分别由27.60 mg/mL、12.22 mg/mL和2.67 mg/mL下降到15.73 mg/mL、7.59 mg/mL和1.40 mg/mL, 降解率分别为43.0%、37.8%和47.5%。表明DY11-1菌株对养殖有机污染物有较强的分解作用, 在改善养殖水质方面具潜在的应用价值。     

小菜蛾幼虫血淋巴中β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白的分离及其对根虫瘟霉侵染的免疫活性

用亲和沉淀法从小菜蛾(Plutella xylostella)幼虫血淋巴中分离获得2种β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白,分子质量分别为75.9 ku和83.2 ku,主要存在于幼虫血浆中,但血细胞中未检出.研究表明,β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白能特异性地识别β-1,3-葡聚糖,并显著激活幼虫血淋巴中的酚氧化酶原（ProPO）,与昆布多糖共存时所激活的酚氧化酶（PO）活性显著高于两者单独存在时的PO活性.与4株根虫瘟霉(Zoophthora radicans)菌丝裂解液共存时,β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白能激活幼虫血淋巴中的ProPO,使PO活力显著高于该菌原生质体裂解液所激活的PO活性.显然,β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白只有特异性地识别根虫瘟霉细胞壁中的β-1,3-葡聚糖后才能激活幼虫血淋巴中的ProPO,表明虫霉原生质体可逃避寄主免疫反应.此外,β-1,3-葡聚糖结合蛋白对不同菌株所激活的PO活性存在差异,各菌株所激活的PO活性由高到低依次为：ARSEF1342＞ARSEF2699＞F99101＞ARSEF1100,这与各菌株对小菜蛾的毒力强弱相一致,即菌株逃避寄主免疫识别的能力与其毒力相关.     

阴道假丝酵母菌病患者混合UU/CT感染的初步研究

目的 对女性下生殖道假丝酵母菌感染患者进行解脲脲原体(UU)和沙眼衣原体(CT)检测,以了解女性下生殖道假丝酵母菌感染患者中UU/CT的混合感染状况,为临床正确诊断和治疗提供依据.方法 对以外阴瘙痒及白带增多为主诉,拟下生殖道假丝酵母菌感染的女性患者进行临床检查,先取阴道分泌物进行假丝酵母菌检查,同时取宫颈管分泌物采用荧光定量PCR测定UU、CT.结果 在90例假丝酵母菌感染的患者中,UU阳性71例占78.89%,CT阳性14例占15.56%(其中11例同时存在UU阳性,占78.57%),均较对照组(分别为41.2%和7.2%)明显升高,差异有显著性,P<0.05.结论 女性下生殖道假丝酵母菌感染患者存在合并UU和(或)CT感染,有必要进行常规的检查,以便正确使用有效药物治疗.     

实夜蛾属二近缘种对寄主植物次生物质的反应:次生物质对幼虫生长和食物利用的影响

实夜蛾属(Heliothis)的棉铃虫(H. armigcra)和烟青虫(H. assulta)是近缘种,幼虫期取食多种相同的植物,其中含有不同的次生物质.本项工作是在人工饲料中分别加入0.5%的烟碱、番茄苷、棉子酚、丹宁酸等饲养早期六龄的幼虫,测定它们对生长和食物利用的影响.结果表明这些次生物质对两种幼虫有不同的作用:烟碱对棉铃虫没有明显影响,但对烟青虫的取食却有一定的刺激作用.丹宁酸、棉子酚、番茄苷可抑制两种幼虫的生长,而以番茄苷抑制烟青虫的生长最为显著.番茄苷主要通过抑制取食来影响幼虫的生长,而丹宁酸和棉子酚则具有降低消化率的作用.通过次生物质对这两种幼虫效应的比较可知,棉铃虫有较大的忍耐力.     

蜡螟-单梗着色霉Fonsecaea monophora感染模型的构建及其血淋巴功能的变化

暗色真菌单梗着色霉Fonsecaea monophora侵犯皮肤及皮下组织,引起着色芽生菌病;其所引起的皮肤疣状改变或溃疡严重影响患者生活质量,重者可致残甚至发生癌变。近年来,无脊椎动物构建感染模型逐渐兴起,应用范围逐渐扩大。本研究利用蜡螟成功构建了F. monophora体内感染的动物模型,绘制了被感染蜡螟幼虫的生存曲线,观察记录了感染过程中蜡螟幼虫体表及体腔内的变化情况。在此基础上,进一步探索蜡螟幼虫对F. monophora的免疫防御应答,初步研究发现由病原体感染所诱发的血淋巴改变具有一定的抑真菌性,可抑制白念珠菌的生长。     

苏芸金杆菌以色列变种对尖音库蚊的毒杀作用

苏芸金杆菌以色列变种(Bacillus thuringtensis var.tsraelensis de Barjac)对尖音库蚊(Culex pipiensvar. pallens Coq uillett)三龄幼虫具有极高的毒性,在浓度为1.5×10⁴芽孢/毫升时,死亡率达100%。其他几个变种B. T. var. thuringiensis(E—009)var. kurstaki(HD—1)、var.kenyae(7404)、var. ostriniae(006)浓度达4×10⁵芽孢/毫升时仍未见毒效。 用液体双相与等密度离心法将以色列变种的晶体与芽孢分离,分别研究晶体(纯度达99.5%以上)、芽孢(纯度达99.5%以上)对尖音库蚊幼虫的毒性。发现使蚊幼虫致死主要是晶体LC₅₀为0.023微克/毫升,芽孢也具有毒性LC₅₀为0.86微克/毫升,晶体与芽孢混用制剂的LC₅₀为(0.014微克晶体+0.014微克芽孢)/毫升。 晶体制剂在30℃和21℃的温度条件下毒力没有变化,但芽孢制剂在21℃毒力显著下降;芽孢制剂致死幼虫,立即用相差显微镜镜检,发现肠道内有大量正在萌发的芽孢,对芽孢致死的原因进行了初步分析。     

黄粉虫幼虫体壁硬化过程中酚氧化酶活性的变化

为研究酚氧化酶(PO)在昆虫蜕皮过程中的功能和作用, 采用微量测定法研究了黄粉虫Tenebrio molitor体壁硬化过程中血淋巴和表皮中的PO活性变化。结果表明：初蜕皮幼虫血淋巴中PO活性较高, 但随着体壁的不断黑化与硬化, 其活性呈现下降趋势, 在3～4 h内达到最低点, 而后PO活性逐渐上升, 7 h左右活性上升至最高, 并接近于正常幼虫的水平;在刚蜕完皮后的1 h内, 体壁中 PO活性基本无变化, 但随后即开始下降, 3 h左右降到最低点, 然后开始回升, 6~7 h左右恢复到正常水平, 并趋于稳定;以L-DOPA为底物, 通过双倒数曲线作图法求得黄粉虫血淋巴PO的Km＝1.176 mmol/L, 体壁PO的Km＝0.881 mmol/L, 表明体壁PO与底物L-DOPA的亲和力要高于血淋巴PO。研究表明两种来源的酚氧化酶均参与了黄粉虫幼虫的体壁硬化过程, 但在作用方式及与底物的亲和力方面存在差异。     

Rhodnius prolixus infected with Trypanosoma rangeli: In vivo and in vitro experiments

Studies were carried out on the activation of the prophenoloxidase (proPO) in adults of Rhodnius prolixus infected by short and long epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma rangeli. The in vitro activation of the proPO cascade using l-DOPA as substrate was very low in the absence of fat body extract, hemolymph, and parasites. On the other hand, a higher PO activity was observed when short, but not long, epimastigotes of T. rangeli were incubated with fresh hemolymph, fat body extract, and l-DOPA. Supernatant from lysed long epimastigotes increased the PO activity at levels identical to those observed with supernatants from lysed short epimastigotes. Similarly, the PO activity of hemolymph obtained from inoculated insects with long epimastigotes of T. rangeli showed a very low activity when incubated with l-DOPA compared to the PO activity of hemolymph taken from insects inoculated with short epimastigotes of T. rangeli. Control insects inoculated with sterile PBS showed no PO activity. These data indicate the presence of (a) factor(s) in the hemolymph as well as in the fat body extract that may be released (or induced) by the presence of short epimastigotes of T. rangeli and which results in the activation of the R. prolixus proPO system. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the development of T. rangeli and its ability to overcome the proPO system, survive, and successfully colonize the hemolymph of R. prolixus.     

Different defense strategies of Dendrolimus pini, Galleria mellonella, and Calliphora vicina against fungal infection

The resistance of Galleria mellonella, Dendrolimus pini, and Calliphora vicina larvae against infection by the enthomopathogen Conidiobolus coronatus was shown to vary among the studied species. Exposure of both G. mellonella and D. pini larvae to the fungus resulted in rapid insect death, while all the C. vicina larvae remained unharmed. Microscopic studies revealed diverse responses of the three species to the fungal pathogen: (1) the body cavities of D. pini larvae were completely overgrown by fungal hyphae, with no signs of hemocyte response, (2) infected G. mellonella larvae formed melanotic capsules surrounding the fungal pathogen, and (3) the conidia of C. coronatus did not germinate on the cuticle of C. vicina larvae. The in vitro study on the degradation of the insect cuticle by proteases secreted by C. coronatus revealed that the G. mellonella cuticle degraded at the highest rate. The antiproteolytic capacities of insect hemolymph against fungal proteases correlated well with the insects' susceptibility to fungal infection. The antiproteolytic capacities of insect hemolymph against fungal proteases correlated well with the insects' susceptibility to fungal infection. Of all the tested species, only plasmatocytes exhibited phagocytic potential. Exposure to the fungal pathogen resulted in elevated phagocytic activity, found to be the highest in the infected G. mellonella. The incubation of insect hemolymph with fungal conidia and hyphae revealed diverse reactions of hemocytes of the studied insect species. The encapsulation potential of D. pini hemocytes was low. Hemocytes of G. mellonella showed a high ability to attach and encapsulate fungal structures. Incubation of C. vicina hemolymph with C. coronatus did not result in any hemocytic response. Phenoloxidase (PO) activity was found to be highest in D. pini hemolymph, moderate in G. mellonella, and lowest in the hemolymph of C. vicina. Fungal infection resulted in a significant decrease of PO activity in G. mellonela larvae, while that in the larvae of D. pini remained unchanged. PO activity in C. vicina exposed to fungus slightly increased. The lysozyme-like activity increased in the plasma of all three insect species after contact with the fungal pathogen. Anti E. coli activity was detected neither in control nor in infected D. pini larvae. No detectable anti E. coli activity was found in the control larvae of G. mellonella; however, its exposure to C. coronatus resulted in an increase in the activity to detectable level. In the case of C. vicina exposure to the fungus, the anti E. coli activity was significantly higher than in control larvae. The defense mechanisms of D. pini (species of economic importance in Europe) are presented for the first time.     

THE ENDOPARASITOID Campoletis chlorideae INDUCES A HEMOLYTIC FACTOR IN THE HERBIVOROUS INSECT Helicoverpa armigera

Although lysis of invading organisms is a major innate form of immunity used by invertebrates, it remains unclear whether herbivorous insects have hemolysin or not. To address this general question, we tested the hemolytic (HL) activity of the hemolymph and tissue extracts from various stages of the polyphagous insect Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) against the erythrocytes from chicken, duck, and rabbit. An HL activity was identified in the hemolymph of H. armigera larvae. Further studies demonstrated that the HL activity is proteinaceous as it was precipitable by deproteinizing agents. Hemolysins were found in Helicoverpa egg, larva, pupa, and adult, but the activity was higher in feeding larvae than in molting or newly molted larvae. Hemolysins were distributed among a variety of larval tissues including salivary gland, fat body, epidermis, midgut, or testes, but the highest activity was found in salivary gland and fat body. Relative to nonparasitized larvae, parasitization of H. armigera larvae by the endoparasitoid Campoletis chlorideae Uchida induced a 3.4‐fold increase in the HL activity in the plasma of parasitized host at day two postparasitization. The present study shows the presence of a parasitoid inducible HL factor in the parasitized insect. The HL activity increased significantly in H. armigera larvae at 12 and 24 h postinjection with Escherichia coli. We infer the HL factor(s) is inducible or due to de novo synthesis, which means that the HL factor(s) is associated with insect immune response by inhibiting or clearance of invading organisms.     

Regulation of melanization by glutathione in the moth Pseudoplusia includens

The phenoloxidase (PO) cascade regulates the melanization of hemolymph, which serves as a conserved humoral immune response in insects and other arthropods. The reductant glutathione (GSH) has long been used to inhibit melanization of hemolymph from insects but whether GSH levels in hemolymph are sufficient to play a physiological role in regulating melanization is unknown. Here, we characterized the abundance and effects of GSH on the melanization of plasma from larval stage Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). GSH concentration in newly collected plasma from day two fifth instars ranged from 50 to 115 μM, while the titer of tyrosine, a substrate for the PO cascade, was 141 μM. GSH titers rapidly declined in plasma after collection from larvae, but no melanin formation occurred until GSH levels fell below 20 μM. Added GSH dose-dependently blocked melanization while PO substrates overrode GSH inhibition. Experiments conducted in the absence of oxygen and presence of PO cascade inhibitors further suggested that depletion of GSH from plasma was primarily due to formation of reactive intermediates produced by activated PO. Additional studies identified hemocytes as a potential source of plasma GSH. Hemocyte lysates recycled oxidized glutathione (GSSG) into GSH using NADPH, while intact hemocytes released GSH into the medium. These results suggest that in addition to protease cascade-releated mechanisms that regulate phenoloxidase, GSH exerts another level of control on melanization of insect hemolymph.     

根虫瘟霉不同菌株对小菜蛾幼虫血淋巴酚氧化酶原的激活作用

在对小菜蛾Plutella xylostella幼虫血淋巴酚氧化酶原的存在部位及免疫激活作用特点研究的基础上,比较了根虫瘟霉Zoophthora radicans不同菌株对酚氧化酶原激活系统的免疫激化及防御作用的差异。研究发现, 酚氧化酶原主要位于小菜蛾幼虫血细胞膜及血细胞裂解液中,极少存在于血浆中。在免疫激活剂昆布多糖存在下,分别测得小菜蛾幼虫血细胞碎片、血细胞裂解液和血浆的酚氧化酶活性为26.80 U,16.68 U和2.53 U。酚氧化酶原显著地受血浆和昆布多糖同时存在的激活,但两者单独存在时对酚氧化酶原的激活作用较弱。根虫瘟霉菌丝裂解液对酚氧化酶原有不同程度的激活作用,其激活作用在有血浆存在时显著增强,其酚氧化酶活性可提高2.9～3.4倍。各菌株间对酚氧化酶原的激活作用则以ARSEF1342菌株最强,ARSEF2699和F99101菌株次之,ARSEF1100菌株最弱。被激活的酚氧化酶可粘附于根虫瘟霉菌丝上并能产生黑化反应,各菌株间酚氧化酶粘附于ARSEF1342菌株的能力最强,粘附于ARSEF2699和F99101菌株的次之,粘附于ARSEF1100菌株的最弱。但酚氧化酶粘附于昆布多糖的能力显著强于各虫霉菌株,表明各菌株在一定程度上能逃避寄主的免疫识别;各菌株激活酚氧化酶原及酚氧化酶粘附于菌株强弱,与对小菜蛾毒力呈负相关性,表明高毒力菌株具有易逃避寄主免疫识别的趋向。     

Suppression of the prophenoloxidase system in Rhodnius prolixus orally infected with Trypanosoma rangeli

Investigations were carried out to compare aspects of the prophenoloxidase (proPO)-activating pathway in Rhodnius prolixus hemolymph in response to oral infection and inoculation of the insects with two developmental forms of Trypanosoma rangeli epimastigotes strain H14. In vivo experiments demonstrated that in control insects fed on uninfected blood, inoculation challenge with short epimastigotes resulted in high phenoloxidase (PO) activity. In contrast, previous feeding on blood containing either short or long epimastigotes was able to suppress the proPO activation induced by thoracic inoculation of the short forms. In vitro assays in the presence of short epimastigotes demonstrated that control hemolymph or hemolymph provided by insects previously fed on blood containing epimastigotes incubated with fat body homogenates from control insects significantly increased the PO activity. However, fat body homogenates from insects previously fed on blood containing epimastigotes, incubated with hemolymph taken from insects fed on control blood or blood infected with epimastigotes, drastically reduced the proPO activation. The proteolytic activity in the fat body homogenates of control insects was significantly higher than in those obtained from fat body extracts of insects previously fed on blood containing epimastigotes. These findings indicate that the reduction of the proteolytic activities in the fat body from insects fed on infected blood no longer allows a significant response of the proPO system against parasite challenge. It also provides a better understanding of T. rangeli infection in the vector and offer novel insights into basic immune processes in their invertebrate hosts.     

Bacterial metabolites of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, inhibit a catalytic activity of phenoloxidase of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

A monoterpenoid compound, benzylideneacetone (BZA), is identified from bacterial metabolites synthesized by an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila. It inhibits phospholipase A2 of target insects to shut down biosynthesis of various eicosanoids, which play significant roles in insect immunity. This study discovered another novel activity of BZA that directly inhibited phenoloxidase (PO) activity required for immune-associated melanization. When it was injected into larvae of Plutella xylostella, it suppressed PO activity in the plasma by inhibiting its activation from inactive proPO. However, BZA did not influence on gene expression of PO, which was analyzed by RT-PCR using gene-specific primers designed from a partial cDNA sequence of PO of the P. xylostella identified in this study. To test a direct inhibitory activity of BZA against PO, the activated PO of P. xylostella was prepared from the hemolymph collected from the larvae challenged by bacteria. When the activated PO was incubated in vitro with BZA, it was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of PO by BZA was recovered by addition of increasing amounts of substrate, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. Three other known bacterial metabolites containing a benzene propane core structure synthesized by X. nematophila also inhibited the PO enzyme activity. However, modification of the core structure by hydroxylation of BZA lost its strong inhibitory activity against the activated PO.     

INSECTICIDAL AND OXIDATIVE EFFECTS OF AZADIRACHTIN ON THE MODEL ORGANISM Galleria mellonella L. (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

The insecticidal effects, specifically, changes in hemolymph total protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and antioxidant enzyme activities of azadirachtin (AZA) given to the wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae via force feeding were investigated. Bioassays showed that the LD₅₀ and LD₉₉ (lethal dose) values of AZA were 2.1 and 4.6 μg/larva, respectively. Experimental analyses were performed with five doses of AZA (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 μg/larva). Total protein level in larval hemolymph increased at all AZA doses at 24 h whereas a considerable decrease was observed at 2 and 3 μg/larva doses, and only an increase displayed at 1.5 μg/larva at 72 h. The level of MDA increased at 2 and 3 μg/larva doses at 24 h compared with controls. This trend was also observed at 1.5, 2, and 3 μg/larva doses at 72 h and MDA levels were lower when compared with those of 24 h at all doses except for 1.5 μg/larva dose. Catalase activity decreased at 1, 1.5, and 2 μg/larva doses at 24 h whereas increased at all doses except for 0.5 μg/larva at 72 h compared with controls. AZA led to a decline in superoxide dismutase activity at all experimental doses at 24 and 72 h except for 3 μg/larva doses at 72 h. An increase in glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) activity was evident at all AZA doses at 24 h. AZA displayed 68% decline in GST activity at 72 h post treatments when compared to 24 h. Consequently, We infer that the toxicity of AZA extends beyond its known actions in molting processes to redox homeostasis.     

Insecticidal activity of a basement membrane-degrading protease against Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) and Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)

ScathL is a cathepsin L-like cysteine protease derived from the flesh fly Sarcophaga peregrina that functions in basement membrane (BM) remodeling during insect development. A recombinant baculovirus expressing ScathL (AcMLF9.ScathL) kills larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, significantly faster than the wild-type virus. Here, we show that the occurrence of larval melanization prior to death was closely associated with the onset of high cysteine protease activity of ScathL in the hemolymph of fifth instars infected with AcMLF9.ScathL, but not with AcMLF9.ScathL.C146A, a recombinant baculovirus expressing a catalytic site mutant of ScathL. Fragmented fat body, ruptured gut and malpighian tubules, and melanized tracheae were observed in AcMLF9.ScathL-infected larvae. Phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph was unchanged, but the pool of prophenoloxidase was significantly reduced in virus-infected larvae and further reduced in AcMLF9.ScathL-infected larvae. The median lethal dose (LD(50)) for purified ScathL injected into fifth-instar H. virescens was 11.0 microg/larva. ScathL was also lethal to adult pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum with a similar loss of integrity of the gut and fat body. Injection with purified ScathL.C146A or bovine trypsin at 20 microg/larva did not produce any effect in either insect. These results illustrate the potent insecticidal effects of ScathL cysteine protease activity and the potential for use of ScathL in development of insect resistant transgenic plants when combined with an appropriate delivery system.