Molecular interactions between an insect predator and its herbivore prey on transgenic potato expressing a cysteine proteinase inhibitor from rice

Transgenic plants expressing resistance to herbivorous insects may represent a safe and sustainable pest control alternative if they do not interfere with the natural enemies of target pests. Here we examined interactions between oryzacystatin I (OCI), a proteinase inhibitor from rice genetically engineered into potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Kennebec, line K52) to increase resistance to insect herbivory, and the insect predator Perillus bioculatus. This stinkbug is a relatively specialized predator of caterpillars and leaf-beetle larvae, and may also include plant sap in its predominantly carnivorous diet. One of its preferred prey is Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), a major target of insect resistance development for potato field crops. Gelatin/sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) confirmed that a major fraction of proteinase (gelatinase) activity in P. bioculatus extracts is OCI-sensitive. Among five gelatinolytic bands detected, the slowest-moving one (proteinase I) was inhibited strongly by purified OCI expressed in Escherichia coli or by OCI-transgenic potato extracts, while three other proteinases were partly sensitive to these treatments. There was also evidence of slight inhibition of proteinase I by untransformed potato foliage, suggesting the presence of a natural inhibitor related to OCI at low level in potato foliage. Interestingly, only about 50% of the maximum potential activity of proteinase I was recovered in extracts of P. bioculatus feeding on L. decemlineata larval prey on a diet of OCI-potato foliage, indicating that the predator was sensitive to OCI in the midgut of its prey. However, P. bioculatus on OCI-prey survived, grew and developed normally, indicating ability to compensate prey-mediated exposure to the OCI inhibitor. Confinement of P. bioculatus to potato foliage provided no evidence that potato plant-derived nutrition is a viable alternative to predation, restriction to potato foliage in fact being inferior to free water for short-term survival of nonfeeding first-instar larvae. These results support the view that OCI, an effective inhibitor of a substantial fraction of digestive enzymatic potential in P. bioculatus, should not interfere with its predation potential when expressed in potato plants fed to its prey at a maximum level of approximately 0.8% of total soluble proteins in mature foliage.     

Fitness and feeding are affected in the two-spotted stinkbug,Perillus bioculatus,by the cysteine proteinase inhibitor,oryzacystatin I

Plant resistance to insect pests based on recombinant proteinase inhibitors (Pis) could interfere with natural enemies of target pests, as their own proteolytic systems may also be sensitive to large spectrum PIs. Oryzacystatin I (OCI) is a potential insect pest resistance factor currently engineered into a variety of crop plants, including potato Solanum tuberosum. Potential for OCI interfering with female reproduction in Perillus bioculatus, a stinkbug predator of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, was studied by chronic feeding for 18 days on prey loaded with 1–16 μg OCI/day. Mortality of treated females was negligible, but fertility was reduced by up to 50%. Additional dose-dependent effects in reproducing females included delayed oviposition, reduced fecundity, lower egg mass size, and reduced egg eclosion incidence. Females fed for 18 days on OCI at ≤4 μg/day returned to normal oviposition when switched to prey without OCI after 18 days of treatment, but negative effects persisted for at least 10 days at higher doses. Affected reproduction in P. bioculatus is consistent with the use of OCI-sensitive digestive proteinases by this stinkbug. However, azocaseinase activity in whole body extracts of OCI-fed females increased about twofold indicating compensation, and OCI-sensitive proteinases were still present in extracts. When timed for delay to trigger attack on Colorado potato beetle larvae under controlled conditions, stinkbugs feeding on OCI appeared consistently hungrier than controls fed at similar rate, suggesting that predation by stinkbugs exposed to OCI-recombinant foliage would be higher than normal. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 38:74–83, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A hybrid, broad-spectrum inhibitor of Colorado potato beetle aspartate and cysteine digestive proteinases

Protein engineering approaches are currently being devised to improve the inhibitory properties of plant proteinase inhibitors against digestive proteinases of herbivorous insects. Here we engineered a potent hybrid inhibitor of aspartate and cysteine digestive proteinases found in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say. Three cathepsin D inhibitors (CDIs) from stressed potato and tomato were first compared in their potency to inhibit digestive cathepsin D-like activity of the insect. After showing the high inhibitory potency of tomato CDI (M(r) approximately 21 kDa), an approximately 33-kDa hybrid inhibitor was generated by fusing this inhibitor to the N terminus of corn cystatin II (CCII), a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteinases. Inhibitory assays with recombinant forms of CDI, CCII, and CDI-CCII expressed in Escherichia coli showed the CDI-CCII fusion to exhibit a dual inhibitory effect against cystatin-sensitive and cathepsin D-like enzymes of the potato beetle, resulting in detrimental effects against 3rd-instar larvae fed the hybrid inhibitor. The inhibitory potency of CDI and CCII was not altered after their fusion, as suggested by IC(50) values for the interaction of CDI-CCII with target proteinases similar to those measured for each inhibitor. These observations suggest the potential of plant CDIs and cystatins as functional inhibitory modules for the design of effective broad-spectrum, hybrid inhibitors of herbivorous insect cysteine and aspartate digestive proteinases.     

Response of digestive cysteine proteinases from the colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) and the black vine weevil (Otiorynchus sulcatus) to a recombinant form of human stefin A

The effects of the cystatins, human stefin A (HSA) and oryzacystatin I (OCI) on digestive cysteine proteinases of the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and the black vine weevil (BVW), Otiorynchus sulcatus, were assessed using complementary inhibition assays, cystatin-affinity chromatography, and recombinant forms of the two inhibitors. For both insects, either HSA and OCI used in excess (10 or 20 μM) caused partial and stable inhibition of total proteolytic (azocaseinase) activity, but unlike for OCI the HSA-mediated inhibitions were significantly increased when the inhibitor was used in large excess (100 μM). As demonstrated by complementary inhibition assays, this two-step inhibition of the insect proteases by HSA was due to the differential inactivation of two distinct cysteine proteinase populations in either insect extracts, the rapidly (strongly) inhibited population corresponding to the OCI-sensitive fraction. After removing the cystatin-sensitive proteinases from CPB and BVW midgut extracts using OCI- (or HSA-) affinity chromatography, the effects of the insect “non-target” proteases on the structural integrity of the two cystatins were assessed. While OCI remained essentially stable, HSA was subjected to hydrolysis without the accumulation of detectable stable intermediates, suggesting the presence of multiple exposed cleavage sites sensitive to the action of the insect proteases on this cystatin. This apparent susceptibility of HSA to proteolytic cleavage may partially explain its low efficiency to inactivate the insect OCI-insensitive cysteine proteinases when not used in large excess. It could also have major implications when planning the use of cystatin-expressing transgenic plants for the control of coleopteran pests. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Synthesis of active oryzacystatin I in transgenic potato plants

Summary Transformation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) with cysteine proteinase inhibitor (PI) genes represents a potential way of controlling the major insect pest Colorado potato beetle (CPB; Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say). The present study describes the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of potato (cv. Kennebec) with an oryzacystatin I (OCI) cDNA clone linked to a CaMV 35S promoter. The transgenic plants accumulated active OCI in potato leaves, as demonstrated by the papain-inhibitory activity of transgenic plant leaf extracts. In addition to their anti-papain activity, the extracts also caused a partial but significant inhibition of CPB digestive proteinases, similar to that observed with pure inhibitors. Recombinant OCI did not alter the activity of the major potato leaf endogenous proteinases, which seemed to be of the serine-type. Therefore we suggest that the OCI cDNA can be used for the production of CPB-resistant transgenic potato plants without interfering with endogenous proteinases of these plants.Abbreviations CPB Colorado potato beetle - E-64 trans-epoxy-succinyl-L-leucylamido (4-guanidino) butane - OCI oryzacystatin I - PI proteinase inhibitor - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride     

Colorado potato beetles show differential digestive compensatory responses to host plants expressing distinct sets of defense proteins

Herbivorous insects fed plants expressing proteinase inhibitors (PIs) compensate for the loss of digestive proteolytic functions by producing novel proteinases. We assessed here whether such compensatory responses represent a general, non-specific adaptation to defense-related proteins in host plant tissues, or if distinct responses occur depending on the stress exerted on the plant. As a model, growth, development, and digestive proteases of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) were monitored after feeding larvae with plants pre-treated with either methyl jasmonate or arachidonic acid, two compounds inducing different sets of defense genes in potato. In brief, larvae fed plants treated with jasmonate or arachidonate were negatively affected compared to larvae fed non-treated plants, suggesting the potency of both molecules to induce partial resistance to potato beetles in potato. On the other hand, larvae fed treated plants partially compensated for the presence of defense-related proteins by adapting their digestive proteolytic system, both quantitatively and qualitatively. These compensatory processes varied depending on the treatment, the larvae fed arachidonate-treated plants showing the most dramatic response. Compensation to jasmonate and arachidonate was also influenced by a cysteine PI from rice expressed in the plant, pointing out the possible indirect effects of recombinant defense proteins on naturally-occurring plant-insect interactions. These observations, while showing the potential of jasmonate and arachidonate as inducers of partial resistance to the potato beetle in potato, also suggest that digestive compensation in herbivorous insects is determined, at least in part, by defense-related compounds found in the plant in response to different stress stimuli or as a result of ectopic expression in transgenic plants.     

Tailoring the specificity of a plant cystatin toward herbivorous insect digestive cysteine proteases by single mutations at positively selected amino acid sites

Plant cystatins, similar to other defense proteins, include hypervariable, positively selected amino acid sites presumably impacting their biological activity. Using 29 single mutants of the eighth domain of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) multicystatin, SlCYS8, we assessed here the potential of site-directed mutagenesis at positively selected amino acid sites to generate cystatin variants with improved inhibitory potency and specificity toward herbivorous insect digestive cysteine (Cys) proteases. Compared to SlCYS8, several mutants (22 out of 29) exhibited either improved or lowered potency against different model Cys proteases, strongly suggesting the potential of positively selected amino acids as target sites to modulate the inhibitory specificity of the cystatin toward Cys proteases of agronomic significance. Accordingly, mutations at positively selected sites strongly influenced the inhibitory potency of SlCYS8 against digestive Cys proteases of the insect herbivore Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). In particular, several variants exhibited improved potency against both cystatin-sensitive and cystatin-insensitive digestive Cys proteases of this insect. Of these, some variants also showed weaker activity against leaf Cys proteases of the host plant (potato [Solanum tuberosum]) and against a major digestive Cys protease of the two-spotted stinkbug Perillus bioculatus, an insect predator of Colorado potato beetle showing potential for biological control. Overall, these observations suggest the usefulness of site-directed mutagenesis at positively selected amino acid sites for the engineering of recombinant cystatins with both improved inhibitory potency toward the digestive proteases of target herbivores and weaker potency against nontarget Cys proteases in the host plant or the environment.     

Compensatory proteolytic responses to dietary proteinase inhibitors in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Increasing levels of inhibitors that target cysteine and/or serine proteinases were fed to Tribolium castaneum larvae, and the properties of digestive proteinases were compared in vitro. Cysteine proteinases were the major digestive proteinase class in control larvae, and serine proteinase activity was minor. Dietary serine proteinase inhibitors had minimal effects on either the developmental time or proteolytic activity of T. castaneum larvae. However, when larvae ingested cysteine proteinase inhibitors, there was a dramatic shift from primarily cysteine proteinases to serine proteinases in the proteinase profile of the midgut. Moreover, a combination of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors in the diet prevented this shift from cysteine proteinase-based digestion to serine proteinase-based digestion, and there was a corresponding substantial retardation in growth. These data suggest that the synergistic inhibitory effect of a combination of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors in the diet of T. castaneum larvae on midgut proteolytic activity and beetle developmental time is achieved through the prevention of the adaptive proteolytic response to overcome the activity of either type of inhibitor.     

Two strains of cabbage seed weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) exhibit differential susceptibility to a transgenic oilseed rape expressing oryzacystatin I

The aim of this study was to assess the potential effect of a transgenic line of oilseed rape expressing oryzacystatin I (OCI) on two strains of cabbage seed weevil. The level of OCI expression in seeds was approximately 0.05% of total soluble proteins. The insects were field-collected in two different locations, and their progeny was analyzed after a 3 week-development in pods. Both strains showed a similar pattern of proteolytic activity, and similar levels of OCI-sensitive proteinase activity in vitro. However, the larvae showed differential susceptibility to the transgenic plants. Despite inhibition of digestive proteinases in vitro by OCI in both strains, one strain showed an increased growth rate when fed the transgenic seeds, while the other strain remained unaffected. While suggesting the importance of studying individuals from different populations when assessing the effect of proteinase inhibitor-expressing plants on insect growth, our results also point out the necessity of studying the biochemical interactions taking place in vivo between the recombinant inhibitors and their target proteinases.     

Adult Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata compensate for nutritional stress on oryzacystatin I-transgenic potato plants by hypertrophic behavior and over-production of insensitive proteases

Protease inhibitors have been proposed as potential control molecules that could be engineered into potato plants for developing crops resistant to the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, a major pest of potato and other Solanaceae. In this study, we examined the effects of feeding young female beetles with foliage from a cultivar of the "Kennebec" potato line (K52) transformed with a gene encoding oryzacystatin I (OCI), a specific cysteine proteinase inhibitor with proven activity against cathepsin H-like enzymes of larvae and adults of the potato beetle. To evaluate the insect's performance, we collected data over a 16-d postemergence period on survival, diapause incidence, foliage consumption, weight gain, and oviposition of females. Tested individuals were fed untransformed (control) and OCI-transformed foliage at two stages of potato leaf differentiation, corresponding to "low" and "high" levels of OCI expression in leaves of K52. The OCI-expressing foliage did not affect female survival (close to 100%), incidence of diapause (15-30%), relative growth rate (RGR) during postemergence growth (5-9% d(-1)) or maximum weight reached (140-160 mg). Neither did it affect female reproductive fitness as measured by preoviposition time (8-9 d), 16-d fecundity (220-290 eggs), or egg eclosion incidence (86-91%). However, nutritional stress to females feeding on OCI foliage was evident, as reflected in their lower efficiency of conversion of ingested foliage (ECI) during postemergence growth, increased foliage consumed per egg laid (up to 119% more), and adaptation of their digestive proteolytic system to the inhibitory effect of OCI. Interestingly, beetles fed foliage expressing the highest level of OCI reacted rapidly to the presence of OCI by producing OCI-insensitive proteases, and exhibiting strong hypertrophic behavior by ingestion of 2.4-2.5 times more OCI rich foliage apparently as a compensatory response for nutritional stress due to the protease inhibitor in their diet.     

Growth stimulation of beetle larvae reared on a transgenic oilseed rape expressing a cysteine proteinase inhibitor

The resistance of a transgenic line of oilseed rape expressing constitutively the cysteine proteinase inhibitor oryzacystatin I (OCI) was assessed against Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The levels of OCI expression in the transformed line averaged 0.2% and 0.05% of total soluble protein in leaves and petioles respectively. In vitro analyses showed that P. chrysocephala larvae use both cysteine and serine proteinases for protein digestion, and that all the cysteine proteolytic activity is OCI-sensitive. However, bioassays showed that adults fed identically on leaf discs from control or transformed plants. When larvae were reared on transgenic plants expressing OCI, they showed an increase in weight gain compared to those reared on control plants. Furthermore, those larvae from transgenic plants exhibited a 2-fold increase in both cysteine and serine proteolytic activity as a reponse to the presence of OCI. The plasticity of insect digestive physiology and feeding behaviour are discussed, as well as the relevance of engineering a genotype expressing both types of proteinase inhibitors.     

Inhibition of cysteine proteinases by a protein inhibitor from potato

The inhibitory specificity of a protein from potato tubers that inhibits cysteine proteinases (potato cysteine proteinase inhibitor, PCPI) has been compared with that of chicken egg-white cystatin. Most proteinases that are inhibited by cystatin were also inhibited by PCPI, but the potato inhibitor inhibited stem bromelain and fruit bromelain, which are not inhibited by cystatin, and for which no protein inhibitor of comparable potency has previously been described. In contrast, papaya proteinase IV was unaffected by PCPI as it is by the cystatins, and the exopeptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase I, is inhibited by cystatins, but was unaffected by PCPI. The differences in inhibitory specificity between these proteins may well reflect differences between superfamilies of cysteine proteinase inhibitors.     

Diet-related plasticity of the digestive proteolytic system in larvae of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say)

Quantitative and qualitative changes in digestive proteolytic activities were monitored in fourth-instar larvae of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) subjected to three different leaf diets. Depending on the diet, the larvae exhibited variable growth rates, similar for potato (Solanum tuberosum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) diets but lower for the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) diet. Interestingly, these growth rates were not associated with total protease activity in the midgut. While growth of tomato-fed insects was negligible, midgut protease activity in these insects was 1.5 and 4.2 times higher than that measured for potato- and eggplant-fed insects, respectively. As seen on gelatin-containing polyacrylamide gels, midgut extracts from insects that ingested eggplant leaves contained only a few proteinase forms, while numerous forms were observed in extracts of potato- and tomato-fed larvae. Although several forms were common to the three diets, their relative importance in the insect midgut varied. This diet-related plasticity of the digestive proteolytic system in Colorado potato beetle larvae leads one to question the potential for control approaches based on the inhibition of digestive proteases. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 36:241–250, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of a potato cysteine proteinase inhibitor on midgut proteolytic enzyme activity and growth of the southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The major proteinase activity in extracts of larval midguts from the southern corn rootworm (SCR), Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, was identified as a cysteine proteinase that prefers substrates containing an arginine residue in the P1 position. Gelatin-zymogram analysis of the midgut proteinases indicated that the artificial diet-fed SCR, corn root-fed SCR, and root-fed western corn rootworms (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) possess a single major proteinase with an apparent molecular mass of 25kDa and several minor proteinases. Similar proteinase activity pH profiles were exhibited by root-fed and diet-fed rootworms with the optimal activity being slightly acidic. Rootworm larvae reared on corn roots exhibited significantly less caseinolytic activity than those reared on the artificial diet. Midgut proteolytic activity from SCR was most sensitive to inhibition by inhibitors of cysteine proteinases. Furthermore, rootworm proteinase activity was particularly sensitive to inhibition by a commercial protein preparation from potato tubers (PIN-II). One of the proteins, potato cysteine proteinase inhibitor-10', PCPI-10', obtained from PIN-II by ion-exchange chromatography, was the major source of inhibitory activity against rootworm proteinase activity. PCPI-10' and E-64 were of comparable potency as inhibitors of southern corn rootworm proteinase activity (IC(50) =31 and 35nM, respectively) and substantially more effective than chicken egg white cystatin (IC(50) =121nM). Incorporation of PCPI-10' into the diet of SCR larvae in feeding trials resulted in a significant increase in mortality and growth inhibition. We suggest that expression of inhibitors such as PCPI-10' by transgenic corn plants in the field is a potentially attractive method of host plant resistance to these Diabrotica species.     

中华鲟半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂在毕赤酵母中的表达和活性分析

为研究鱼类半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂（Cystatin）的功能并探索其在水产加工和病害防治中的应用潜力,将PCR改造后的编码成熟肽中华鲟（Acipenser sinensis）cystatin 基因亚克隆到毕赤酵母整合型表达载体pPICZαA,氯化锂法转化毕赤酵母菌株GS115,构建表达cystatin的酵母基因工程菌。经甲醇诱导、SDSPAGE检测培养基上清液,表明中华鲟cystatin在毕赤酵母中实现了高效表达,重组cystatin表达量约为215mg·L^-1。纯化后重组蛋白纯度达94.2%。生物活性检测结果表明,1μg重组中华鲟cystatin约能抑制15μg木瓜蛋白酶的水解活性。     

Toxicity toChrysomela tremulae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of transgenic poplars expressing a cysteine proteinase inhibitor

The aim of this study was to test the potential of proteinase inhibitors to controlChrysomela tremulae, a beetle that causes severe damage in young plantations and in short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC) of poplar. As a first step, cysteine proteinases were determined to be the major digestive proteinases ofC. tremulae and oryzacystatin OCI, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, was shown to inhibit this activityin vitro. The gene encoding OCI was introduced into poplar (Populus tremula ×P. tremuloides) and transgenic plants expressing OCI at a high level were selected. Feeding tests on these transgenic plants demonstrate the toxicity of OCI-producing poplar leaves againstC. tremulae larvae.J.C. Leplé and M. Bonadé-Bottino contributed equally to the research presented in this paper.     

Diverse enzymatic specificities of digestive proteases, 'intestains', enable Colorado potato beetle larvae to counteract the potato defence mechanism

In response to insect attack, high levels of proteinase inhibitors are synthesised in potato leaves. This can cause inefficient protein digestion in insects, leading to reduced growth, delayed development and lower fecundity. It has been suggested that Colorado potato beetle overcomes this defence mechanism by inducing the production of a set of cysteine proteases that are resistant to potato proteinase inhibitors. Experiments with gut extracts showed that these proteases have unusual inhibition profiles as they are not inhibited by most of the cystatins but are strongly inhibited by thyropins. In this study we have isolated three cysteine proteases from adapted guts of Colorado potato beetle larvae, named intestains 1, 2 and 3, the first cysteine proteases known to be involved in extracellular protein digestion. The N-terminal sequences suggest their classification into the papain family. Intestains differ in substrate specificities and inhibitory profiles. Their substrate specificities suggest that intestains 1 and 2 are general digestive enzymes, while intestain 3 has a more specific function. The inhibitory profile of intestain 1 is similar to that of proteases of the papain family. However, the Ki values for the interaction of intestain 2 with the same set of inhibitors are several hundred fold higher, which would enable the enzyme to circumvent the potato defence mechanism characterised by high concentrations of protease inhibitors in attacked potato leaves. A further, different strategy of the Colorado potato beetle to avoid potato defence is exhibited by intestain 3, which is able to cleave off the N-terminus of model cystatin and thus inactivate the inhibitor. These results suggest that the Colorado potato beetle combines different strategies to counteract plant defence mechanisms.     

Positive selection of digestive Cys proteases in herbivorous Coleoptera

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.     

Growth compensation and faster development of Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feeding on potato foliage expressing oryzacystatin I

Feeding, growth, development, and food conversion efficiency of Colorado potato beetle larvae reared on foliage from a “Kennebec” potato line expressing oryzacystatin I (OCI) at about 1% of its total soluble proteins were compared to those of larvae feeding on untransformed foliage from the same line. During stages L1 to L3, larvae feeding on OCI consumed leaf material 14% faster, gained weight 28% faster, and weighed 20% more at the end of the L3 stage, compared to controls. Continued exceptional performance on OCI during the final L4 stage was expressed as faster development than controls, an effect that persisted during pupal development and resulted in emergence of similar weight adults 1 day earlier than controls. Larvae initially maintained on control foliage and switched to OCI foliage during L4 did not overcompensate as those on OCI foliage throughout development, but performed similarly to larvae on control foliage throughout. Total azocaseinase activity in midgut extracts from these 4th instars 1 d after switching to OCI foliage was sensitive to inhibition by a recombinant form of OCI expressed in Escherichia coli, but was no longer sensitive 4 d after switching, indicating a gradual adaptation of the insect digestive protease system, based on the production of OCI insensitive proteases. Despite OCI potato foliage being consumed faster by small larvae using it for food, there was no indication that it was less efficient than untransformed foliage as food protein. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 40:69–79, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Co‐expression of the proteinase inhibitors oryzacystatin I and oryzacystatin II in transgenic potato alters Colorado potato beetle larval development

Colorado potato beetle (CPB; Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has shown a remarkable adaptability to a variety of control measures. Although oryzacystatin I and II (OCI and OCII) have potential in controlling pests that use cysteine proteinases for food digestion, expression of a single OC gene in potato exhibited a minimal or no effect on CPB fitness traits. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of coexpressed OCI and OCII in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Desiree, Draga?evka and Jelica on CPB larvae. Growth parameters, consumption rates and food utilization, as well as activity of proteases of CPB larvae were assayed. Second and third instar larvae fed on transformed leaves molted earlier and had higher relative growth and consumption rates than larvae fed on nontransformed leaves, while efficiency of food utilization was unaffected. In contrast, fourth instar maximum weight gain and amount of leaves consumed were about 20% lower for the larvae fed on transgenic potato. Analysis of total protease activity of third instar larvae revealed reduction in overall proteolytic activity measured by azocasein hydrolysis, accompanied with inhibition of cysteine proteinase activity 24 h after ingestion of potato leaves expressing OCI and OCII. However, after long‐term feeding on transformed leaves proteolytic activities of larvae became similar to the controls. Although feeding on OCI/OCII leaves did not affect larval survival, coexpression of OC genes reduced the development time and thus significantly decreased plant damage caused by CPB larvae.