Insecticidal action of Annona coriacea lectin against the flour moth Anagasta kuehniella and the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Annona coriacea lectin (ACLEC) was tested for insecticidal activity against larvae of two pyralid moths, Anagasta kuehniella and Corcyra cephalonica. ACLEC produced approximately 50% mortality and mass loss in A. kuehniella larvae when incorporated into an artificial diet at levels of 1.5% and 1.0% (w/w), respectively. In contrast, the inclusion of up to 2% ACLEC in the diet did not significantly decrease the survival or weight of C. cephalonica larvae. The nutritional indices for A. kuehniella and C. cephalonica suggested that ACLEC had a multi-mechanistic mode of action and was an antifeedant for both insects. The toxicity in A. kuehniella apparently resulted from a change in the gut membrane environment and consequent disruption of digestive enzyme recycling mechanisms. Affinity chromatography showed that ACLEC bound to midgut proteins of A. kuehniella and C. cephalonica. However, the 14 kDa subunit of ACLEC was not digested by midgut proteases of A. kuehniella, but was degraded by the corresponding C. cephalonica proteases within a few hours. These findings suggest the possibility of using ACLEC to engineer crop plants.