The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Engineered multidomain cysteine protease inhibitors yield resistance against western flower thrips (Franklinielia occidentalis) in greenhouse trials

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripiclae), cause very large economic damage on a variety of field and greenhouse crops. In this study, plant resistance against thrips was introduced into transgenic potato plants through the expression of novel, custom-made, multiclomain protease inhibitors. Representative classes of inhibitors of cysteine and aspartic proteases [kininogen domain 3 (K), stefin A (A), cystatin C (C), potato cystatin (P) and equistatin (EIM)] were fused into reading frames consisting of four (K-A-C-P) to five (EIM-K-A-C-P) proteins, and were shown to fold into functional inhibitors in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The multiclomain proteins were expressed in potato and found to be more resistant to degradation by plant proteases than the individual domains. In a time span of 14-16 days, transgenic potato plants expressing EIMKACP and KACP at a similar concentration reduced the number of larvae and adults to less than 20% of the control. Leaf damage on protected plants was minimal. Engineered multiclomain cysteine protease inhibitors thus provide a novel way of controlling western flower thrips in greenhouse and field crops, and open up possibilities for novel insect resistance applications in transgenic crops.

Publishing year

2004

Language

English

Pages

449-458

Publication/Series

Plant Biotechnology Journal

Volume

2

Issue

5

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Topic

  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology

Keywords

  • protease inhibitor
  • Frankliniella occidentalis
  • insect resistance
  • thrips
  • transgenic plants

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1467-7652