Inhibition of Colorado potato beetle larvae by a locust proteinase inhibitor peptide expressed in potato

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 27; no. 12; pp. 829 - 834
• Main Authors: KONDRAK, Mihaly, KUTAS, Janos, SZENTHE, Borbala, PATTHY, Andras, BANFALVI, Zsofia, NADASY, Miklos, GRAF, Laaszlo, ASBOTH, Bence
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-06-2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agrobacterium; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Blotting, Northern; Cloning, Molecular; Coleoptera - growth & development; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Grasshoppers - genetics; Grasshoppers - metabolism; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - physiology; Insects; Larva - growth & development; Larvae; Leptinotarsa decemlineata; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - parasitology; Plants, Genetically Modified; Potatoes; Protease Inhibitors - chemistry; Protease Inhibitors - isolation & purification; Protease Inhibitors - metabolism; Proteinase inhibitors; Sequence Analysis, Protein; Solanum tuberosum; Solanum tuberosum - genetics; Solanum tuberosum - parasitology; Time Factors; Transgenic plants; Vegetables; Chrysomelidae; Peptides; Coleoptera; Growth; Insecta; multifunctional inhibitor; locust inhibitory peptide; Leptinotarsa decemlineata; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Transgenic plant; Solanaceae; Inhibition; transgenic potato; beetle resistance; Enzyme; Solanum tuberosum; Resistance; Peptidases; Arthropoda; Hydrolases; larval growth; Spermatophyta; Inhibitor; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1007/s10529-005-6190-z

The cDNA for a 73-mer peptide containing two locust serine proteinase inhibitors was cloned, fused to the constitutive CaMV35S promoter and introduced into potato by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. From 23 independent transgenic lines, three with high mRNA level and proteinase inhibitory activity were propagated in vitro and transferred to pots. The peptide from the leaves was identified by its N-terminal sequence and by K(i) values against chymotrypsin and trypsin. Colorado potato beetle larvae reared on transgenic plants grew slightly but significantly more slowly than those on control plants. This supports the notion that expression of multifunctional proteinase inhibitors of insect origin might be a good strategy to improve insect resistance in plants.