• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• 제44권3호
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 2001

Insect pests can be controlled through direct application of insecticides. Insect control by residual protectants is relatively inexpensive and has an advantage of destroying all stages of infestations. The efficacy of control is largely determined by the concentration of insecticides to which the pest species is exposed. A reduction in the period of control in the field afforded by a specific level of a protectant indicates that resistance has developed. An increase in the level of protectant is required to maintain control, and the efficacy of currently used insecticides has been severely reduced by insecticide resistance in pest species. Development of resistance to particular insecticide varies with species because insecticide resistance is often correlated with increased levels of certain enzymes, which are cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases, glutathione S-transferases and esterases. Some sections of insecticide molecules can be modified by one or more of these primary enzymes. A reduction in the sensitivity of the action site of a xenobiotic also constitutes a mechanism of resistance. Acetylcholinesterase is a major target site for insecticide action, as are axonal sodium ion channels and ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid receptors. Development of reduced sensitivity of these target sites to insecticides usually occurs. This review not only may contribute to a better understanding of insecticide resistance, but also illustrates the gaps still present for a full biochemical understanding of the resistance.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제40권4호
• /
• pp.494-500
• /
• 2007

The endophytic bruchid pest Callosobruchus maculatus causes severe damage to storage cowpea seeds, leading to economical losses. For this reason the use of $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors to interfere with the pest digestion process has been an interesting alternative to control bruchids. With this aim, $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors from baru seeds (Dipteryx alata) were isolated by affinity chromatographic procedures, causing enhanced inhibition of C. maculatus and Anthonomus grandis $\alpha$-amylases. To attempt further purification, this fraction was applied onto a reversed-phase HPLC column, generating four peaks with remarkable inhibition toward C. maculatus $\alpha$-amylases. SDS-PAGE and MALDI-ToF analysis identified major proteins of approximately 5.0, 11.0, 20.0 and 55 kDa that showed $\alpha$-amylase inhibition. Results of in vivo bioassays using artificial seeds containing 1.0% (w/w) of baru crude extract revealed 40% cowpea weevil larvae mortality. These results provide evidence that several $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors classes, with biotechnological potential, can be isolated from a single plant species.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제25권1호
• /
• pp.43-49
• /
• 2008

Cancer Osaka thyroid, also known as Tpl-2 (Cot) is a member of the MAP3K kinase family and plays a key role in the regulation of the immune response to pro-inflammatory stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumour necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$). A series of Cot constructs with an N-terminal 6xHis tag were transiently expressed in HEK293 cells: $Cot_{130-399}$ (kinase domain), $Cot_{1-388}$ (N-terminal and kinase do-mains), $Cot_{1-413}$, $Cot_{1-438}$ (containing a putative PEST sequence), $Cot_{1-457}$ (containing both PEST and degron sequences) and $Cot_{1-467}$ (full-length protein). These Cot proteins were pulled down using an anti-6xHis antibody and separated by 2D electrophoresis. The gels were silver-stained and 21 proteins were detected that did not appear, or had substantially reduced intensity, in the control sample. Three of these were identified by MS and MS/MS analysis as Hsp90, Hsp70 and Grp78. Hsp90 appeared to bind to the kinase domain of Cot and this interaction was further investigated using co-immuno-precipitation with both overexpressed Cot in HEK293 cells and endogenous Cot in Hela cells.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• 제22권1호
• /
• pp.46-50
• /
• 2006

A virus causing chlorotic ringspot, yellow mosaic and vein clearing symptoms was prevalent on mungbean plants around Taean, Korea. The isolate caused mosaic on Chenopodium quinoa, Nicotiana benthamiana, Phaseolus vulgaris and Vida laba but no symptoms on peanut plants. Inclusion bodies such as scroll, pinwheel and laminated aggregates induced by the virus in the host cells were similar to those produced by members of the Potyvirus subdivision III. Multiple alignment as well as cluster dendrograms of the 709 nucleotide region comprising part of the coat protein gene and 3'untranslated region (UTR) showed that the isolate belongs to the BCMV-PSt subgroup. Altogether, these results support the identification of the causal virus as peanut stripe strain of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV-PSt).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• 제27권4호
• /
• pp.360-366
• /
• 2011

Bacterial leaf spot of Euphorbia pulcherrima has been reported in many countries. Characterization by polyphasic approaches indicated that the isolates from India, USA and New Zealand could be distinguished based on rep-PCR profiles and gyrB phylogenies, while the Chinese isolates should be ascribed to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• 제33권2호
• /
• pp.118-124
• /
• 2017

Bell pepper is an economically important crop worldwide; however, production is restricted by a number of fungal diseases that cause significant yield loss. Chemical control is the most common approach adopted by growers to manage a number of these diseases. Monitoring for the development to resistance to fungicides in pathogenic fungal populations is central to devising integrated pest management strategies. Two fungal species, Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) and Colletotrichum truncatum are important pathogens of bell pepper in Trinidad. This study was carried out to determine the sensitivity of 71 isolates belonging to these two fungal species to fungicides with different modes of action based on in vitro bioassays. There was no significant difference in log effective concentration required to achieve 50% colony growth inhibition ($LogEC_{50}$) values when field location and fungicide were considered for each species separately based on ANOVA analyses. However, the $LogEC_{50}$ value for the Aranguez-Antracol locationfungicide combination was almost twice the value for the Maloney/Macoya-Antracol location-fungicide combination regardless of fungal species. $LogEC_{50}$ values for Benomyl fungicide was also higher for C. truncatum isolates than for FIESC isolates and for any other fungicide. Cropping practices in these locations may explain the fungicide sensitivity data obtained.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제55권2호
• /
• pp.225-228
• /
• 2017

The ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum is a common household pest worldwide. The present study examined the occurrence of the species in urban homes in Korea. During the period of September 2014 to January 2016, T. melanocephalum workers were collected from 58 homes at 29 different localities using bait traps with 10% sugar solution. The species was widely distributed throughout urban homes at 29 different localities, and the indoor occurrence of T. melanocephalum was highest in Seoul (32.7%) and metropolitan areas of Gyeonggi-do (Province) (29.3%). The indoor incidence rate of T. melanocephalum peaked in September (22.8%), remained moderate from October through April, and peaked again in May (15.7%). In contrast, a low incidence was observed from June to August (7.0%). The present study provides evidence that native ants, such as T. melanocephalum, are potential indoor pests of homes in Korea throughout the year.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• 제6권2호
• /
• pp.125-132
• /
• 2003

Uzi fly (Exorista bombycis Louis) is one of the major larval endo-parasitoid of silkworm (Bombyx mori). It causes extensive damage to sericulture industry. The application of synthetic organic pesticides has tremendous impact on minimizing pest population but their overuse and frequent misuse and high sensitivity towards the silkworms, has forced the entomologists to search for alternatives to chemical control, which is safe to silkworm, environment and farm workers. Biological control continues to offer exciting possibilities for the control of fly pest population. It is environmentally safe alternative to chemical control and offering a long-term protection. Several potential hymenopteran parasitoids have been screened. Among successful natural enemies, Nesolynx thymus, Trichomalopsis apanteloctena, Trichopria sp., Brachymeria lasus, Pediobius sp., Spalangia sp., Spilomicrus karnatakensis and Dhirhinus sp. are important. It is essential to predict accurately the efficacy of these natural enemies in a new habitat prior to its introduction. The important desirable attributes of these potential parasitoids viz., host searching capacity, specificity, power of increase and fitness and adaptability of the parasitoid in new environment has been recorded. Results of the host parasitoid interaction indicate that the aging of the host function as a factor that influence the host finding efficiency of the parasitoid. It is highly scored with 15-20 hrs old pupa of the host. However, aging of the parasitoid does not significantly affect it. The sex ratio is female biased which is advantageous from biological control point of view, Biological suppression methods involving conservation and utilization of natural enemies have been discussed in detail.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.139-146
• /
• 2012

Botanicals have been regarded as sustainable solution of pest control because of their nominal effect on nontarget pest, biodegradability and other environment friendly properties. However, study on impact of botanicals against beneficial insects is less. In this investigation effort has been made to study the effect of essential oils of Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum gratissimum and Ageratum conyzoides against non-mulberry silkworm Antheraea assama in terms of percent mortality, total haemocyte count (THC) and phenol oxidase (PO) enzyme activity. After application of essential oil of the plants by contact residual film technique, age dependent decrease of percent mortality was recorded. Topical treatment of oil at higher dosages ($1{\mu}lg^{-1}$ and $0.5{\mu}lg^{-1}$) caused 100% mortality of late instar larvae at 24 hour but the lowest dose ($0.25{\mu}lg^{-1}$) did not cause any mortality till 48 hour of treatment. Initial increase of total haemocyte count (THC) was recorded at early hours of treatment (0.25 hour) at all dosages (1, 0.5, $0.25{\mu}lg^{-1}$) after topical treatment. A dose dependent increase was observed in phenol oxidase enzyme activity and this might indicate ability of the essential oils to cause induction of immune response in Antheraea assama larvae.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.9-13
• /
• 2007

Hexane extract of Porteresia coarctata (Roxb.) exhibits a toxic effect on the tissues of Spodoptera litura (F) while fed at the dose of 1000 and 2000 ppm thoroughly mixing with castor leaves (Ricinus communis L) after dissolving in DMSO at late fourth instar whereas only DMSO treated castor leaves were fed to control group. The larvae were put to rear at $28^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $76{\pm}4%$ R.H. under 12 L + 12 D photoperiodic regime. In test group insects substantial reduction of protein and DNA content was marked in fat body and midgut tissues compared to DMSO treated control group. The significant biochemical alterations in the midgut tissues and fat body of test group insects indicate the insecticidal property of the said plant extract that could be tested in facilitating the phenomenal stride in Integrated Pest Management.