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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Pest Management and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #288258
Title: Potential of the bean alpha-amylase inhibitor alpha-AI-1 to inhibit alpha-amylase activity in true bugs(Hemiptera)

Author
item LUTHI, CHRISTOPH - Agroscope
item ALVAREZ-ALFAGEME, FERNANDO - European Food Safety Authority
item LI, YUNHE - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Naranjo, Steven
item HIGGINS, THOMAS - Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
item ROMEIS, JORG - Agroscope

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2014
Publication Date: 3/17/2015
Citation: Luthi, C., Alvarez-Alfageme, F., Li, Y., Naranjo, S.E., Higgins, T.J.V., Romeis, J. 2015. Potential of the bean alpha-amylase inhibitor alpha-AI-1 to inhibit alpha-amylase activity in true bugs(Hemiptera). Journal of Applied Entomology. 139:192-200.

Interpretive Summary: True bugs from the insect Order Hemiptera are an important pest complex in many crops. This group of insects is not controlled by widely grown transgenic Bt crops and other selective options for pest management are needed. One potential source of selective resistance to these insect pests includes inhibitors of a group of digestive enzymes known generally as amylases. Currently, an a-amylases inhibitor from the common bean, has been shown to inhibit a-amylases of bruchid beetle pests of grain legumes. In this study we quantify the in vitro activity of a-amylases of 12 Hemiptera species and the inhibition of those a-amylases by an inhibitor known as aAI-1. We found that amylase activity was present in all species but that susceptibility to the inhibitor varied among the different groups. a-amylases of species in the insect families Lygaeidae, Miridae, and Nabidae were highly susceptible, whereas those in the Auchenorrhyncha (aphids, scales, whiteflies, leafhoppers) had a low susceptibility, and those in the stinkbug family, Pentatomidae, seemed to be tolerant to the inhibitor. The susceptible families contain not only many important pest species but also potential biological control agents. Further work will be needed to assess the potential of aAI-1 inhibitor-expressing crops to control true bugs using intact whole insects. It is also clear that assessment of the impacts of such transgenic crops on non-target organisms also will be required.

Technical Abstract: True bugs (Hemiptera) are an important pest complex not controlled by Bt crops. An alternative source of resistance includes inhibitors of digestive enzymes. aAI-1, an a-amylase inhibitor from the common bean, has been shown to inhibit a-amylases of bruchid pests of grain legumes. Here we quantify the in vitro activity of a-amylases of 12 Hemiptera species and the in vitro inhibition of those a-amylases by aAI-1.a-Amylase activity was present in all species. Susceptibility to aAI-1 varied among the different groups. a-Amylases of species in the Lygaeidae, Miridae, and Nabidae were highly susceptible, whereas those in the Auchenorrhyncha had a low susceptibility, and those in the Pentatomidae seemed to be tolerant to aAI-1. The susceptible families contain many important pest species but also potential biological control agents. We suggest that researchers assess the potential of aAI-1-expressing crops to control true bugs in vivo and also assess impacts on non-target Hemiptera.