Because proteins are the main mediators of most cellular processes they are also prime therapeutic targets. Identifying physical links among proteins and between drugs and their protein targets is essential in order to understand the mechanisms through which both proteins themselves and the molecules they are targeted with act. Thus, there is a strong need for sensitive methods that enable mapping out these biomolecular interactions. Here we present a robust and sensitive approach to screen proteome-scale collections of proteins for binding to proteins or small molecules using the well validated MAPPIT (Mammalian Protein-Protein Interaction Trap) and MASPIT (Mammalian Small Molecule-Protein Interaction Trap) assays. Using high-density reverse transfected cell microarrays, a close to proteome-wide collection of human ORF clones can be screened for interactors at high throughput. The versatility of the platform is demonstrated through several examples. With MAPPIT, we screened a 15k ORF library for binding partners of RNF41, an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase implicated in receptor sorting, identifying known and novel interacting proteins. The potential related to the fact that MAPPIT operates in living human cells is illustrated in a screen where the protein collection is scanned for interactions with the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in its unliganded versus dexamethasone-induced activated state. Several proteins were identified the interaction of which is modulated upon ligand binding to the GR, including a number of previously reported GR interactors. Finally, the screening technology also enables detecting small molecule target proteins, which in many drug discovery programs represents an important hurdle. We show the efficiency of MASPITbased target profiling through screening with tamoxifen, a first-line breast cancer drug, and reversine, an investigational drug with interesting dedifferentiation and antitumor activity. In both cases, cell microarray screens yielded known and new potential drug targets highlighting the utility of the technology beyond fundamental biology. Molecular & Cellular

The anthocorid predator Orius laevigatus is widely used as biological control agent of thrips pests, including the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis. In the current study, it was shown that O. laevigatus adults can increase plant resistance to feeding damage of F. occidentalis on tomato plants. The predator elicits a jasmonic acid (JA) mediated wound response during endophytic oviposition, resulting in reduced thrips feeding. A strong accumulation of H2O2, a molecule involved in different parts of the wound response, in leaf tissue surrounding the predator eggs or oviposition puncture sites was observed. Infestation of tomato plants with adult predators led to the upregulation of three JA regulated wound responsive genes: the precursor prosystemin, the jasmonic acid biosynthesis enzyme allene oxide synthase and the defence protein proteinase inhibitor I. Likewise, the presence of adults caused accumulation of proteinase inhibitor II, a principal marker for the wound response

Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) is widely distributed in the Mediterranean area, where it is used as an augmentative biological control agent of several pests. This zoophytophagous predator maintains a close relationship with its host plants using them not only to feed on, but also as an oviposition substrate. In the present study, a plantless rearing system was developed and developmental and reproductive parameters of bugs that had no access to plant material were compared with their counterparts living on plants. Eggs deposited in an artificial substrate took longer to develop and had lower hatching rates than those laid in tomato leaves. However, the biological parameters of nymphs that had hatched from the artificial substrate did not differ from those of nymphs that had emerged from plants, suggesting that, besides water, no essential nutrients are absorbed from the oviposition substrate during embryogenesis. Our results regarding the role of plant feeding indicate that water acquisition is the critical function of phytophagy in N. tenuis. In addition, supplementary nutrients derived from plants had a positive effect on adult weight and significantly enhanced survival in the absence of prey. Plantless rearing for five generations led to a prolonged preoviposition period and lower egg hatching rates and adult weights, but other developmental and reproductive parameters were not adversely affected. Our experiments suggest that prolonged plantless rearing of N. tenuis is possible provided that the mirid has access to a nutritionally superior food like Ephestia kuehniella eggs

The biological parameters of Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur after prolonged rearing in the absence of plant materials were compared with those of conventionally plant‐reared predators. When eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller were provided as food, developmental and reproductive fitness of M. pygmaeus reared for over 30 consecutive generations using artificial living and oviposition substrates was similar to that of predators kept on tobacco leaves. Plantless‐reared fifth instars of the predator also had similar predation rates on second instars of the tobacco aphid, Myzus persicae nicotianae Blackman, as their peers maintained on plant materials. In a further experiment, predation on aphid prey by fifth instar M. pygmaeus fed one of two egg yolk‐based artificial diets was compared with that of nymphs fed E. kuehniella eggs. Despite their lower body weights, predators produced on either artificial diet killed similar numbers of prey as their counterparts reared on lepidopteran eggs. Our study indicates that artificial rearing systems may be useful to further rationalize the production of this economically important biological control agent.