Can Virus-like Particles Be Used as Synergistic Agent in Pest Management?

Abstract

Among novel strategies proposed in pest management, synergistic agents are used to improve insecticide efficacy through an elevation of intracellular calcium concentration that activates the calcium-dependent intracellular pathway. This leads to a changed target site conformation and to increased sensitivity to insecticides while reducing their concentrations. Because virus-like particles (VLPs) increase the intracellular calcium concentration, they can be used as a synergistic agent to synergize the effect of insecticides. VLPs are self-assembled viral protein complexes, and by contrast to entomopathogen viruses, they are devoid of genetic material, which makes them non-infectious and safer than viruses. Although VLPs are well-known to be used in human health, we propose in this study the development of a promising strategy based on the use of VLPs as synergistic agents in pest management. This will lead to increased insecticides efficacy while reducing their concentrations.

Plant and insect virus‐like particles: emerging nanoparticles for agricultural pest management

“…The advantages and drawbacks of each system for VLP production have been analyzed previously. [18][19][20] The most popular system for producing VLPs is the recombinant baculovirus expression system in lepidopteran cells. 21 Purified VLPs should have similar properties to authentic virions, such as morphology, size, and even function.…”

“…VLPs are composed of self‐assembled viral structural proteins that can be produced in common protein expression systems based on bacterial, plant, or insect cells. The advantages and drawbacks of each system for VLP production have been analyzed previously 18–20 . The most popular system for producing VLPs is the recombinant baculovirus expression system in lepidopteran cells 21 .…”