Genetic engineering with α-amylase inhibitors makes seeds resistant to bruchids

Chrispeels, Maarten J.; de, Maria Fatima Grossi; Higgins, Thomas J.

doi:10.1017/s0960258500004153

Cited by 49 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The enzyme inhibitors act on the key insect gut digestive hydrolases, the a-amylases and other proteinases. Several kinds of a-amylase and proteinase inhibitors in seeds and vegetative organs act to regulate the numbers of phytophagous insects (Konarev 1996;Chrispeels et al 1998;Gatehouse and Gatehouse 1998). a-Amylase inhibitors are attractive candidates for the control of seed weevils as these insects are highly dependent on starch as an energy source (Franco et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SNP and haplotype identification of the wheat monomeric α-amylase inhibitor genes

et al. 2007

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Seventy-three gene sequences encoding monomeric alpha-amylase inhibitors were characterized from cultivated wheat "Chinese Spring", group 6 nullisomic-tetrasomic lines of "Chinese Spring" and diploid putative progenitors of common wheat. The monomeric alpha-amylase inhibitors from the different sources shared very high homology (99.54%). The different alpha-amylase inhibitors, which were determined by the 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of their gene sequences, were investigated. A total of 15 haplotypes were defined by sequence alignment, among which 9 haplotypes were found with only one single sequence sample. Haplotype H02 was found to be the main haplotype occurring in 83 WMAI sequence samples, followed by haplotype H11. The median-joining network for the 15 haplotypes of monomeric alpha-amylase inhibitor gene sequences from hexaploid wheats was star like, and at least two subclusters emerged. Furthermore evidence of homologous recombination was found between the haplotypes. The relationship between nucleotide substitutions and the amino acid changes in WMAI of hexaploid wheats was summarized. It was clear that only five polymorphic sites in the nucleotide sequence of WMAI resulted in amino acid variations, and that should be the reason for different structure and function of inhibitors. However, little evidence could be found that there were WMAI genes in the A genome of hexaploid wheat, whereas it could conclude from our results that the A genome diploid wheat had WMAI genes. The overall information on the monomeric alpha-amylase inhibitors from wheat and Aegilops strongly support the view that these inhibitors have evolved from a common ancestral gene through duplication and mutation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SNP and haplotype identification of the wheat monomeric α-amylase inhibitor genes

et al. 2007

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“…Gatehouse et al 1986;Pueyo et al 1995;Chrispeels et al 1998;Gatehouse and Gatehouse 1998;Hou and Fields 2003), however, little information is currently available about their effect on physiology and population dynamics of the stored-product mites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vitro and in vivo inhibition of α-amylases of stored-product mite Acarus siro

et al. 2005

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The stored-product mites are the most abundant and frequent group of pests living on the stored food products in Europe. They endanger public health since they produce allergens and transmit mycotoxin-producing fungi. Novel acaricidal compounds with inhibitory effects on the digestive enzymes of arthropods are a safe alternative to the traditional neurotoxic pesticides used for control of the stored-product pests. In this work, we explored the properties of acarbose, the low molecular weight inhibitor of alpha-amylases (AI), as a novel acaricide candidate for protection of the stored products from infestation by Acarus siro (Acari: Acaridae). In vitro analysis revealed that AI blocked efficiently the enzymatic activity of digestive amylases of A. siro, and decreased the physiological capacity of mite's gut in utilizing a starch component of grain flour. In vivo experiments showed that AI suppressed the population growth of A. siro. The mites were kept for three weeks on experimental diet enriched by AI in concentration range of 0.005 to 0.25%. Population growth of A. siro was negatively correlated with the content of AI in the treated diet with a half-population dose of 0.125%. The suppressive effect of AIs on stored-product mites is discussed in the context of their potential application in GMO crops.

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“…Many plants appear to express such enzymes as a defensive strategy and the genetic manipulation of crops now allows the corresponding genes to be transferred between species. Depending on whether the dietary intake of the insect is predominantly protein or carbohydrate, the expression of proteinase inhibitors (Lawrence & Koundal, 2002) and α-amylase inhibitors (Chrispeels et al 1998) should prevent the uptake of nutrients and therefore starve or delay the development of insect larvae. Insects that predominantly consume plant proteins produce gut proteases such as trypsin and elastase, which are required for digestion.…”

Section: Specific Targets: Insect Pestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of genetically enhanced plants to address food insecurity

2004

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Food insecurity is one of the most important social issues faced today, with 840 million individuals enduring chronic hunger and three billion individuals suffering from nutrient deficiencies. Most of these individuals are poverty stricken and live in developing countries. Strategies to address food insecurity must aim to increase agricultural productivity in the developing world in order to tackle poverty, and must provide long-term improvements in crop yields to keep up with demand as the world's population grows. Genetically enhanced plants provide one route to sustainable higher yields, either by increasing the intrinsic yield capability of crop plants or by protecting them from biotic and abiotic constraints. The present paper discusses a range of transgenic approaches that could increase agricultural productivity if applied on a large scale, including the introduction of genes that confer resistance to pests and diseases, or tolerance of harsh environments, and genes that help to lift the intrinsic yield capacity by increasing metabolic flux towards storage carbohydrates, proteins and oils. The paper also explores how the nutritional value of plants can be improved by genetic engineering. Transgenic plants, as a component of integrated strategies to relieve poverty and deliver sustainable agriculture to subsistence farmers in developing countries, could have a significant impact on food security now and in the future.

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Genetic engineering with α-amylase inhibitors makes seeds resistant to bruchids

Cited by 49 publications

References 29 publications

SNP and haplotype identification of the wheat monomeric α-amylase inhibitor genes

SNP and haplotype identification of the wheat monomeric α-amylase inhibitor genes

In vitro and in vivo inhibition of α-amylases of stored-product mite Acarus siro

The potential of genetically enhanced plants to address food insecurity

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