A novel defensin encoded by a mungbean cDNA exhibits insecticidal activity against bruchid.
A cDNA encoding a small cysteine-rich protein designated VrCRP was isolated from a bruchid-resistant mungbean. VrCRP encodes a protein of 73 amino acids containing a 27 amino acid signal peptide and 8 cysteines. On the basis of the amino acid sequence similarity and conserved residues, it is suggested that VrCRP is a member of the plant defensin family. VrCRP protein was obtained by overexpression of VrCRP with a truncated signal peptide in an IMPACT system. Artificial seeds containing 0.2% (w/w) of the purified VrCRP-TSP were lethal to larvae of the bruchid Callosobruchus chinensis. VrCRP is apparently the first reported plant defensin exhibiting in vitro insecticidal activity against C. chinensis.
Chen
Kuan-Chung
KC
Graduate Institute of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
Lin
Ching-Yu
CY
Kuan
Cheng-Chun
CC
Sung
Hsien-Yi
HY
Chen
Ching-San
CS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001517:Coleoptera; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D023082:Defensins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D007306:Insecticides; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D023082:Defensins; D007306:Insecticides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins