title: Mosquito larvicidal and antimicrobial activity of protein of Solanum villosum leaves.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mosquitoes are associated with the transmission of malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, filariasis and other viral diseases throughout the globe, apart from being a nuisance pest. Biological control alone or as a part of integrated vector management stands to be a better alternative to the chemical controls aimed against pest mosquitoes. At the same time it is necessary to control bacteria by synthetic or natural means (plant products). Hence the present study was designed to screen the effect of mosquito larvicidal and antimicrobial activitiy of protein isolated from matured leaves of Solanum villosum against mosquito immatures and some pathogenic bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aqueous solvent extract of fresh mature leaves of S. villosum was tested against 3rd instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Stegomyia aegypti mosquitoes and against four pathogenic bacteria. The protein fraction was isolated and tested for mosquitocidal and antibacterial activities. Amino acid analysis was performed on isolated protein using PICO.TAG amino acid system. SDS-PAGE was also done to detect the bands of amino acid on the basis of their molecular weights.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proteins isolated from mature leaves of S. villosum were found to have larvicidal and antimicrobial properties. Analysis of the isolated protein identified fifteen amino acids of which eight were essential amino acids. SDS-PAGE detected seven bands corresponding to different molecular weights in the range of 69-109 KDa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proteins of mature leaves of S. villosum exhibited moderate larvicidal and antimicrobial activities. The study provides considerable scope in exploiting local indigenous resources for isolation of antimicrobial and mosquito larvicidal proteins.
authors.affiliation: Mosquito and Microbiology Research Units, Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India. cnandita_2006@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Subrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laskar
authors.forename: Goutam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chandra
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D009033:Culicidae; D007306:Insecticides; D007814:Larva; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032322:Solanum
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins