Targeting an antimicrobial effector function in insect immunity as a pest control strategy.
Insect pests such as termites cause damages to crops and man-made structures estimated at over $30 billion per year, imposing a global challenge for the human economy. Here, we report a strategy for compromising insect immunity that might lead to the development of nontoxic, sustainable pest control methods. Gram-negative bacteria binding proteins (GNBPs) are critical for sensing pathogenic infection and triggering effector responses. We report that termite GNBP-2 (tGNBP-2) shows beta(1,3)-glucanase effector activity previously unknown in animal immunity and is a pleiotropic pattern recognition receptor and an antimicrobial effector protein. Termites incorporate this protein into the nest building material, where it functions as a nest-embedded sensor that cleaves and releases pathogenic components, priming termites for improved antimicrobial defense. By means of rational design, we present an inexpensive, nontoxic small molecule glycomimetic that blocks tGNBP-2, thus exposing termites in vivo to accelerated infection and death from specific and opportunistic pathogens. Such a molecule, introduced into building materials and agricultural methods, could protect valuable assets from insect pests.
Bulmer
Mark S
MS
Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA. mbulmer@towson.edu
Bachelet
Ido
I
Raman
Rahul
R
Rosengaus
Rebeca B
RB
Sasisekharan
Ram
R
D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D020049:Isoptera / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase