title: Cathepsins of lepidopteran insects: Aspects and prospects.
abstract: Molecular understanding of lepidopteran physiology has revealed that proteases consist of one of the central regulatory/reacting system for insect growth and survival. Among the various proteases, cathepsins are the most crucial cellular proteases, which play vital roles during insect development. In the present review, we have discussed various aspects of the lepidopteran insect cathepsins, emphasizing their roles in processes like development, growth, metamorphosis, apoptosis and immunity. Cathepsins are categorized into different types on the basis of their sequence diversification, leading to variation in structure and catalytic function. Cathepsins exhibit tissue and stage specific expression pattern which is fine-tuned by a delicate balance of expression, compartmentalization, zymogen activation, inhibition by protein inhibitors and degradation. The indispensability of cathepsins as cellular proteases in the above mentioned processes proposes them as novel targets for designing effective and specific insect controlling strategies.
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, 411008, MS, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saikhedkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada.
authors.forename: Aarohi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Summanwar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, MS, India. Electronic address: rakesh.joshi@unipune.ac.in.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, 411008, MS, India. Electronic address: ap.giri@ncl.res.in.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D002403:Cathepsins
keywords: Apoptosis; Cathepsin; Cysteine/aspartate protease; Development; Lepidoptera; Pest control; Stress response