Study on the development of the efficient use of the protein fusolin targetting the insect peritophic matrix for pest control

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26450474
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (2016); National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: MITSUHASHI Wataru 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門 昆虫制御研究領域, 主席研究員 (00414946)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 害虫 / フゾリン / 囲食膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We firstly elucidated that the protein fusolin directly act on the peritrophic matrix (PM)in an insect by using immunohistochemistry in the midgut of the insect. Furthermore considerably large tubular PM was obtained in the administration of protease inhibitor mixture with spindles, although the tube was very fragile compared with a intact tubular PM. This strongly suggested that some type(s) of midgut protease(s) is also involved in the disruption the PM but was inhibited by the mixtured inhibitors. Our collaboration with foreign researchers to study atomic structure of fusolin revealed that it is a metal ion-dependent lytic chitin monooxygenase and that fusolin becomes active after it is released from its crystal, spindles, by a high alkaline pH in the midgut. In addition, we revealed that administration of fusolin crystal soon led to some changes in the PM and that detailed different statuses in morphology of the PM at different times after spindle administration.

Free Research Field

昆虫病理学