Purification of a Kunitz-type inhibitor from Acacia polyphyllaDC seeds: characterization and insecticidal properties against Anagasta kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Anagasta kuehniella is a polyphagous pest that causes economic losses worldwide. This species produces serine proteases as its major enzymes for protein digestion. In this study, a new serine-protease inhibitor was isolated from Acacia polyphylla seeds (AcKI).Further analysis revealed that AcKI is formed by two polypeptide chains with a relative molecular mass of ∼20 kDa. The effects of AcKI on the development, survival, and enzymatic activity of Anagasta kuehniella larvae were evaluated, by incorporating AcKI in an artificial diet. Bioassays revealed a reduction in larval weight of ∼50% with the lower concentration of AcKI used in the study (0.5%). Although additionalassays showed an increase in endogenous trypsin and chymotrypsin activities, with a degree of AcKI-insensivity, AcKI produces an anti nutritional effect on A. kuehniella, indicating AcKI as a promising bioinsecticide protein for engineering plants that are resistant to insect pests.