苦皮藤素V在粘虫和小地老虎幼虫体内的穿透与代谢

采用高效液相色谱技术研究了苦皮藤素Ⅴ在粘虫Mythimna separata和小地老虎Agrotis ypsilon幼虫中的穿透及代谢。结果表明:苦皮藤素V均不能从粘虫和小地老虎幼虫的体壁穿透到血腔或从血腔穿透到中肠,但很容易从中肠穿透到血腔,且穿透速率无差异;苦皮藤素V在小地老虎幼虫体内的代谢解毒速率远大于其在粘虫幼虫体内的代谢速率,其半衰期分别为5.5和13.1 h。本研究结果表明,苦皮藤素V对粘虫和小地老虎幼虫的选择毒杀作用与药物的穿透能力无关,其在试虫体内的解毒代谢差异才是其对昆虫具有选择作用的机理之一。     

Parasitization by Cotesia plutellae enhances detoxifying enzyme activity in Plutella xylostella

Insecticidal tests using diazinon showed that the mortality of Plutella xylostella larvae parasitized by Cotesia plutellae was reduced by 4.6-fold compared to that of the nonparasitized hosts. The use of chemicals with synergistic effect to insecticides in toxicity assay helps to elucidate the kind of enzyme involved in lowering insect mortality. Synergism of diethyl maleate and piperonyl butoxide with diazinon resulted to 2.4- and 1.9-fold increase, respectively, in susceptibility of parasitized larvae compared to those of nonparasitized larvae. These results indicated the possibility that the decrease in susceptibility to diazinon was due to the elevated activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP), respectively. The GST activities in parasitized larvae were significantly higher than those of nonparasitized ones starting from three days post-parasitization until emergence of parasitoid larva. High GST activities during late parasitism could be attributed to both enzyme activities toward diazinon of parasitized P. xylostella larva itself and C. plutellae larva inside larval host. High GST activity one day after parasitization, although statistical significance was not detected, was caused by polydnavirus (PDV) and the venom of C. plutellae not by parasitoid larvae. Artificial injection of PDV plus venom demonstrated that the resulting increase in GST activity is similar to the increase brought by parasitization. High CYP activity after 3 days post-parasitization in parasitized larva was attributed mainly to the activity of parasitoid larva. Carboxylesterase activity in the parasitized host remained at a high level, while that in the nonparasitized host decreased slightly as pupation approaches. On the other hand, acetylcholinesterase activity also remained constant after parasitization until larval emergence, while that of the nonparasitized hosts decreased gradually as the host larvae approach pupation. These results were supported by inhibition tests using diazoxon in vitro.     

昆虫病原线虫对小地老虎的致病力测定及防治效果

为探讨应用昆虫病原线虫防治小地老虎技术的可行性,采用培养皿滤纸法比较9个品系的昆虫病原线虫对小地老虎幼虫的致病力,同时通过盆栽试验验证了斯氏线虫属小卷蛾斯氏线虫Steinernema carpocapsae NC116品系、芫菁夜蛾斯氏线虫S.feltiae SF-SN品系和异小杆线虫属嗜菌异小杆线虫Heterorhabditis bacteriphora H06品系的保苗效果和防治效果,并测定了苦参碱与NC116品系混用对小地老虎3龄幼虫的联合作用效果。结果表明,NC116品系对小地老虎3龄幼虫致病力最高,其对3龄、4龄和5龄的LD50分别为2.4、7.5、和31.2条/头,表明随小地老虎幼虫龄期递增,其致病力下降。盆栽玉米苗上分别施用线虫100~200条/头时,对玉米保苗效果及对小地老虎3龄幼虫的控制效果依次为NC116H06SF-SN。0.8 mg/L苦参碱和NC116品系混用后,可使小地老虎3龄幼虫死亡率提高109.89%,二者表现增效作用。     

Effects of the herbicide LASSO MTX (alachlor 42% W/V) on biometric parameters and liver biomarkers in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of subchronic exposure to the herbicide LASSO MTX (alachlor 42% W/V) on biometric parameters and important liver biomarkers in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). One year old fish were exposed for 28 days to LASSO MTX added to the tank water at concentrations of 240 and 2400 μg L⁻¹. The exposure did not affect fish biometric parameters. Glutathione-S-tranferase (GST) activity in liver (hepatopancreas) remained unchanged in exposed fish when compared to controls. However, significant induction of total cytochrome P 450 (CYP 450), ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and elevated glutathione (GSH) in liver of exposed fish were detected.     

昆明山海棠杀虫活性成分雷公藤定碱和雷公藤次碱的触杀作用及对Na+ -K+ -ATP酶活性的影响

为进一步探讨杀虫植物昆明山海棠根皮中分离出的雷公藤定碱和雷公藤次碱的杀虫作用机理,采用微量点滴法处理3龄粘虫前胸背板,观察发现试虫均在2 h左右表现出中毒麻醉,8 h后完全恢复,24 h后重新表现为中毒麻醉,48 h后部分死亡。进一步的触杀毒力测定结果表明,雷公藤定碱和雷公藤次碱对3龄粘虫幼虫的24 h麻醉中量分别为8.82 μg/头和 4.58 μg/头,对3龄小菜蛾幼虫的麻醉中量分别为4.71 μg/头和3.46 μg/头。离体和活体条件下测定了雷公藤定碱和雷公藤次碱对5龄粘虫幼虫头部Na+-K+-ATP酶活性的影响,结果表明,两种药剂对粘虫幼虫神经系统Na+-K+-ATP酶活性均有一定的抑制作用,且该抑制作用具有一定的浓度依赖性,推测Na+-K+-ATP酶可能是雷公藤定碱和雷公藤次碱的一个重要作用靶标。     

Effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and cholinesterase in insects

The effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and cholinesterase was studied in Spodoptera frugiperda. Larvae were fed an artificial diet containing fruit extract and their midgut was used for enzyme determination. As compared to the control, consumption of the extract containing diet resulted in a 31% inhibition of the cholinesterase activity and a 34% activation of the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. In the cockroach Leucophaea maderae, the effect on reductase activity was even more pronounced (43%).     

Characterization of glutathione S-transferase of the rice leaffolder moth, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): Comparison of its properties of glutathione S-transferases from other lepidopteran insects

An enzyme that possesses the glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was found in the rice leaffolder moth, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity for the first time by ammonium sulfate fractionation and affinity chromatography. The resultant enzyme revealed a single band with a molecular mass of 24 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reduced conditions. When assayed with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a universal substrate for GST, the purified GST had an optimum pH at 8.0, and was fairly stable at pH 3-10 and at temperatures below 50 °C. The enzyme was also able to conjugate glutathione to 4-hydroxynonenal, a cytotoxic lipid peroxidation product. The present GST was inhibited by fenitrothion, permethrin, and deltamethrin, suggesting that the GST could be involved in metabolizing these organophosphorus and pyrethroid insecticides.     

Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白对小地老虎幼虫致死效果及体内酶活性的影响

为治理小地老虎的危害,研究了Bt杀虫蛋白对小地老虎幼虫的控制作用.室内生物测定结果表明,Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白对小地老虎初孵幼虫的致死效果高于Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白.取食含有Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白人工饲料的小地老虎幼虫体内的中肠总蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性高于对照,当人工饲料中Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白含量达到12μg/g时,小地老虎幼虫中肠氨肽酶活性显著升高;而取食含有Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白人工饲料的小地老虎幼虫中肠蛋白酶活性无显著变化.此外,小地老虎幼虫取食含有Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白的人工饲料后,体内谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶活性显著升高,而取食合有Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白的人工饲料后其变化不明显.     

Activity changes of glyoxalase system enzymes and glutathione-S-transferase in the bivalve mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis exposed to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos

The present report was aimed to study possible changes in the activity of glutathione-dependent enzymes glyoxalase I (G I) and glyoxalase II (G II), forming the glyoxalase system, and glutathione-S-transferase in tissues (gills, foot, and digestive gland) of the mediterranean bivalve mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis, after a 4- or 15-day exposure to a sublethal concentration (0.1 ppm) of the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF). Control experiments were also performed on untreated animals. G I activity decreased in gills and foot, and increased in the digestive gland after 4 days of CPF exposure. Glyoxalase II activity in the gills decreased after a 15 days exposure to CPF, was unchanged in the foot and increased after 15 days in the digestive gland. Glutathione-S-transferase activity, which is involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics, increased significantly in all tissues after CPF exposure. The results suggest that sublethal CPF exposure of S. inaequivalvis does not compromise the cellular redox balance in these tissues.     

Characterization of acephate resistance in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella

Decreased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) sensitivity and metabolic detoxification mediated by glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) were examined for their involvement in resistance to acephate in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. The resistant strain showed 47.5-fold higher acephate resistance than the susceptible strain had. However, the resistant strain was only 2.3-fold more resistant to prothiofos than the susceptible strain. The resistant strain included insects having the A298S and G324A mutations in AChE1, which are reportedly involved in prothiofos resistance in P. xylostella, showing reduced AChE sensitivity to inhibition by methamidophos, suggesting that decreased AChE1 sensitivity is one factor conferring acephate resistance. However, allele frequencies at both mutation sites in the resistant strain were low (only 26%). These results suggest that other factors such as GSTs are involved in acephate resistance. Expression of GST genes available in P. xylostella to date was examined using the resistant and susceptible strains, revealing no significant correlation between the expression and resistance levels.     

Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a phi-type glutathione S-transferase from Oryza sativa

The structural gene for glutathione S-transferase in Oryza sativa was successfully cloned from a cDNA library by the polymerase chain reaction method. The deduced amino acid sequence of this gene showed 44-66% similarity to the sequences of the class phi GSTs from Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays. This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system and the gene product was purified to homogeneity by GSH-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The expressed OsGSTF3-3 was a homo-dimer composed of 24 kDa subunit and its pI value was approximately 7.3. The OsGSTF3-3 was retained on GSH affinity column and its K_m value for GSH was 0.28 mM. The OsGSTF3-3 displayed high activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a general GST substrate and also had high activities towards acetanilide herbicides, alachlor, and metolachlor. The OsGSTF3-3 was highly sensitive to inhibition by benastatin A and S-hexyl-GSH. From these results, the expressed OsGSTF3-3 is a phi class GST and seems to play an important role in the conjugation of the chloroacetanilide herbicides.     

Boric acid toxicity to the German cockroach, Blattella germanica: Alterations in midgut structure, and acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activity

Oral toxicity of boric acid, an inorganic insecticide, was evaluated on German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera, Blattellidae). Newly emerged adults were exposed to various concentrations of boric acid incorporated into the diet. Results showed that treated insects exhibited toxic symptoms with a dose-dependent mortality. Histological study of midgut revealed alterations in the epithelial cells and a significant increase in the epithelium thickness. In a second series of experiments, the compound was investigated on the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Data showed that the compound induced GSTs and reduced the activity of AChE. From this experiment, it may be concluded that ingested boric acid caused death of insects perhaps ultimately by starvation via alterations of the midgut. Additionally, the compound seemed to present a neurotoxic action as evidenced by the symptoms of poisoning and the reduction in AchE activity.     

The role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in the different responses to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and short awned foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis Sobol.)

Herbicide resistance or tolerance in weeds mediated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase is a considerable problem. However, cytochrome P450 mediated resistance or tolerance in weeds was less studied. Thus, in this work, the role of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in the different responses of Poa annua and Alopecurus aequalis to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl was studied. We found that the effect of fenoxaprop-P-ethyl could be synergized by piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in P. annua, but not by malathion. After being treated with fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (containing mefenpyr-diethyl), the contents of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b₅ in P. annua increased significantly compared to plants treated with mefenpyr-diethyl only or untreated plants. However, the increase was less in A. aequalis, which was susceptible to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl. The activities of ρ-nitroanisole O-demethylase (PNOD), ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), ethoxycoumarin oxidase (ECOD) and NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase mediated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase increased in P. annua after treatment with fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, especially the activities of ECOD and cytochrome P450 reductase. Besides this, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity toward fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in P. annua increased significantly compared to untreated or treated with mefenpyr-diethyl plants and treated or untreated A. aequalis. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase may play an important role in the different responses to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in P. annua and A. aequalis.     

Phenobarbital induction of permethrin detoxification and phenobarbital metabolism in susceptible and resistant strains of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner)

The permethrin resistant strain (TR-strain) of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), has 92.5-fold resistance to permethrin (at LD₅₀ level) compared to the permethrin susceptible strain (TS-strain). Bioassay involving permethrin mixed with piperonyl butoxide, an inhibitor of microsomal cytochrome P450s, significantly reduced the resistance ratio from 92.5- to 7.9-fold. However, S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate and diethylmaleate which are inhibitors of esterases and glutathione S-transferase, respectively, did not affect the resistance level. These results indicate that the detoxification of permethrin in the TR-strain was primarily due to the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. LD₅₀ for permethrin was increased to 4.5-fold by the pre-treatment of phenobarbital in the TS-strain. The effect of induction by phenobarbital was almost completely overcome by the piperonyl butoxide treatment. However, it was observed that phenobarbital treatment did not cause any change in the toxicity of permethrin to TR strain. Since this result deviated from the expectation that the metabolism of phenobarbital in the TR-strain should be greater than that in the TS-strain, it was deemed necessary to compare the metabolism of phenobarbital between the TS- and TR-strains. Comparison was made based on the concentration of phenobarbital in the hemolymph and whole body. The results showed no significant difference in phenobarbital treatment between the two strains used in this study suggesting the possibility that the induction system in TS-strain is different from the TR-strain.     

Cloning and expression of an atrazine inducible cytochrome P450, CYP4G33, from Chironomus tentans (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Previous studies performed in our laboratory have measured the effect of atrazine exposure on cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activity and have found increased activity in midge larvae (Chironomus tentans) as a result of atrazine exposure (1-10 ppm). Here we report the cloning and expression of a specific C. tentans CYP4 gene that is responsive to atrazine induction with an open reading frame of 1678 bp which encodes a putative protein of 559 amino acid residues. Alignments of deduced amino acid sequences with other insect P450 genes and phylogenetic analysis indicated a high degree of similarity to other insect CYP4 genes. Northern blotting analysis employing a fragment of 1200 bp from the CYP4 gene as a probe indicated that the CYP4 gene was expressed in all developmental stages, but was expressed at highest levels in late instar larvae. Additionally, over-expression of CYP4 in C. tentans exposed to atrazine (10 mg/l) confirms the ability of atrazine to induce specific P450 genes and provides insight into potential consequences of atrazine exposure in aquatic organisms.     

A plant-specific tau class glutathione S-transferase from Oryza sativa with very high activity against 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and chloroacetanilide herbicides

A plant-specific tau class GST gene homolog was successfully cloned from an Oryza sativa cDNA library by PCR using oligonucleotide primers based on the OsGSTU4 (GenBank Accession No. AF309378) sequence. The cDNA was composed of a 720-bp open reading frame encoding 239 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of this gene shared over 65% sequence identity with the sequences of the tau class TaGST28e45 and ZmGST42. Conversely, the OsGSTU4 sequence showed very low identity to the GST sequences of phi, theta and zeta classes. This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system, and the gene product was purified to homogeneity using GSH-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The expressed OsGSTU4 formed a homodimer with subunits of approximately 25.5 kDa. OsGSTU4 displayed very high activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. The activity of the OsGSTU4 was significantly inhibited by S-hexylglutathione and hematin. Plant OsGSTU4 had a unique herbicide specificity and played an important role in the detoxification reaction against fluorodifen and chloroacetanilide herbicides.     

Beta-cypermethrin resistance associated with high carboxylesterase activities in a strain of house fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

A housefly strain, originally collected in 1998 from a dump in Beijing, was selected with beta-cypermethrin to generate a resistant strain (CRR) in order to characterize the resistance and identify the possible mechanisms involved in the pyrethroid resistance. The resistance was increased from 2.56- to 4419.07-fold in the CRR strain after 25 consecutive generations of selection compared to a laboratory susceptible strain (CSS). The CRR strain also developed different levels of cross-resistance to various insecticides within and outside the pyrethroid group such as abamectin. Synergists, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF), increased beta-cypermethrin toxicity 21.88- and 364.29-fold in the CRR strain as compared to 15.33- and 2.35-fold in the CSS strain, respectively. Results of biochemical assays revealed that carboxylesterase activities and maximal velocities to five naphthyl-substituted substrates in the CRR strain were significantly higher than that in the CSS strain, however, there was no significant difference in glutathione S-transferase activity and the level of total cytochrome P450 between the CRR and CSS strains. Therefore, our studies suggested that carboxylesterase play an important role in beta-cypermethrin resistance in the CRR strain.     

Activity of glutathione S-transferase toward some herbicides and its regulation by benoxacor in non-embryogenic callus and in vitro regenerated tissues of Zea mays

A procedure was developed to obtain non-embryogenic callus and regenerated lines from root segments of Zea mays grown in aseptic conditions. The activity of glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), for non-embryogenic callus, was determined toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and it was compared with that obtained for corn seedlings grown without hormones. For the callus masses, increases of specific activity toward CDNB and the kinetic parameter V_max were observed with respect to corn seedlings. The procedure permitted the regenerating of tissues from callus explants, therefore the GST(CDNB) activity and the effect of the safener benoxacor on its expression were investigated for the regenerated tissues grown in agarized substrate and in liquid medium. These explants showed a constitutive GST(CDNB) activity higher than corn seedlings and this activity was increased, for both tissues, in response to the presence of the safener benoxacor in the growing medium. The GST activity for the above tissues was also assayed toward benoxacor and terbuthylazine, metolachlor and fluorodifen herbicides. Measurable GST activity was found toward some of the above chemicals and it was found to be significantly enhanced in response to benoxacor treatment.