Insect juvenile hormones: Induction of detoxifying enzymes in the housefly and detoxication by housefly enzymes

The cecropia juvenile hormone and three of its analogs were compared as inducers of microsomal epoxidase, O-demethylase, and DDT dehydrochlorinase in the housefly, Musca domestica L. The compounds were the cecropia juvenile hormone, methoprene, hydroprene, 6,7-epoxy-3,7-diethyl-1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenoxy]-2-octene, and piperonyl butoxide, a well known insecticide synergist. The compounds were administered by feeding at levels up to 1% in the diet for 3 days to 1-day-old female adults. Enzymes were then prepared and assayed for their activity using heptachlor, p-nitroanisole, and DDT as substrates.There was approximately a twofold increase in the microsomal oxidases and a 50% increase in DDT dehydrochlorinase after the treatment with the cecropia juvenile hormone, while methoprene had some activity as an inducer of the epoxidase (30% increase) but no activity in the case of the O-demethylase or the dehydrochlorinase. Hydroprene had no effect on any of the enzyme systems, while 6,7-epoxy-3,7-diethyl-1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenoxy]-2-octene was an inhibitor of the two microsomal oxidases. The latter compound and piperonyl butoxide were strong inducers of DDT dehydrochlorinase, causing approximately twofold increases in the activity of this enzyme.There was evidence that the microsomal preparations were able to metabolize and inactivate methoprene and hydroprene, the action being oxidative in the case of methoprene and both oxidative and hydrolytic in the case of hydroprene. The oxidative metabolism of the two juvenile hormone analogs by the microsomal preparations was inducible by the cecropia juvenile hormone and by phenobarbital and dieldrin.     

Insecticidal activity of synthetic 2-carboxylbenzofurans and their coumarin precursors

Several 2-carboxylbenzofurans and their coumarin precursors, compounds 1 – 6 , and the novel compound 7 were synthesized and their insecticidal activity studied using adult sweet potato weevils (Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summer)) at 24 μg, 48 μg and 72 μg per insect in 0.5 ml litre^?1 piperonyl butoxide (PPB) in acetone. The order of toxicity of the compounds as judged by the percentage mortality at 24 μg per insect at 48 h was 2 (100%) > 6 (95%) > 7 (85%) > 4 (75%)) > 3 (65%) > 1 (60%) > 5 (45%) > piperonyl butoxide (0.0%). Compound 2 was equitoxic to 24 μg of technical grade dimethoate. When administered in acetone alone, however, the compounds were only moderately active (i.e. > 120 μg per insect was required for 60% mortality at 48 h). The test compounds were more active at lower doses (48–72 μg per insect) when dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide or in an oil extract obtained from the fruit of Blighia sapida Koenig.     

细胞色素P450抑制剂对白腐菌Phlebia lindtneri降解氯丹的影响

为确定细胞色素P450酶系在白腐菌Phlebia lindtneri降解有机氯类农药氯丹中的作用,在液体培养条件下,以胡椒基丁醚和1-氨基苯并三唑作为细胞色素P450的抑制剂,分析了不同浓度抑制剂对氯丹的降解、代谢产物的生成以及中间代谢物降解的影响。结果表明:与对照相比,高浓度(1.0 mmol/L)胡椒基丁醚或1-氨基苯并三唑处理15 d后氯丹的降解率均下降了约60%,且其代谢产物中除七氯和二氯代六氯的检出量显著增加外,其余环氧化及羟基化代谢产物均未检出;此外,添加高浓度的抑制剂可导致白腐菌降解中间代谢产物七氯及二氯代六氯的降解率下降90%以上,氧化氯丹的降解率下降70%以上,但不影响环氧七氯的降解。表明细胞色素P450可能是氯丹降解的主要酶系,其参与催化了氯丹的初始羟基化和水解、七氯和二氯代六氯的环氧化及氧化氯丹的水解等多个反应过程。     

Influence of caffeine on the survival of leaf-cutting ants Atta sexdens rubropilosa and in vitro growth of their mutualistic fungus

BACKGROUND: Leaf‐cutting ants collect plant fresh material for the cultivation of their mutualistic fungus. Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) cause great economic losses through their foraging activity, mainly in agriculture. The main control method is the application of granulated toxic baits incorporated with an active ingredient (AI). The present goal is to evaluate the effect of caffeine on in vitro growth of the mutualistic fungus and on the survival of the leaf‐cutting ants, aiming to verify the potential toxicity of this secondary metabolite over these organisms. RESULTS: Three distinct patterns of fungal growth correlated with caffeine concentration were observed: (1) no effect (0.01% caffeine); (2) intermediate growth reduction (0.05% caffeine); (3) drastic growth reduction (0.10 and 0.50% caffeine). The highest caffeine concentration causes fungus death in the first week. As for insect survival, caffeine does not seem to exert any effect. The treatments with diet containing caffeine showed similar values of M50, irrespective of caffeine concentration. CONCLUSION: As caffeine was shown to reduce growth of the mutualistic fungus of Atta sexdens rubropilosa, but with no conclusive effect on insect survival, a hypothetical explanation for the selection of different Coffea species by this leaf‐cutting ant species might be associated with caffeine toxicity to the fungus. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bimodal effect of methylenedioxyphenyl compounds on detoxifying enzymes in the housefly

Thirteen methylenedioxyphenyl (MDP) compounds, including commercial insecticide synergists and juvenile hormone analogs, were compared in their effect on detoxifying enzymes in the housefly (Musca domestica). Flies were fed a diet containing 1% of the compounds for 3 days. Enzymes were then assayed in vitro for their activity using aldrin and DDT as substrates. Piperonyl butoxide (PB), sesamex, propyl isome, sulfoxide, safrole, isosafrole, 6,7-epoxy-3,7-diethyl-1-[3-4(methylenedioxy) phenoxy]-2-octene (MDP-JH I) and 6,7-epoxy-3-methyl-7-ethyl-1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy) phenoxy]-2-octene (MDP-JH II) all caused a bimodal effect, inhibiting microsomal epoxidase and inducing DDT-dehydrochlorinase in the resistant Isolan-B strain. Two of these, PB and MDP-JH I, gave similar results with the susceptible strain, stw;w⁵ and two resistant strains, Fc-B and Orlando-DDT. However, o-safrole, piperonylic acid, piperonal, 3,4-methylenedioxybenzyl acetate and methyl-(3,4-methylenedioxy) benzoate had little or no effect on the enzyme systems studied. The standard susceptible strain (WHO-SRS) responded to these compounds very differently. Among those tested, piperonyl butoxide, sesamex, safrole, and isosafrole were inducers of microsomal epoxidase, a 4-fold increase occurring after treatment with sesamex. Only MDP-JH II showed a marked inhibition of the epoxidase. These treatments did not effect DDT-dehydrochlorinase activity in this strain.The enhancement of DDT-dehydrochlorinase activity by the MDP compounds is associated with an increased rate of DDT dehydrochlorination in vivo. The stimulatory effect could be blocked by treatment with actinomycin D or cycloheximide.     

0.05%氟虫腈杀蚁饵剂对红火蚁的传毒活性测定

应用联杯法等室内测定了0.05%氟虫腈杀蚁饵剂对红火蚁的引诱力、毒杀速度及其传导毒杀活性.结果表明,供试饵剂对红火蚁的引诱性、毒杀速度显著优于正舒(对照药剂).红火蚁觅食到供试饵剂的初始时间为2.00 min,与正舒的2.33 min达显著差异;供试饵剂处理后24 h的工蚁死亡率为80.65%,显著高于对照饵剂的50.15%;72 h的工蚁死亡率即达到100%.联杯法测定结果表明,0.05%氟虫腈杀蚁饵剂能通过工蚁的取食和交哺行为进行传导.供试饵剂受药杯中工蚁、幼蚁和蚁后3 d后死亡率均达到100%,显著高于对照饵剂.0.05%氟虫腈杀蚁饵剂引诱性强、对红火蚁具有高胃毒、高传导毒杀活性,可适用于防控入侵红火蚁.     

Changes in cross-resistance patterns of houseflies selected with natural pyrethrins or resmethrin (5-benzyl-3-furylmethyl (±)-cis-trans-chrysanthemate)

A pyrethrins-resistant strain of houseflies, 213ab, previously selected with a 1:10 (by wt.) mixture of natural pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, was further selected either with natural pyrethrins alone (strain NPR) or with resmethrin (strain 104). After 50 generations the two populations differed in their resistance to the natural and synthetic esters. Both were resistant to all pyrethroids. Part of strain NPR was immune and very much more resistant than strain 104 to the natural pyrethrins and allethrin, but it was only 2–3 times more resistant than strain 104 against the new synthetic esters resmethrin (5-benzyl-3-furylmethyl (±)-cis-trans-chrysanthemate), bio-resmethrin (5-benzyl-3-furylmethyl (+)-trans-chrysanthemate), pyresmethrin (5-benzyl-3-furylmethyl pyrethrate) and 5B2Me3FC (5-benzyl-2-methyl-3-furylmethyl (±)-cis-trans-chrysanthemate). Pretreatment of both strains with sesamex diminished but did not eliminate resistance. Synergism was greater in strain NPR, especially with natural pyrethrins and allethrin. Both strains had great resistance to DDT indicating that resistance to DDT and pyrethroids is linked. Differences in resistance to different compounds suggest that at least three factors can confer resistance, one of which, pen, delays penetration and two others involve detoxication, one py a on the acid side of the ester linkage and the other, py b, on the alcohol side. Natural pyrethrins and resmethrin select for different groupings of these factors. Treatment with resmethrin does not select for py b presumably because this mechanism cannot attack the resmethrin molecule. Similarly when piperonyl butoxide is added to the natural pyrethrins py b is inhibited and so removed from selection pressure. Under these conditions, the strain produced contains the same factors as one selected by resmethrin and so shows the same small resistance to natural pyrethrins alone.     

Risks to the aquatic ecosystem from the application of Metarhizium anisopliae for locust control in Australia

Laboratory tests of Metarhizium anisopliae var acridum Driver & Milner, at a dose of 1.3 x 10(6) conidia ml-1, had no adverse effects on nymphs of mayfly, Ulmerophlebia sp or 8-week-old fry of the rainbow fish, Melanotaenia duboulayi Castelnau. This dose was toxic to the cladoceran, Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard, causing 100% mortality in 48 h. When this test was repeated at doses of up to 6.7 x 10(3) conidia ml-1, there was only 5% mortality after 192 h. Spraying of artificial water sources with a very high dose of the fungus as an aqueous spray resulted in 80-130 conidia ml-1 at 15 cm depth in the first 24 h after spraying. The conidia rapidly settled out and were absent from the top 15 cm layer of water after about 50 h. A similar experiment using the oil formulation as used in field control resulted in a 2- to 20-fold lower level of conidia in the water. Finally, sampling actual water sources in spray areas revealed a very low level of contamination of the water, with a maximum mean level of 29 conidia ml-1 in the first 24 h after treatment. Thus the level of conidia likely to enter water during control campaigns is a small fraction of that required to kill cladocerans, the only sensitive non-target organism tested. It is concluded that the biopesticide is very unlikely to pose any hazard to aquatic organisms.     

3,4-二氯异噻唑-5-甲酰胺衍生物的合成及生物活性

异噻唑类杂环化合物具有广泛的生物活性。为了扩大先导结构的发现范围,以3,4-二氯异噻唑-5-甲酸为原料合成了10个未见文献报道的3,4-二氯异噻唑-5-甲酰胺衍生物;其结构经核磁共振氢谱、红外光谱和元素分析确证。初步生物测试结果表明,化合物Ⅲe对9种病原真菌表现出了广谱的抑菌活性,在50 μg/mL下其抑制率均超过50%;在100 μg/mL下,大部分化合物展现了较好的抗烟草花叶病毒(tobacco mosaic virus,TMV)或诱导烟草抗TMV活性,其中化合物Ⅲa和Ⅲi的诱导活性分别为41.88%和42.92%。     

Managing leaf‐cutting ants: peculiarities,trends and challenges

Leaf‐cutting ants are generally recognized as important pest species in Neotropical America. They are eusocial insects that exhibit social organization, foraging, fungus‐cultivation, hygiene and a complex nest structure, which render their management notoriously difficult. A lack of economic thresholds and sampling plans focused on the main pest species preclude the management of leaf‐cutting ants; such management would facilitate their control and lessen insecticide overuse, particularly the use of insecticidal baits. Recent restrictions on the use of synthetic compounds for such purposes impose additional challenges for the management of leaf‐cutting ants. Considerable effort has been exerted regarding these challenges, which are addressed herein, but which also remain challenges that are yet to be conquered. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

The antifungal activity of some sulphonyl derivatives of isoxazole,pyrazole, thiazole and thiophene

Fifty-three heterocyclic sulphonyl derivatives including eight sulphonamides, three sulphonyl azides, nine sulphonohydrazides and twenty sulphonohydrazones of substituted thiophenes, and a smaller range of analogous isoxazoles pryazoles and thiazoles, were tested as potential fungicides in a simple screening procedure against Mucor mucedo, Septoria nodorum, Trichoderma viride, Chaetomium globosum and Aspergillus niger. Several thiophene-2-sulphonyl based compounds exhibited a high level of antifungal activity at 100 mg litre^?1 against the five test species, especially the mono-halogen-substituted sulphonamides and sulphonohydrazines, in which a single chlorine or bromine atom was substituted in the para position of an attached phenyl ring. The most active compound, against all five species of fungus was N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(trichloromethylthio) thiophene-2-sulphonamide which had average MIC₅₀ and MIC₁₀₀ values of 86 and 180 μmol respectively. (MIC₅₀ and MIC₁₀₀ values are, respectively, the concentrations required to inhibit fungal growth by 50% and to inhibit it totally.) In general, the isoxazole analogues of the thiophene-2-sulphonyl compounds exhibited a much lower fungitoxic activity, whilst the pyrazole and thiazole based compounds had little or no activity. Compared with the other results, the considerable activity shown by 4-[2′-(3,4-dichlorobenzylidene)hydrazinosulphonyl]thiophene-2-carboxylic acid was unexpected.     

Bioassays on Leptographium wingfieldii, a Bark Beetle Associated Fungus, with Phenolic Compounds of Scots Pine Phloem

The fungicidal activity of five phenolic metabolites occurring in Scots pine phloem (Cat, Tax, PS, PC and PSM) and of phenolic extracts from unwounded (fresh) and wounded phloem of Scots pine were measured against Leptographium wingfieldii, a fungus associated with Tomicus piniperda. Bioassays were performed in micro-wells in a standard medium in the absence and presence of Scots pine phloem. In both media, methanol extracts from the unwounded and wounded phloem, PS, PSM and PC inhibited fungal growth. Tax and Cat had no effect or stimulated fungal growth. The presence of Scots pine phloem in the liquid medium reduced the inhibitory effect of phenolic compounds. At low concentrations (10–4–10–5M), the fungus seemed to be able to degrade PS, PSM and PC while, whatever the Cat and Tax concentrations, it did not seem to degrade them. These results suggest that three phenolic compounds have a potential fungitoxicity in vitro and that, in vivo, these phenols could play a role in the efficiency of the induced reaction to stop fungal growth.     

Activity of Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) and ricinine against the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus

The focus of this study was the identification of compounds from plant extracts for use in crop protection. This paper reports on the toxic activity of fractions of leaf extracts of Ricinus communis L (Euphorbiaceae) and isolated active compounds in the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel and its symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus (Singer) M?ller. The main compounds responsible for activity against the fungus and ant in leaf extracts of R communis were found to be fatty acids for the former and ricinine for the ants.     

氟啶虫胺腈饵剂对红火蚁毒杀活性及行为影响

为了给红火蚁化学防控提供新药剂,本文测定了氟啶虫胺腈对红火蚁中、小型工蚁的毒杀活性及行为能力的影响作用。制备了不同浓度的氟啶虫胺腈饵剂,分别测定其对红火蚁工蚁的毒杀活性以及对抓附能力、攀爬能力和行走能力等的影响。结果表明:0.01%、0.02%、0.03%的氟啶虫胺腈饵剂处理5 d后,小型工蚁的校正死亡率分别为35.18%、66.66%、100.00%,抓附率分别为65.00%、31.67%、0.00%,攀爬率分别为55.00%、31.67%、0.00%,行走率分别为61.67%、30.00%、0.00%;中型工蚁的校正死亡率分别为22.47%、55.06%、100.00%,抓附率分别为68.33%、33.33%、1.67%,攀爬率分别为63.33%、33.33%、0.00%,行走率分别为61.67%、30.00%、0.00%。在设计剂量下,氟啶虫胺腈饵剂对红火蚁工蚁具有较好的毒杀活性,且对其行为能力有显著的抑制作用。     

牛耳枫果实中抑菌活性成分的初步分离

为探索牛耳枫Daphniphyllum calycinum在农业病害防治方面的应用前景,采用柱层析和重结晶等分离技术,从牛耳枫果实甲醇提取物的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离得到10个已知化合物,并以水稻纹枯病菌Rhizoctonia solani、番茄白绢病菌Sclerotium rolfsii和香蕉枯萎病菌Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense 3种植物病原菌为指示菌种,对化合物的抑菌活性成分进行了测定。经核磁共振氢谱和碳谱解析,10个化合物分别鉴定为:对甲氧基苯甲酸(1)、对羟基苯甲醛(2)、5,7-二羟基色原酮(3)、对羟基苯甲酸(4)、反式对羟基肉桂酸(5)、5,7,4'-三羟基-3'-甲基黄酮(6)、山奈酚(7)、 β-胡萝卜苷(8)、木犀草素(9)和3,4-二羟基苯甲酸(10)。菌丝生长速率法测定结果表明:在100 mg/L下,化合物3、6、7和10对水稻纹枯病菌的抑制率分别为58.1%、74.3%、85.0%和79.5%;化合物6和7对番茄白绢病菌的抑制率分别为66.2%和72.5%;化合物6对香蕉枯萎病菌的抑制率为54.5%。化合物1～7和9～10为首次从该植物的果实中分离得到。     

Effect of tricyclazole on growth and secondary metabolism in Pyricularia oryzae

Tricyclazole [5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo (3,4-b)-benzothiazole] controls rice blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae at concentrations (5–10 μg/ml) which do not inhibit growth of the pathogen in vitro. However, concentrations of 1 μg/ml or less inhibit melanin formation in the fungus. Production of pyriculol by the pathogen is usually enhanced by 10 μg/ml of tricyclazole, whereas production of 3,4-dihydro-4,8-dihydroxy-1(2H)-naphthalenone is strongly inhibited or markedly reduced and delayed. Evidence suggests that tricyclazole blocks aspects of polyketide metabolism in P. oryzae which may have a role in pathogenicity.     

Isolation of a phytotoxic isocoumarin from Diaporthe eres‐infected Hedera helix (English ivy) and synthesis of its phytotoxic analogs

BACKGROUND

The fungus Diaporthe eres was isolated from a fungal pathogen‐infected leaf of Hedera helix (English ivy) exhibiting necrosis. It is hypothesized that the causative fungus produces phytotoxins as evidenced by necrotic lesions on the leaves.

RESULTS

The fungus was isolated and grown in Czapek Dox broth culture medium and potato dextrose broth culture medium and identified as Diaporthe eres. The ethyl acetate extracts of the culture broths were phytotoxic to lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). 3,4‐Dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,5‐dimethylisocoumarin ( 1 ) and tyrosol ( 2 ) were isolated and identified as the phytotoxic constituents. Six analogs of 3,4‐dihydro‐isocoumarin were synthesized and shown to be phytotoxic. The synthesized 3,4‐dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,7‐dimethylisocoumarin and 3,4‐dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,3,7‐trimethylisocoumarin were two‐ to three‐fold more phytotoxic than the naturally occurring 1 in a Lemna paucicostata growth bioassay.

CONCLUSION

Synthesis and herbicidal activities of the several new analogs of 1 are reported for the first time. These promising molecules should be used as templates for synthesis and testing of more analogs. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

天然杀线虫先导化合物Waltherione A类似物的合成及杀线虫活性

为了找出天然杀线虫先导生物碱Waltherione A的关键药效基团并简化其结构,以2,3-二甲氧基苯甲醛和3,4-二甲氧基苯甲醛为原料,经过分子内傅克烷基化反应形成苯并七元氧桥环,并用不同的取代基与桥环相连,合成了12个Waltherione A类似物,其中8个化合物未见文献报道,所有目标化合物的结构均通过核磁共振氢...     

A Corn Trypsin Inhibitor with Antifungal Activity Inhibits Aspergillus flavus alpha-Amylase

ABSTRACT In this study, we found that the inhibition of fungal growth in potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium by the 14-kDa corn trypsin inhibitor (TI) protein, previously found to be associated with host resistance to aflatoxin production and active against various fungi, was relieved when exogenous alpha-amylase was added along with TI. No inhibitory effect of TI on fungal growth was observed when Aspergillus flavus was grown on a medium containing either 5% glucose or 1% gelatin as a carbon source. Further investigation found that TI not only inhibited fungal production of extracellular alpha-amylase when A. flavus was grown in PDB medium containing TI at 100 mug ml(-1) but also reduced the enzymatic activity of A. flavus alpha-amylase by 27%. At a higher concentration, however, TI stimulated the production of alpha-amylase. The effect of TI on the production of amyloglucosidase, another enzyme involved in starch metabolism by the fungus, was quite different. It stimulated the production of this enzyme during the first 10 h at all concentrations studied. These studies suggest that the resistance of certain corn genotypes to A. flavus infection may be partially due to the ability of TI to reduce the production of extracellular fungal alpha-amylase and its activity, thereby limiting the availability of simple sugars for fungal growth. However, further investigation of the relationship between TI levels and fungal alpha-amylase expression in vivo is needed.     

含大体积取代基的吡唑并三嗪酮类化合物的合成及除草活性

以1-(取代)苯基-5-氨基-1H-吡唑-4-甲酸乙酯或1-叔丁基-5-氨基-1H-吡唑-4-甲酰氯和2-甲基-4-炔丙基-6-氨基-7-氟-2H-苯并[b][1,4]-噁嗪-3(4H)-酮为初始原料,分别通过不同的合成路线,得到22个未见文献报道的含大体积取代基的吡唑并三嗪酮类化合物,所有化合物的结构均通过核磁共振氢...