Published in

MDPI, Toxins, 5(2), p. 935-953, 2010

DOI: 10.3390/toxins2050935

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Proteases as Insecticidal Agents

Journal article published in 2010 by Robert L. Harrison ORCID, Bryony C. Bonning
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Proteases from a variety of sources (viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants, and insects) have toxicity towards insects. Some of these insecticidal proteases evolved as venom components, herbivore resistance factors, or microbial pathogenicity factors, while other proteases play roles in insect development or digestion, but exert an insecticidal effect when over-expressed from genetically engineered plants or microbial pathogens. Many of these proteases are cysteine proteases, although insect-toxic metalloproteases and serine proteases have also been examined. The sites of protease toxic activity range from the insect midgut to the hemocoel (body cavity) to the cuticle. This review discusses these insecticidal proteases along with their evaluation and use as potential pesticides.