Characterization of western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) susceptibility to foliar insecticides in northeast Nebraska.

Foliar-applied insecticides are commonly used for adult western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), control in Nebraska but little efficacy data is available. Anecdotal reports of reduced efficacy in areas of northeast Nebraska led to the conduct of this study. Objectives were to (i) evaluate the efficacy of commercial applications of commonly used formulated insecticides (bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, or tank mixes) for WCR control in 7 northeast Nebraska counties during 2019 and 2020 and (ii) conduct adult WCR concentration-response vial bioassays with bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate active ingredients on a subset of field populations.

Foliar Infiltration of Virus-Derived Small Hairpin RNAs Triggers the RNAi Mechanism against the Cucumber Mosaic Virus.

Post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) is an evolutionarily conserved plant defense mechanism against viruses. This paper aimed to evaluate a dsDNA construct (77 bp) as a template for in vitro production of virus-derived artificial small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and test for their potential to trigger the RNAi mechanism in plants against CMV after their foliar infiltration. This approach allowed for the production of significant amounts of shRNAs (60-mers) quickly and easily.

, a Novel Small RNA Virus Discovered from Southern Corn Rootworm, Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The genome of (DuV2), a putative positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus identified from the southern corn rootworm transcriptome, comprises 5,313 nucleotides, including a short poly(A) tail. The two open reading frames encode a nonstructural polyprotein (p156) and a putative capsid protein (p25).

Genome Sequence of a Small RNA Virus of the Southern Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The genome sequence of a novel small RNA virus, tentatively named (DuV1), was discovered from the transcriptome of the southern corn rootworm, Barber. DuV1 has a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome that encodes a single polyprotein of 3,401 amino acids with limited similarity to other viruses.

Transcriptome and gene expression analysis of three developmental stages of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei.

Coffee production is a global industry valued at approximately 173 billion US dollars. One of the main challenges facing coffee production is the management of the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, which is considered the primary arthropod pest of coffee worldwide. Current control strategies are inefficient for CBB management.

Evaluation of reference genes for real-time quantitative PCR analysis in southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Barber).

Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is one of the most efficient, reliable and widely used techniques to quantify gene expression. In this study, we evaluated the performance of six southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Barber), housekeeping genes (HKG), β-actin (Actin), β-tubulin (Tubulin), elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1α), glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), 40 S ribosomal protein S9 (RpS9) and ubiquitin-conjugating protein (Ubi), under different experimental conditions such as developmental stage, exposure of neonate and adults to dsRNA, exposure of adults to different temperatures, different 3 instar larva tissues, and neonate starvation. The HKGs were analyzed with four algorithms, including geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and delta-CT.

Clathrin-dependent endocytosis is associated with RNAi response in the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte.

The cellular uptake of dsRNA after dietary exposure is critical for RNAi efficiency; however, the mechanism of its uptake in many insects remains to be understood. In this study, we evaluated the roles of the endocytic pathway genes Clathrin heavy chain (Chc), Clathrin adaptor protein AP50, ADP ribosylation factor-like 1 (Arf72A), Vacuolar H+ ATPase 16 kDa subunit (Vha16), and small GTPase Rab7 and putative sid-1-like genes (silA and silC) in RNAi response in western corn rootworm (WCR) using a two-stage dsRNA exposure bioassay. Silencing of Chc, Vha16, and AP50 led to a significant decrease in the effects of laccase2 dsRNA reporter, indicating that these genes are involved in RNAi response.

Seed-Specific Stable Expression of the α-AI1 Inhibitor in Coffee Grains and the Implications for the Development of the Coffee Berry Borer.

Genetic transformation of coffee ( spp.), the second most traded commodity worldwide, is an alternative approach to introducing features that cannot be introgressed by traditional crossings. The transgenic stability, heritability and quantitative and spatial expression patterns of the seed-specific promoter phytohemagglutinin (PHA-L) from were characterized in genetically modified expressing the α-amylase inhibitor-1 () gene.

Expression and characterization of a recombinant endoglucanase from western corn rootworm, in Pichia pastoris.

The endoglucanase cDNA, Dvv-ENGase I, from western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte was expressed using the GS115 methylotrophic strain of Pichia pastoris. The Dvv-ENGase I gene was cloned into the integrative plasmid pPICZαA under the control of AOX1, which is a methanol-inducible promoter. Positive clones were selected for their ability to produce the recombinant endoglucanase upon continuous methanol induction.

Molecular evolution of glycoside hydrolase genes in the Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera).

Cellulose is an important nutritional resource for a number of insect herbivores. Digestion of cellulose and other polysaccharides in plant-based diets requires several types of enzymes including a number of glycoside hydrolase (GH) families. In a previous study, we showed that a single GH45 gene is present in the midgut tissue of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Activity of leucine aminopeptidase of Telchin licus licus: an important insect pest of sugarcane.

The enzymatic activity of leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.

Holocellulase activity from Schizophyllum commune grown on bamboo: a comparison with different substrates.

The natural biodiversity that is found in tropical areas offers countless biotechnological opportunities; especially if we take in account that many biomolecules from several microorganisms have supported for many years, different industrial applications in areas such as pharmacology, agro-industry, bioprocess, environmental technology, and bioconversion. In order to find new lignocellulolytic enzymes and evaluate bamboo fibers as substrate, Schizophyllum commune a fungus with broad distribution was isolated and grown during 15 days in liquid culture medium containing 1% lignocellulosic fibers from bamboo, banana stem, and sugarcane bagasse. The enzymatic activity of xylanase, mannanase, polygalacturonase, CMCase, FPase, and avicelase were evaluated.

Cytotoxic activity of fungal metabolites from the pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana: an intraspecific evaluation of beauvericin production.

The cyclohexadepsipeptide beauvericin (BEA) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.). Using ELISA, different accessions of B.

Activity of alpha-amylase inhibitors from Phaseolus coccineus on digestive alpha-amylases of the coffee berry borer.

Seeds of scarlet runner bean ( Phaseolus coccineus L.) were analyzed for alpha-amylase inhibitor (alpha-AI) activity. Through the use of polyclonal antibodies raised against pure alpha-AI-1 from common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.

A recombinant form of chagasin from Trypanosoma cruzi: inhibitory activity on insect cysteine proteinases.

Background: The activity of the major digestive cysteine proteinase detected in the intestinal tract of larvae of the bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), was efficiently inhibited by the well-characterized cysteine proteinase synthetic inhibitor E-64 and also by a recombinant form of chagasin (r-chagasin), a tight-binding cysteine proteinase inhibitor protein from Trypanosoma cruzi.

Results: Incorporation of r-chagasin into an artificial diet system at 0.1 g kg(-1) retarded growth rate, decreased larval survival and led to complete mortality of A.

Effect of a Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor from Phaseolus coccineus on Hypothenemus hampei gut proteinases in vitro.

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is an important devastating coffee pest worldwide. Both trypsin and chymotrypsin enzyme activities from H. hampei larval midgut can be inactivated by proteinaceous enzyme-inhibitors.

An alpha-amylase inhibitor gene from Phaseolus coccineus encodes a protein with potential for control of coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei).

Plant alpha-amylase inhibitors are proteins found in several plants, and play a key role in natural defenses. In this study, a gene encoding an alpha-amylase inhibitor, named alphaAI-Pc1, was isolated from cotyledons of Phaseolus coccineus. This inhibitor has an enhanced primary structure to P.