Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biochemical characterization of α-amylases from differently feeding pests: sap-sucking Aphis craccivora and tissue chewing Pectinophora gossypiella

  • Original Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera) is a major sucking pest of cowpea. Aphis craccivora is also known as the cowpea aphid. Pectinophora gossypiella (Lepidoptera) is an oligophagous chewing pest of cotton, commonly known as the pink bollworm. These insects cause severe losses in the production of cowpeas and cotton, respectively. The α-amylases of these insects were characterized to shed light on the complement of amylases of these two insects from different orders. The α-amylases of A. craccivora and P. gossypiella were found highly active at pH 8 and 9 respectively. At 37 °C, the activities of α-amylase in P. gossypiella and A. craccivora were 1.720.078 mg/min/ml and 0.36430.007 mg/min/ml, respectively. As calculated by Lineweaver–Burk plots, the Km values of A. craccivora and P. gossypiella were 10.5 ± 1.5 µM and 27.7 ± 6.5 µM respectively. The Vmax value of A. craccivora amylase was 5 ± 0 mM/min/µg and 21.8 ± 4 µM/min/µg for P. gossypiella. Electrophoretic visualization indicated 6 isoforms of α-amylase in both the 3rd and 4th instar larvae of P. gossypiella. In A. craccivora, 3 isoforms were observed. The molecular weight of P. gossypiella amylases was around 30 to 294 kDa and A. craccivora amylases were around 77 to 160 kDa. Fe and Mn activated amylase activity in P. gossypiella, while Co and Zn were inhibitory. In A. craccivora, Mn activated the amylase activity. The biochemical and electrophoretic characterizations of the amylases of these insects may significantly contribute to the understanding of the physiology of these chewing and sucking pests. The insights may be exploited for amylase inhibitor-based pest control strategies against this differently-feeding insect.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahipo Due E, Kouaio JP, Kouakou HT (2008) Purification and physicochemical properties of amylase from cockroach, Periplaneta americana (LINNAEUS), for starches saccharification. Afr J Biotechnol 7:2707–2716

    Google Scholar 

  • Asadi A, Ghadamyari M, Sajedi RH, Jalali Sendi J, Tabari M (2010) Biochemical characterization of midgut, salivary glands and haemolymph α-amylases of Naranga aenescens. Bull Insectology 63:175–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker JE (1983) Properties of amylase from midgets of larvae of Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilus granaries. Insect Biochem 13:421–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernfeld P (1955) Amylase, α, and β. Methods Enzymol 1:149–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhide AJ, Channale SM, Patil SS, Gupta VS, Ramasamy S, Giri AP (2015) Biochemical, structural and functional diversity between two digestive α-amylases from Helicoverpa armigera. Biochim Biophys 1850:1719–1728

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buonocore VE, Poerio Silvano V, Tomasi M (1976) Physical and catalytic properties of alpha-amylase from Tenebrio molitor L. larvaea-Amylase from Tenebrio molitor L. Larvae Biochem J Mol Aspects 153:621–625

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakravarthy VS, Reddy TP, Reddy VD, Rao KV (2014) Current status of genetic engineering in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L): an assessment. Crit Rev Biotechnol 34:144–160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Da Lage JL (2018) The amylases of insects. Int J Insect Sci 10:1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Da Lage JL, Danchin EGJ, Casane D (2007) Where do animal α-amylases come from? An interkingdom trip. FEBS Lett 581:3927–3935

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Darvishzadeh A, Bandani AR (2012) Identification and characterization of alpha-amylase in the Italian locust, Calliptamus italicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Mun Entomol Zool 7:1028–1034

    Google Scholar 

  • Darvishzadeh A, Bandani AR, Mousavi SQ (2014) Biochemical characterization of α-amylase in two aphid species, Aphis fabae scopoli (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and A. gossypii glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Plant Protect Sci 50:84–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delkash-Roudsari S, Zibaee A, Mozhdehi MRA (2014) Digestive a-amylase of Bacterocera oleae Gmelin (Diptera: Tephritidae): biochemical characterization and effect of proteinaceous inhibitor. J King Saud Univ Sci 26:53–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dojnov B, Bozic N, Nenadovic V (2008) Purification and properties of midgut amylase isolated from Morimus funereus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Comp Biochem Physiol 149B:153–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellsworth P, Moore L, Allen C, Beasley B, Henneberry T, Carter F (2006) Pink Bollworm Management. Newsletter of the Pink Bollworm Action Committe. A Project of The Cotton Foundation Produced by the University of Arizona – Cooperative Extension 1: 1–2

  • FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) (2014) FAOSTAT Data

  • Ferreira C, Capella AN, Sitnik R, Terra WR (1994) Properties of the digestive enzymes and the permeability of the peritrophic membrane of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera) larvae. Camp Biochem Physiol 107A:631–640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hivrale VK, Chougule NP, Giri AP, Chhabda PJ, Kachole MS (2011) Biochemical characterisation of α-amylase inhibitors from Achyranthes aspera and their interactions with digestive amylases of coleopteran and lepidopteran insects. J Sci Food Agric 91:1773–1780

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur R, Kaur N, Gupta AK (2014) Structural features, substrate specificity, kinetic properties of insect α-amylase and specificity of plant α-amylase inhibitors. Pestic Biochem Physiol 116:83–93

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazzazi M, Bandani AR, Hoszeinkhani S (2005) Biochemical characterization of α-amylase of the Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps. Entomol Sci 8:371–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nat 227:680–685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with Folin-phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markwick NP, Laing WA, Christeller JT, Reid ST, Newton MR (1996) α-Amylase activities in larval midgut extracts from four species of Lepidoptera (Tortricidae and Gelechiidae): Response to pH and to inhibitors from wheat, barley, kidney bean and Streptomyces. J Econ Entomol 89:39–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehrabadi M, Bandani AR (2010) New approach toward α-amylase electrophoresis and isoamylase detection. Mun Entomol and Zool 5:1085–1087

    Google Scholar 

  • Mweke A, Akutse KS, Ulrichs C, Fiaboe KKM, Maniania NK, Ekesi S (2019) Efficacy of aqueous and oil formulations of a specific Metarhizium anisopliae isolate against Aphis craccivora Koch, 1854 (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under field conditions. J Appl Entomol 143:1182–1192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mweke A, Akutse KS, Ulrichs C, Mokpokpo Fiaboe KK, Maniania NK, Ekesi S (2020) Integrated management of Aphis craccivora in Cowpea using intercropping and entomopathogenic fungi under field conditions. J Fungi 6:60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naik VC, Kumbhare S, Kranthi S, Satija U, Kranthi KR (2018) Field-evolved resistance of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton expressing crystal 1Ac (Cry1Ac) and Cry2Ab in India. Pest Manage Sci 74:2544–2554

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naik VC, Pusadkar PP, Waghmare ST, Raghavendra KP, Kranthi S, Sujit Kumbhare S (2020) Evidence for population expansion of cotton pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in India. Sci Rep 10:4740

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Omoigui LO, Ekeuro GC, Kamara AY, Bello LL, Timko MP, Ogunwolu GO (2017) New sources of aphids [Aphis craccivora (Koch)] resistance in cowpea germplasm using phenotypic and molecular marker approaches. Euphytica 213:178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozgur E, Yucel M, Oktem HA (2009) Identification and characterization of hydrolytic enzymes from the midgut of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Turk J Agric for 33:285–294

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pytelková J, Hubert J, Lepsík M (2009) Digestive alpha-amylases of the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella – adaptation to alkaline environment and plant inhibitors. FEBS J 276:3531–3546

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rafiei B, Ghadamyari M, Sohrab Imani S, Hosseininaveh V, Ahadiyat A (2016) Purification and characterization of α-amylase in Moroccan locust, Dociostaurus maroccanus Thunberg (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and its inhibition by inhibitors from Phaseolus vulgaris L. Toxin Rev 35:90–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ravan S, Mehrabadi M, Bandani AR (2009) Biochemical characterization of digestive amylase of wheat bug, Eurygaster maura (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae). Afr J Biotechnol 8:3640–3648

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos CD, Terra WR (1986) Distribution and characterization of oligomeric digestive enzymes from Erinnyis ello larvae and inferences concerning secretory mechanisms and the permeability of the peritrophic membrane. Insect Biochem 16:691–700

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar P, Sikdar SR (2020) Characterization of α-amylase and its activity from mustard aphid Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.) (Hemiptera) and its inhibition by Rorippa indica defensin. Int J Pest Manag 66:99–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharifloo A, Zibaee A, Sendi JJ, Jahroumi KT (2016) Characterization of a digestive α-amylase in the midgut of Pieris brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Front Physiol 7:96

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sivakumar S, Mohan M, Franco OL, Thayumanavan B (2006) Inhibition of insect pest α-amylases by little and Winger millet inhibitors. Pestic Biochem Phys 85:155–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sorkhabi-Abdolmaleki S, Zibaee A, Hoda H, Fazeli-Dinan M (2014) Purification and characterization of midgut α-amylase in a predatory bug, Andralus Spinidens. J Insect Sci 14:65

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tabashnik BE, Dennehy TJ, Sims MA, Larkin K, Head GP, Moar WJ (2002) Control of resistant Pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) by transgenic cotton that produces Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry2Ab. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:3790–3794

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Terra WR, Ferreira C (2012) Biochemistry and molecular biology of digestion. In: Gilbert LI (ed) Insect Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Elsevier, New York, NY, pp 365–418

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Terra WR, Ferreira C (2005) Biochemistry of digestion. In: Gilbert LI, Iatrou K, Gill SS (eds) Comprehensive molecular insect science. Elsevier, San Diego, CA, pp 171–224

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Terra WR, Ferreira C (1994) Insect digestive enzymes: properties, compartmentalization and function. Comp Biochem Physiol 109B:1–62

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valencia-Jimenez A, Arboleda V, Avila AL, Grossi-de-Sa MF (2008) Digestive α-amylases from Tecia solanivora larvae (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae): response to pH, temperature and plant amylase inhibitors. Bull Entomol Res Cambridge University Press. 1–5

  • Vonzun S, Messmer MM, Boller T, Shrivas Y, Patil SS, Riar A (2019) Extent of bollworm and sucking pest damage on modern and traditional cotton species and potential for breeding in organic cotton. Sustainability 11:6353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wisessing A, Engkagul A, Wongpiyasatid A, Chuwongkomon K (2008) Purification and characterization of C. maculatus a-amylase. J Nat Sci 42:240–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu W, Huang Q, Wu X, Yu X, Wang X, Tao L (2014) Property of midgut a-amylase from Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae and its responses to potential inhibitors in vitro. J Insect Sci 14:282

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zibaee A, Bandani AR, Kafil M, Ramzi S (2008) Characterization of α-amylase in the midgut and the salivary glands of rice striped stemborer, Chilo suppressalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). J Asia Pacific Entomol 11:201–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Grant No. EEQ/2018/000972 from DST-SERB, Government of India.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Marathwada University, Aurangabad, 431 001, Maharashtra, India

    Heena L. Nadaf, Ashwini K. Sirsat & Vandana K. Hivrale

Authors
  1. Heena L. Nadaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ashwini K. Sirsat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vandana K. Hivrale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vandana K. Hivrale.

Ethics declarations

Competing of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nadaf, H.L., Sirsat, A.K. & Hivrale, V.K. Biochemical characterization of α-amylases from differently feeding pests: sap-sucking Aphis craccivora and tissue chewing Pectinophora gossypiella. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 3747–3757 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00899-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00899-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation