Annals of Applied Biology (2018) 172, 236-243

Y. Meriño-Cabrera, J.C. Zanuncio, R.S. da Silva, M. Solis-Vargas, G. Cordeiro, F.R. Rainha, W.G. Campos, M.C. Picanço and M.G. de Almeida Oliveira (2018)
Biochemical response between insects and plants: an investigation of enzyme activity in the digestive system of Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) and leaves of Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae) after herbivory
Annals of Applied Biology 172 (2), 236-243
Abstract: Plant defence mechanisms can reduce the digestive enzyme activity of insect pests. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the production of proteinase inhibitors, lipoxygenase and polyphenol oxidase activity in Coffea arabica (Catuai IAC 15) plants, and the digestive enzyme activity in the pest Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) after feeding on the plant. The production of proteinase inhibitors was evaluated with L-BApNA as a substrate. We studied lipoxygenase activity with linoleic acid and polyphenol oxidase activity with catechol substrates, in coffee plants damaged (T1) and not damaged (T2) by L. coffeella. L. coffeella digestive enzyme activity was verified by trypsin-like (substrate l-BApNA and l-TAME), chymotrypsin-like (BTpNA and ATEE), cysteine proteases (l-BApNA) and total protease (azocasein). Proteinase inhibitor production and lipoxygenase and polyphenol oxidase activity in C. arabica increases (P < 0.05) with L. coffeella damage. Our results provide important information that these enzymatic activities may play a role in plant defence processes in C. arabica. Trypsin-like activity increases, whereas chymotrypsin-like and cysteine protease activity decrease in the midgut of L. coffeella, which acts as a defence mechanism.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): José Cola Zanuncio, Marcelo Coutinho Picanco

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Perileucoptera coffeella	Coffee (Coffea)