科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn),，通過一種糖類衍生物阻斷害蟲的免疫系統(tǒng)的一個成分,，可以殺死這些害蟲。他們的結(jié)果可能提供了一個非毒性的,、可持續(xù)的保護(hù)農(nóng)作物和建筑不受白蟻和其他破壞性昆蟲危害的方法,。
Ram Sasisekharan及其同事發(fā)現(xiàn)，阻斷白蟻的革蘭氏陰性細(xì)菌的結(jié)合蛋白的活動可以讓白蟻巢容易受到細(xì)菌和真菌的傷害,，后者能攻擊并殺死白蟻,。白蟻通常把一種抗菌蛋白分泌到它們的蟻巢中從而防止這些病原體的感染。這組作者報(bào)告了一種技術(shù),，它可以用一種稱為GDL的天然形成的葡萄糖衍生物阻斷這種蛋白的效果,。這組科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)，把GDL加入到白蟻巢中可以導(dǎo)致白蟻更迅速地死于通常感染白蟻的真菌和其他機(jī)會細(xì)菌,。這組作者提出,，可以開發(fā)非毒性和可生物降解的GDL和其他類似的分子用于食品處理和貯存和建筑材料，從而保護(hù)它們不受害蟲侵害,。這組作者提出,，可以把植物改造成在特定區(qū)域制造大量的GDL，從而增加它們的免疫力,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS June 8, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0904063106
Targeting an antimicrobial effector function in insect immunity as a pest control strategy
Mark S. Bulmera,1,2,3, Ido Bacheletb,1, Rahul Ramanb, Rebeca B. Rosengausa,4 and Ram Sasisekharanb,3,4
Insect pests such as termites cause damages to crops and man-made structures estimated at over $30 billion per year, imposing a global challenge for the human economy. Here, we report a strategy for compromising insect immunity that might lead to the development of nontoxic, sustainable pest control methods. Gram-negative bacteria binding proteins (GNBPs) are critical for sensing pathogenic infection and triggering effector responses. We report that termite GNBP-2 (tGNBP-2) shows β(1,3)-glucanase effector activity previously unknown in animal immunity and is a pleiotropic pattern recognition receptor and an antimicrobial effector protein. Termites incorporate this protein into the nest building material, where it functions as a nest-embedded sensor that cleaves and releases pathogenic components, priming termites for improved antimicrobial defense. By means of rational design, we present an inexpensive, nontoxic small molecule glycomimetic that blocks tGNBP-2, thus exposing termites in vivo to accelerated infection and death from specific and opportunistic pathogens. Such a molecule, introduced into building materials and agricultural methods, could protect valuable assets from insect pests.
