Abstract
The effects of copper, nickel, and zinc and the potent antioxidant gallic acid on the antioxidant enzyme activities of Hyphantria cunea larvae infected with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki have been identified in this study. With metal exposure, all the enzyme activities have increased. Antagonistic effects were observed in the combination of gallic acid with all three metals on the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. In glutathione peroxidase activity, an antagonistic effect was observed in gallic acid plus nickel group, while there was a synergistic effect for gallic acid plus zinc and gallic acid plus copper. Activities of these enzymes in larvae exposed only to the metals increased in the infected groups; while exposure to gallic acid alone elicited a decrease. As a consequence, it was found that enzyme activities were affected by both metals and gallic acid and infection.
Highlights
Insects and plants have evolved together over millions of years with the ongoing adaptation of insects to plant defense characteristics
The effects of copper, nickel, and zinc and the potent antioxidant gallic acid on the antioxidant enzyme activities of Hyphantria cunea larvae infected with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki have been identified in this study
The highest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was found in the 1.5 g L-1 Cu group (240 ± 1.3, t = 33, p < 0.001), while the lowest activity was in the Gallic acid (GA)+Ni group (99 ± 0.6, t = -17, p < 0.001) (Fig. 1)
Summary
Insects and plants have evolved together over millions of years with the ongoing adaptation of insects to plant defense characteristics. Chemical plant defense includes secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenes (Lin et al 2020) They do not participate in primary metabolic functions, but are involved in essential biological processes such as survival (Li et al 2019). Gallic acid (GA), a secondary metabolite, is a phenolic compound present in various plants, and studies have shown that GA and its derivatives are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties (Lu et al 2006). Another plant defense strategy is based on metals taken up from the environment. Since GA is a potent antioxidant, the effects of these metals and GA both alone and in combination on the antioxidant enzyme activities of larvae infected by B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk), widely used as insecticide
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