Effects of the cysteine protease inhibitor oryzacystatin (OC-I) on different aphids and reduced performance of Myzus persicae on OC-I expressing transgenic oilseed rape

Abstract

When administered in artificial diets, the cysteine protease inhibitor (PI) oryzacystatin I (OC-I) induced moderate but significant growth inhibition on the pea aphid ( Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris), the cotton/melon aphid ( Aphis Gossypii Glover) and the peach potato aphid ( Myzus persicae Sulzer). In transgenic oilseed rape plants ( Brassica napus L. cv. Drakkar) expressing OC-I under the control of the CaMV-35S RNA promoter, oryzacystatin was detected in both leaves and phloem sap. Transgenic plants from three independent homozygous lines were used to test the effect of in planta-expression of OC-I on M. persicae. Mean adult weight and fecundity were significantly reduced, and aphid biomass produced in 2 weeks was decreased by 25–40% for aphids fed transgenic plants, when compared to those fed control plants. The effects of OC-I on M. persicae were correlated with the decrease of a major cathepsin L/H-type cysteine protease activity, detected in whole insect extracts. Immuno-histological analysis showed OC-I labeling along the gut epithelium, but also its association with aphid bacteriocytes and oenocytes. These results suggest that OC-I affects M. persicae through digestive tract targets, but also by reaching the haemolymph, thereby inhibiting extra-digestive proteolytic activities and interacting with functions related to aphid reproduction. Overall, it appears that PIs can display deleterious effects against phloem-feeding insects in addition to their activity on leaf-feeding insects.