Interaction mechanism of plant-based nanoarchitectured materials with digestive enzymes of termites as target for pest control: Evidence from molecular docking simulation and in vitro studies

Termites are important decomposer due to their ability to digest cellulose and their diverse feeding habits. Trehalase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes trehalose to glucose in insects and has an important biological role. Gut morphology of wood-feeding termites (Globitermes sulphureus, Termitinae; Microcerotermes crassus, Termitinae and Bulbitermes prabhae, Nasutitermitinae) and fungus-growing termites (Macrotermes annandalei, Macrotermitinae) that belong to the family Termitidae was determined in this study. Results indicate that wood-feeding termites have a similar gut morphology, which consists of a foregut, midgut and elongated hindgut, which is divided into four segments. More specifically the enlarged segment in the hindgut, called a paunch, is prominent in wood-feeding termites, whereas fungus-growing termites have a simpler tubular gut with a very small paunch. Trehalase activity was high in the midgut of wood-feeding termites (G. sulphureus, Mi. crassus and B. prabhae), but in the fungus-growing termite (Ma. annandalei) the highest level of activity was recorded in the hindgut. Cellulase activity (endo-β-1,4-glucanase) was detected in all gut segments with very high levels in the hindguts of B. prabhae and Ma. annandalei. Differences in the distribution of trehalase and gut morphology correspond to the phylogenetic analyses of Termitidae, which indicate that Macrotermitinae is the sister group of Termitinae and Nasutitermitinae. In addition, validamycin suppressed trehalase activity in termites in vitro and in vivo, resulting in a high mortality in wood-feeding and fungus-growing termites, indicating that trehalase inhibitors could be useful tools for termite control.

Brain tumors, particularly Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and Low-Grade Gliomas (LGG), present significant clinical challenges due to their aggressive nature and resistance to conventional treatments. Traditional therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are often limited in efficacy, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology, particularly the use of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), offers a targeted and potentially more effective approach. This study focuses on the green synthesis of Ag NPs using Podocarpus macrophyllus leaf extract as a reducing agent. The synthesized Ag NPs were characterized for their physicochemical properties, demonstrating a controlled particle size of 13 nm as determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy revealed that silver constituted approximately 90% of the nanoparticle composition. The Ag NPs exhibited promising biological activity, including 90% free radical scavenging (antioxidant) activity, 99.15% inhibition of protein denaturation (anti-inflammatory activity), and 90.56% inhibition of alpha-amylase (anti-diabetic activity). Additionally, the nanoparticles displayed significant anti-hemolytic (89.9% inhibition) and antimicrobial activities, with a 20 mm inhibition zone against Staphylococcus species. Computational analyses further indicated that the NOTCH2 gene, which is upregulated in LGG and GBM, may interact with Ag NPs, suggesting their potential in brain cancer therapy. The green synthesis approach offers a sustainable and bioactive method for producing Ag NPs, underscoring their therapeutic promise for treating GBM and LGG.

Background: Over the last few decades, metallic nanoparticles, especially silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), have gained the focus of researchers globally due to their unique properties and a broad range of applications. Aim: This research study focused on the green synthesis of AgNPs by using Coriandrum sativum, Olea europaea leaf extract, and their bovine serum albumin conjugates. Materials and Methods: Biogenic AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The potential biomedical applications of AgNPs and their conjugates were also evaluated through in vitro assays. AgNPs synthesis was confirmed by observing UV-visible absorption peaks at 380nm, 460nm (AgNPs derived from C.sativum and O. europaea respectively), 580nm, and 577nm (conjugates of particles from C.sativum and O. europaea respectively). Results: FTIR analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups on the surface of AgNPs. The average diameters of C. sativum and O. europaea derived AgNPs were 1025 d.nm and 134 d.nm, whereas the average size of AgNPs was 500nm, 200nm, 100nm, and 300nm with uniform morphology. Results of biomedical activity showed that AgNPs and their albumin conjugates were potential antidiabetic, anti-oxidant, and anti-hyperlipidemic with significant IC50 values compared to standard. The antimicrobial potential of AgNPs and their conjugates were tested against gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains and the best zone of inhibition of C. sativum derived conjugated AgNPs was observed against Salmonella enterica i.e. 29 mm. Conclusion: The research project provides an ecofriendly green synthesis method of AgNPs and their conjugates as well as their potential for the treatment of different diseases.

The effective fermentation of xylose remains an intractable challenge in bioethanol industry. The relevant xylanase enzyme is also in a high demand from industry for several biotechnological applications that inevitably in recent times led to many efforts for screening some novel microorganisms for better xylanase production and fermentation performance. Recently, it seems that wood-feeding termites can truly be considered as highly efficient natural bioreactors. The highly specialized gut systems of such insects are not yet fully realized, particularly, in xylose fermentation and xylanase production to advance industrial bioethanol technology as well as industrial applications of xylanases. A total of 92 strains from 18 yeast species were successfully isolated and identified from the gut of wood-feeding termite, Reticulitermes chinensis. Of these yeasts and strains, seven were identified for new species: Candida gotoi, Candida pseudorhagii, Hamamotoa lignophila, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Sugiyamaella sp.1, Sugiyamaella sp. 2, and Sugiyamaella sp.3. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic characterization, the type strain of C. pseudorhagii sp. nov., which was originally designated strain SSA-1542T, was the most frequently occurred yeast from termite gut samples, showed the highly xylanolytic activity as well as D-xylose fermentation. The highest xylanase activity was recorded as 1.73 and 0.98 U/mL with xylan or D-xylose substrate, respectively, from SSA-1542T. Among xylanase-producing yeasts, four novel species were identified as D-xylose-fermenting yeasts, where the yeast, C. pseudorhagii SSA-1542T, showed the highest ethanol yield (0.31 g/g), ethanol productivity (0.31 g/L·h), and its fermentation efficiency (60.7%) in 48 h. Clearly, the symbiotic yeasts isolated from termite guts have demonstrated a competitive capability to produce xylanase and ferment xylose, suggesting that the wood-feeding termite gut is a promising reservoir for novel xylanases-producing and xylose-fermenting yeasts that are potentially valued for biorefinery industry.

Introduction: The escalating global threat of multidrug-resistant pathogens necessitates innovative approaches to combat drug resistance. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their potent antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties. Green synthesis of AgNPs using plant extracts offers an eco-friendly and cost-effective method. This study focuses on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AC-AgNPs) using Anisophyllea corneri leaf extracts and evaluates their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Materials and methods: An eco-friendly synthesis approach was employed, utilizing A. corneri leaf extracts as reducing agents. Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized for phytochemical profiling. The synthesis process was optimized at various temperatures (60?C, 70?C, 80?C) and pH levels (4, 9) to achieve optimal AgNPs outcomes. Characterization of AC-AgNPs included UV-Vis spectrophotometry, FTIR, SEM, Zeta potential, and Particle Size Analyzer (PSA). Antimicrobial evaluation was conducted against four bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) using paper disc diffusion. Cytotoxicity was assessed through the MTT assay on MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line). Results: A. corneri leaf extract exhibited abundant active compounds facilitating the reduction of silver ions. Optimization revealed that 70?C at pH 9 produced AC-AgNPs with a minimal particle size of 135.5 nm and a stable zeta potential (-45.1±11.7 mV). AC-AgNPs displayed a spherical morphology. Antimicrobial trials demonstrated moderate efficacy against the tested bacteria, with inhibition zones ranging from 8 to 10 mm. Additionally, AC-AgNPs exhibited cytotoxic potential with a moderate IC50 of 74.9 µg/mL. Conclusion: The green synthesis, characterisation and biological activities of AgNPs from A. corneri leaf extracts have been established. It is recommended to optimise the synthesis process and validate the biological activities.

Microbicidal potential of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) can be drastically improved by improving their solubility or wettability in the aqueous medium. In the present study, we report the synthesis of both green and chemical synthesis of Ag-NPs, and evaluate the effect of the dispersion qualities of as-prepared Ag-NPs from both methods on their antimicrobial activities. The green synthesis of Ag-NPs is carried out by using an aqueous solution of readily available Salvadora persica L. root extract (RE) as a bioreductant. The formation of highly crystalline Ag-NPs was established by various analytical and microscopic techniques. The rich phenolic contents of S. persica L. RE (Miswak) not only promoted the reduction and formation of NPs but they also facilitated the stabilization of the Ag-NPs, which was established by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Furthermore, the influence of the volume of the RE on the size and the dispersion qualities of the NPs was also evaluated. It was revealed that with increasing the volume of RE the size of the NPs was deteriorated, whereas at lower concentrations of RE smaller size and less aggregated NPs were obtained. During this study, the antimicrobial activities of both chemically and green synthesized Ag-NPs, along with the aqueous RE of S. persica L., were evaluated against various microorganisms. It was observed that the green synthesized Ag-NPs exhibit comparable or slightly higher antibacterial activities than the chemically obtained Ag-NPs.

Recently, nanotechnology has attracted great attention due to its wide applications for different fields of science. Nanoparticles are a cluster of atoms in the range of 1-100 nm that provides mechanical, optical, electrical, and structural advanced, and also an increased surface area than the original substance. Nanostructure materials have got an enhancement to the feature of life and preservation of the environment. Now a day’s silver nanoparticles have gained attention due to its uses in various areas of human interest in the industry, medicine, human health, and agriculture. It is the most popular metallic nanoparticles in antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties as different researchers reported. The objective of this review is to brief recent progress in the biosynthesis of AgNPs. This review may have a great contribution in the field of green synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activities of AgNPs. There are three types of nanoparticles synthesis approaches they are physical, chemical, and biological methods. The biological method for the synthesis of AgNPs is a preferable approach due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, easily scale up to the industry and non-toxicity. Plants and their parts contain carbohydrates, fats, proteins, nucleic acids, pigments, and several types of secondary metabolites which act as reducing agents to produce nanoparticles from metal salts without producing any toxic by-product. In this review, different researches reported different particle size of AgNPs (0.011 – 90 nm) and shape by using different plant material. I conclude This review is concerned with the green synthesis of AgNPs, characterization, and antibacterial activity of AgNPs.

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels, a diverse family of over 30 ion channel subtypes, are pivotal in regulating sensory perception, thermoregulation, and feeding in insects. In Drosophila melanogaster, 13 TRP channels have been identified, while Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae possess 11 and 10, respectively, showcasing evolutionary adaptations to their ecological niches. This review explores recent advancements in understanding the structure, classification, and physiological functions of TRP channels, emphasizing their evolutionary divergence across Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera. Key TRP subfamilies, such as TRPA, TRPC, TRPM, TRPV, TRPN, and TRPP, are discussed, highlighting their roles in chemo-sensation, gustation, and stress responses. Examples include TRPA1's involvement in thermal sensing and TRPV's role in osmoregulation, critical for insect survival under fluctuating environmental conditions. The review highlights the potential of TRP channels as targets for pest control, focusing on TRP-specific insecticides like pymetrozine, afidopyrifen, and flonicamid, which impact feeding and sensory pathways. RNA interference (RNAi) techniques targeting TRP genes are highlighted as promising tools for innovative pest management. TRP channels' role in mediating thermal tolerance is particularly significant in the context of climate change, where variable temperatures challenge pest dynamics and agricultural sustainability. Understanding these mechanisms is vital for developing climate-resilient pest control strategies. The review also evaluates methodologies used in TRP channel studies, including genomic, transcriptomic, and functional assays, alongside behavioural analyses. Despite progress, challenges remain in studying TRP channels in non-model insects and elucidating their regulation. Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to fully harness TRP channels for sustainable pest management.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has revolutionized pest control in various agricultural settings, including orchards. By blending cultural, biological, and chemical methods, IPM aims to minimize pest damage while reducing environmental and health impacts. One of the most successful strategies within IPM is mating disruption, which uses synthetic pheromones to confuse male insects and prevent them from finding mates. This technique has been particularly effective against pests like the codling moth in apple and pear orchards, significantly reducing insecticide use by up to 90% in some regions.The implementation of IPM in orchards has numerous long-term advantages. Lower manufacturing costs, less environmental contamination, and increased worker safety have all resulted from reduced pesticide use. Furthermore, a healthier ecological balance has been promoted by the rise in natural predators and parasitoids brought about by the decrease in chemical treatments. Many growers have reported greater fruit quality due to more targeted pest control and healthier trees, despite worries that reduced use of pesticides would harm fruit quality. Important pests have also been suppressed regionally as a result of IPM's efficacy, such as the codling moth in the Pacific Northwest, whose populations have dropped to the point where little intervention is needed. Economic assessments highlight IPM's financial sustainability by demonstrating considerable long-term cost savings. According to one study, IPM adopters in apple orchards in Nova Scotia had 25% reduced pest management expenses over a ten-year period than those using conventional approaches. These results demonstrate how integrated pest management (IPM) has the ability to provide long-term, efficient pest control that is advantageous to growers, the environment, and consumers alike. IPM's widespread use attests to its effectiveness and sustainability. Integrative pest management (IPM) ensures the long-term health and production of agricultural systems by combining various pest control techniques into a balanced solution that satisfies both ecological and financial requirements.

<p>The cotton bollworm<em>, Helicoverpa armigera </em>(Hübner),is a wide host range pest that causes severe economic damages to agricultural crops in Iran and all around the world. During recent years, chemical insecticides have been used as the most effective strategy in control of this pest, but due to their hazardous effects, most of the researches are being conducted to offer an alternative approach for chemical control. In this regard, digestive systems, in particular inhibition of insect digestive enzymes, are considered as a target for pest control. Here, we used the original pro-region of <em>H. armigera </em>chymotrypsin as a potent and specific inhibitor of the pest enzyme. The structural model of the insect chymotrypsin was predicted based on homology modeling and the crystal structure of <em>Bos taurus</em> L. as template. The reliability of the model was assessed using VERIFY_3D, ERRAT, PROCHECK, WHAT-IF and Z-scores, and the results confirmed that the predicted structural model has an appropriate quality. Moreover, molecular docking simulations between the predicted structural model of enzyme and designed peptide showed that the inhibitor peptide has the most appropriate docking score and total binding energy for interactions with the insect chymotrypsin’s active site. However, it showed a weak potential for interaction with <em>Sus scrofa</em> L. chymotrypsin, as a representative of the mammalian enzyme. The results of this report indicate the importance of computational studies in design and selection of the favored inhibitor pro-peptides against the target enzymes. Such inhibitors can be further suggested as a replacement of chemical pesticides for controlling of <em>H. armigera</em> as well as the other pests in future.</p>

The eastern subterranean termite (EST) Reticulitermes flavipes is an insect pest in the USA. Like all wood-feeding termites (WFT), EST relies on a complex system of microbes to meet its nutritional requirements. The microbiome of WFT is stable, but the relative abundance of bacteria changes depending on diet. The purpose of this study was to explore the microbial diversity within EST collected in Thibodaux and St. Francisville, LA and detect differences based on diet and location to determine if the microbiome has a strict structure. It was found that taxa did not differ much between nearby colonies, but relative abundance is impacted by the wood in the diet. Half of bacteria from the gut of termites on nuttall oak were Bacteroidales, of which 22.7% were members of the family Porphyromonadaceae. 44% of bacteria from termites on red maple were Spirochaetes. All Spirochaetes were members of the genus Treponema. Elusimicrobia, a phylum found exclusively within termites and wood-feeding cockroaches was not abundant in either St. Francisville colony. Taxa differed more between termite colonies from different locations, but the mircobiome of St. Francisville colonies appeared to begin diverging at the family level. Overall, the microbiome was typical of termites, harboring cellulolytic protozoa, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, acetogenic Spirochaetes, and methanogenic archaeans. This has implications in microbial ecology because the organisms are changing, but the function, digestion of lignocellulose, is not. A bacterium was isolated and identified from termite gut as Acinetobacter tandoii from our previous studies degraded various phenolics, including phenol, nitrophenol, dinitrophenol, trinitrophenol, and toluene.

Recently, two alternative targets in insect periphery nerve system have been explored for environmentally-friendly approaches in insect pest management, namely odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs). Located in insect antennae, OBPs are thought to be involved in the transport of odorants to ORs for the specific signal transduction of behaviorally active odorants. There is rich information on OBP binding affinity and molecular docking to bioactive compounds as well as ample 3D crystal structures due to feasible production of recombinant proteins. Although these provide excellent opportunities for them to be considered as pest control targets and a tool to design pest control agents, the debates on their binding specificity represent an obstacle. On the other hand, ORs have recently been functionally characterized with increasing evidence for their specificity, sensitivity and functional roles in pest behaviors. However, a major barrier to use ORs for semiochemical discovery is the lack of 3D crystal structures. Thus, OBPs and ORs have not been analyzed comparatively together so far for their feasibility as pest control targets. Here, we summarize the state of OBPs and ORs research in terms of its application in insect pest management. We discuss the suitability of both proteins as pest control targets and their selection toward the discovery of new potent semiochemicals. We argue that both proteins represent promising targets for pest control and can be used to identify new super-ligands likely present in nature and with reduced risk of resistance development than insect pesticides currently used in agriculture. We discuss that with the massive identification of OBPs through RNA-seq and improved binding affinity measurements, these proteins could be reconsidered as suitable targets for semiochemical discovery.

For most animals, lignocellulose is a nutritionally poor food source that is highly resistant to enteric degradation. Termites, however, have the unique ability to digest lignocellulose with high efficiency, often using it as a sole food source. Another interesting aspect of termite biology is their symbiotic associations with prokaryotic and eukaryotic gut symbionts. Termite symbionts contribute to lignocellulose digestion efficiency, but by no means are they responsible for 100% of lignocellulose digestion in the termite gut. The termite digestome can be defined as the pool of genes, both termite and symbiont, that contribute to lignocellulose depolymerization and digestion, as well as simple sugar fermentation, nutrient transport, and nutrient assimilation. A central goal of termite digestomics research is to define/understand the relative contributions of termite and symbiont gene products to collaborative lignocellulose digestion. While efficient microbial cellulases have already been identified and are presently being used in industrial applications, efficient and inexpensive pre‐treatments for lignin and hemicellulose depolymerization are not yet well developed. In this respect, termite digestomics has already offered significant insights, and can continue to identify relevant enzymes, as well as reveal how to optimally combine and utilize these enzymes for maximum synergy. The topics covered in this review are as follows: lignocellulose structure with emphasis on its potential for depolymerization by termite and gut endosymbiont‐derived digestive enzymes; termite biology and ecology from the perspectives of termite nutrition, gut physiology, and lignocellulose digestion; and trends identified through recent termite digestomics research. © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are important materials that have been studied extensively. Biosynthesis of Ag NPs from plants has an important role in biomedical science and drug discovery application. Green synthesis of Ag NPs is a growing research area because of their potential applications in nanomedicines. Hence, in the present study, we investigated the green synthesis of Ag Nps from silver nitrate using leaves extracts of Aloe vera. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometer, Fourier transform spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Zeta Potential. Keywords: Aloe vera, Fourier transform spectroscopy (FT-IR), silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), UV-Visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometer, Zeta Potential Cite this Article Purendra Singh. Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles by Using Aloe vera Plant Extract. Trends in Drug Delivery. 2019; 6(3): 30–35p.

Until about 10 years ago, pest management in forestry was practiced much like fire management. When insects, diseases, pocket gophers, competing vegetation, or other pests increased to outbreak levels, forest managers geared up and put the so-called fire out. However, over the past few years, forest managers have been changing their pest management philosophy from a reliance on direct suppression of pests when they reach damaging levels to an integrated (or IPM) approach to preventing or reducing the resource damage caused by pests. In 1980, an evaluation of Forest Service pest management programs by the Center for Natural Areas concluded that even though forest managers did not fully understand IPM terminology and policies, they were doing an adequate job of implementing the concepts of IPM, but calling it something else. What Is IPM? The Forest Service Manual defines IPM as "a systematic decision-making process and the resultant management actions which