Abstract
The effects of lipoxygenase, lectin, and trypsin inhibitor proteins from soybean seed on larval growth of Manduca sexta have been investigated. Soybean lipoxygenase retarded larval growth when incorporated into an artificial diet at a concentration of 4% (wt/vol). In addtiOn, larvae fed the lipoxygenase diet showed increased levels of midgut cytochrome P-450 protem as compared with controls. Linoleic acid hydroperoxide, a product of lipoxygenase activity, also reduced larval growth at the 0.3% level in the diet, and was lethal to all larvae tested at the 1% level. A highly purified preparation of soybean lectin inhibited larval growth when added at the 1% level in the diet, and trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz inhibitor) retarded larval growth when added at the 5% level. These results represent the first evidence that lipoxygenases could function as plant defenses against insect attack, and also demonstrate that a highly purified lectin can inhibit the growth of a phytophagous insect.
Published Version
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