Insight to the Mode of Action of Allium sativum Leaf Agglutinin (ASAL) Expressing in T3 Rice Lines on Brown Planthopper

摘要

Brown planthopper, the sap sucking hemipteran pest, is one of the major contributors to the yield loss of rice through the world. To combat the situation researchers are interested identifying genes from plant origin having potentiality to develop hemipteran pest resistance. Interestingly, it was observed that rice plants expressing ASAL, a monocot mannose binding lectin, showed significant resistance to brown planthopper and green leafhopper. Additionally, antibiotic resistant marker gene free ASAL expressing rice lines were developed to overcome the biosafety issues. However, the basis behind the resistance against planthoppers is still not clearly understood. Ligand blot assay was performed with total BBMV protein from BPH and a ~56 kDa receptor protein was detected. LC MS/MS analysis revealed that the receptor protein is NADH quinone oxidoreductase (NQO), a key player in electron transport chain, insect defense response and male/female gametogenesis. Presumably interaction of ASAL with NQO may lead to toxicity and loss of fecundity among BPH feeding on ASAL expressing transgenic rice plants. These findings provide a stable scientific basis for considering these transgenic ASAL expressing rice plants as significant product for combating BPH attack associated yield loss of rice.