Recently, Science published a review article stating that researchers have discovered that proteins in ferns can be used to combat crop pests and are expected to become a new generation of highly effective insecticides.
These fern proteins have proven effective in laboratory tests against pests that have developed resistance to existing Bt proteins. The discovery was considered a major breakthrough because it established ferns as a source of new molecules.
This article mainly elaborates on the following points:
Discovery and application of fern proteins: These special proteins discovered by researchers in ferns have shown effective inhibitory effects on crop pests in laboratory tests. This suggests that ferns could have a major impact on the field of agricultural pest control as a source of new bioactive molecules.
Potential against resistant pests: These fern proteins are effective against pests that have developed resistance to existing Bt proteins, a commonly used biopesticide. This property makes fern proteins a strong candidate for solving the problem of pest resistance.
Genetic engineering applications: The article mentioned that adding genes for these fern proteins to crops such as corn and soybeans can effectively protect these crops from Bt protein-resistant pests. This shows that it is feasible to apply these proteins through genetic engineering means.
Expectations for safety and effectiveness: The researchers hope these new fern proteins will be "just right" insecticides. This means they are similar enough to Bt proteins to be safe and effective to use, but different enough to kill insects that have developed resistance to Bt.
The main conclusion of this study is the discovery of a novel family of insecticidal proteins from ferns. These proteins, in particular variants from the genus Pteris (Pterodes) as well as two other orders of ferns (Spermaceae and Pteridophyllales), were shown to be effective against important lepidopteran pests of corn and soybean. Genetically modified corn and soybean plants that produce these proteins are more resistant to insect damage than control plants. Notably, although these proteins are of plant origin, their structure is similar to the three-domain Cry protein of Bacillus pasteuriensis (Bt). But contain only two of the three characteristic domains and lack the C-terminal domain that is usually necessary for their activity. The two fern proteins in the study are effective against fall armyworm strains that are resistant to the Bt three-domain Cry protein Cry1Fa or Cry2A.127. Therefore, this represents a new family of insecticidal proteins with the potential to become a tool for future pest control.
Source: AgroPages
