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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2024, Vol. 23 Issue (6): 1897-1909    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.06.033
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Inhibition of protein degradation increases the Bt protein concentration in Bt cotton

Yuting Liu1, Hanjia Li1, Yuan Chen1, Tambel Leila. I. M.2, Zhenyu Liu1, Shujuan Wu1, Siqi Sun1, Xiang Zhang1, Dehua Chen1#

1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

2 Agricultural Research Cooperation, Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center, Khartoum 13314, Sudan

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摘要  

Bt棉花生产面临的2个主要问题是花铃期表达的Bt蛋白浓度低及棉铃抗虫性最低。因此,提高花铃期尤其棉铃中Bt蛋白浓度已成为增强棉花抗虫性的主要目标。2019-2020年,以中熟品种泗抗1号(SK1)和早熟品种中棉425(Z425)为供试材料,于盛花期分别对棉铃、棉铃对位叶和整株喷施2种蛋白质降解抑制剂(EDTA和亮抑酶肽),调查了Bt蛋白含量及蛋白质降解代谢特征。结果表明,应用蛋白质降解抑制剂处理棉铃,棉铃Bt蛋白浓度分别增加了21.3-38.8%、25.0-38.6%,但会引起棉铃对位叶Bt蛋白浓度下降;应用蛋白质降解抑制剂处理棉铃对位叶,对位叶中Bt蛋白浓度分别提高了7.6-23.5%、11.2-14.9%。整株联合应用EDTA和亮抑酶肽,棉铃及对位叶中Bt蛋白浓度显著提高,棉铃中Bt蛋白浓度含量提高的幅度更大,SK1、Z425棉铃Bt蛋白含量分别提高了22.5-31.0%、19.6-32.5%。蛋白质降解代谢则表明,EDTA或/和亮抑酶肽处理的器官中游离氨基酸含量、肽酶和蛋白酶活性降低,但可溶性蛋白含量显著提高。这些结果表明,抑制蛋白质的降解能够增加Bt棉花蛋白质含量,从而提高棉铃或/和对位叶中Bt蛋白浓度。由于这2种蛋白质降解抑制剂可增加Bt蛋白浓度且不降低产量, 因此可以在棉花生产中用于增强抗虫性。



Abstract  

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton production is challenged by two main problems, i.e., the low concentration of Bt protein at the boll setting stage and the lowest insect resistance in bolls among all the cotton plant’s organs.  Therefore, increasing the Bt protein concentration at the boll stage, especially in bolls, has become the main goal for increasing insect resistance in cotton.  In this study, two protein degradation inhibitors (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and leupeptin) were sprayed on the bolls, subtending leaves, and whole cotton plants at the peak flowering stage of two Bt cultivars (medium maturation Sikang 1 (SK1) and early maturation Zhongmian 425 (ZM425) in 2019 and 2020.  The Bt protein content and protein degradation metabolism were assessed.  The results showed that the Bt protein concentrations were enhanced by 21.3 to 38.8% and 25.0 to 38.6% in the treated bolls of SK1 and ZM425 respectively, while they were decreased in the subtending leaves of these treated bolls.  In the treated leaves, the Bt protein concentrations increased by 7.6 to 23.5% and 11.2 to 14.9% in SK1 and ZM425, respectively.  The combined application of EDTA and leupeptin to the whole cotton plant increased the Bt protein concentrations in both bolls and subtending leaves.  The Bt protein concentrations in bolls were higher, increasing by 22.5 to 31.0% and 19.6 to 32.5% for SK1 and ZM425, respectively.  The organs treated with EDTA or/and leupeptin showed reduced free amino acid contents, protease and peptidase activities and significant enhancements in soluble protein contents.  These results indicated that inhibiting protein degradation could improve the protein content, thus increasing the Bt protein concentrations in the bolls or/and leaves of cotton plants.  Therefore, the increase in the Bt protein concentration without yield reduction suggested that these two protein degradation inhibitors may be applicable for improving insect resistance in cotton production.

Keywords:  Bt cotton       Bt protein       inhibition of protein degradation       protein degradation metabolism   
Received: 16 March 2023   Accepted: 08 June 2023
Fund: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31901462 and 31671613).
About author:  Yuting Liu, Tel: +86-514-87979357, E-mail: 2544223887@qq.com; #Correspondence Dehua Chen, Tel: +86-514-87979357, E-mail: cdh@yzu.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Yuting Liu, Hanjia Li, Yuan Chen, Tambel Leila. I. M., Zhenyu Liu, Shujuan Wu, Siqi Sun, Xiang Zhang, Dehua Chen. 2024.

Inhibition of protein degradation increases the Bt protein concentration in Bt cotton . Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 23(6): 1897-1909.

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