Insect-Bacteria interaction: identification of some of the bacterial proteins in the gut of Nezara viridula

Abstract

The existence of bacterial proteins was proved in the gut of animals. Many proteins with bacterial origin were reported from the alimentary canal in the invertebrate animals. Insects, as the largest group of animals, have known serious pests in agricultural ecosystems. Feeding and nutrition are the main ways that caused damages to economic crops. Identification of digestive proteins in the gut of insects is the first step in the clearance of biochemical degradation of food particles. Proteomics is a powerful tool to identify effective proteins in the physiological systems in animal and plants. Digestive proteins in the gut of insects have originated from innate cells and microorganisms like bacteria. In this research, for the first time, gut proteins of Nezara viridula were extracted. These proteins were visualized and identified with two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, respectively. Eight proteins with bacteria origins were accumulated in the gut of adults. Identified proteins were phospho pyruvate dehydratase, amino acid –N-acetyl transferase, hypothetical protein, glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenases, ribulose-phosphate 3-epimerase, pyruvate kinase, chitinase, and catalase. Results suggest that the interaction of bacteria and lumen of Hemiptera has a high level of efficacy; hence, the nutrition process can be used as a new target for selecting proper inhibitors to use in the integrated pest management.