PA1b (pea albumin 1, subunit b) is a small and compact 37-amino acid protein, isolated from pea seeds (Pisum sativum), that adopts a cystine knot fold. It acts as a potent insecticidal agent against major pests in stored crops and vegetables, making it a promising bioinsecticide. Here, we investigate the influence of individual residues on the structure and bioactivity of PA1b. A collection of ...

Ekino et al. [1] reported the cloning and characterization of a novel cytotoxic protein (Parasporin-5) produced by Bacillus thuringiensis strain A1100. The 33.8-kDa inactive precursor protein exhibited strong cytocidal activity upon proteinase K activation against several mammalian (cancer) cell lines, and showed slight homology with Cry and aerolysin-type β-pore-forming toxins. Most research c...

Imidacloprid is a widely used pesticide in agriculture for controlling sucking insect pests, as a seed dressing, for soil treatment and as a foliar treatment in a variety of crops and orchards. Imidacloprid undergoes extensive metabolism in plants and forms monohydroxy imidacloprid, imidacloprid guanidine, imidacloprid olefin and a monoglucoside of 6-chloropicolyl alcohol. The majority of toxic...

The production of a multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV) of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), has been markedly increased by using juvenile hormone analog (JHA) technology to generate a supernumerary sixth instar in the species. In the current study we compared the incidence of cannibalism in S. exigua fifth and sixth instars reared at low (two larvae per...

Medicinal plants have a vital role to preserve the human healthy life. The large family Euphorbiaceae contains nearly about 300 genera and 7,500 species. Generally they are the flowering plants. Amongst all, the Ricinus communis or castor plant has high traditional and medicinal value for maintain the disease free healthy life. Traditionally the plant is used as laxative, purgative, fertilizer ...