Proteinazni inhibitori i mogućnost njihove primene u kontroli štetnih insekata

Abstract

Proteinase inhibitors (PI) are defense proteins in plants. In interaction with other chemicals, they determine plant resistance to herbivorous insects. Regarding the fact that their target sites are proteinases, central control elements in insect development, producing transgenic plants with PI genes could be an efficient pest management strategy. There are numerous examples of successfully transformed plants. However, the level of control have not justified their commercial use as many insects can quickly adapt to the presence of PI in food. Factors that must be taken into consideration in selection of appropriate inhibitor are reviewed in this paper. It is important to know: (1)specificity and binding capacity of PI as well as its sensitivity to plant proteinases, (2)regulatory mechanisms of the expression of genes determining proteinases in insects and PI in plants (3)genetic variability of resistance and tolerance in plant and insect populations and (4)effects of PI on predators and parasites of herbivorous insects as well as other useful insects such as pollinators.