Uses Coat Protein of a Begomovirus to Deliver Toxins Specific to Whiteflies that Damage Crops
A fusion protein comprising Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) coat protein, a proline-rich linker, and an insect-specific neurotoxin would allow for developing transgenic crops with resistance to the whitefly. Whiteflies feed on about 500 different plant species and transmit more than 600 strains of Begomoviruses, which are among the most economically destructive crop pathogens in the world. Begomoviral infection can result in losses of up to 100 percent of crops, such as beans, tomatoes, potatoes, cotton, okra, and pepper. The efficacy of available control methods – chemical pesticides – is decreasing because of increased resistance to the pesticides used. The pest control market is projected to reach $35.1 billion by 2030.
Researchers at the University of Florida have created a delivery system fusing TYLCV coat protein with an insect toxin that when expressed by a plant will suppress whitefly populations. This innovation enables the application of plant-incorporated protectants, reduces the need to spray crops with insecticides, and targets a specific insect pest – protecting off-target and beneficial insects.
Application
Plant-incorporated protectant for whitefly control in crops
Advantages
- Enables the application of plant-incorporated protectants, eliminating the need to spray crops with insecticides to control whiteflies
- Targets a specific insect pest, protecting off-target and beneficial insects
Technology
The TYLCV virion binds to the gut epithelium and crosses into the hemocoel of the whitefly vector. Researchers have discovered the TYLCV coat protein alone, can be used as a delivery vehicle for transport from the gut into the whitefly body. When linked to a peptide toxin, the coat protein enables the delivery of insecticidal peptides to their site of action within the whitefly body cavity. This paves the way to managing this agricultural pest and the viral diseases that it vectors by expressing the TYLCV coat protein linked to a whitefly-specific neurotoxin in crops that are susceptible to whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted viral disease.
Brochure
