Recombinant protease inhibitors for herbivore pest control: a multitrophic perspective

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Insect-resistant transgenic crops often utilize Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins.
• Protease inhibitors are explored as a complementary strategy to Bt toxins for enhanced pest resistance.
• Concerns exist regarding the specificity and non-target effects of protease inhibitors in agroecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential non-target effects of protease inhibitors in insect-resistant transgenic crops.
• To analyze the impact of protease inhibitors from a multitrophic perspective.
• To assess the current literature on the safety and efficacy of protease inhibitor-expressing crops.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on protease inhibitors in transgenic crops.
• Analysis of protease-dependent processes in target herbivores, non-target organisms, and plants.
• Evaluation of multitrophic interactions within agroecosystems concerning protease inhibitor expression.

Main Results:

• Protease inhibitors show promise for broad-spectrum insect resistance, with advancements in inhibitor design.
• Non-specific inhibitory effects in food webs may be negligible, and some pleiotropic effects in plants could be beneficial.
• The innocuity of protease inhibitors requires empirical, case-by-case evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Protease inhibitors are valuable tools for developing insect-resistant crops, complementing Bt toxins.
• While generally considered safe, their potential non-target effects necessitate thorough, context-specific risk assessment.
• Further empirical studies are crucial to ensure the ecological safety of protease inhibitor-expressing transgenic plants.