PROTEIN STUDY DEVELOPMENT
A recent structural study of protein Vip3A could enable the development of more stable insecticides to control agricultural plague.
Vip3Aa is an insecticidal protein that has effective action against a broad spectrum of lepidopteran insects. Recently a group of researchers integrated by members of different entities revealed for the first time the structure of this protein, that until now, was unknown. The study conducted makes it possible to view the structure of insecticidal protein Vip3Aa, as well as the changes experienced to go from its inactive structure (‘protoxin’) to its active structure (‘toxin’).
This contribution helps understand how Vip3 proteins act to destroy the epithelial cells of the midgut of insect larvae, which ultimately leads to their death.
Today, Vip3Aa is used in ecological and conventional crops as a spray biopesticide, as well as in transgenic crops protected against the attack of insects.
This project presents a turning point in the study of the insecticidal action of Vip3Aa and opens the door to the development of new biotechnological applications, such as protein engineering, which make it possible to produce more stable proteins and with greater activity in order to control agricultural plagues.
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