Induction of digestive α-amylases in larvae of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in response to ingestion of common bean α-amylase inhibitor 1

Zabrotes subfasciatus larvae possess three α-amylase isoforms determined by in gel assays following SDS-PAGE. Two minor isoforms present lower electrophoretic mobility than the major form. When developed inside Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) seeds, fourth instar larvae have minor quantities of the slow-migrating isoforms, but when reared on seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean), the two slow-migrating forms are expressed in higher amounts, whilst the quantity of the major constitutive form is independent of the host bean. Larvae at the beginning of the fourth instar were fed on flour or cotyledons of cowpea and common bean and it was observed that the larvae fed on the common bean expressed the two slow-migrating forms in higher amounts when compared to the control larvae fed on cowpea. In order to investigate the possible correlation between the induction of α-amylases and the ingestion of the common bean α-amylase inhibitor 1 (αAI-1), this inhibitor was incorporated into artificial diet. It was observed that larvae fed on diet containing chronic doses of αAI-1 during their development, produced the two slow-migrating forms in higher amounts than control larvae, however, fourth-instar larvae fed on the same diet presented less amylase activity than control larvae. The data suggested that αAI-1 is involved in amylase induction and that it has inhibitory activity against the constitutive amylase, when starch granules are used as substrate.