Separation of multiple forms of acidic glutathione S-transferase isozymes in a susceptible and a resistant strain of house fly, Musca domestica (L.)

A qualitative examination of the GST proteome of the blow fly, Lucilia cuprina: use of cross-database matching of MALDI data

This study was aimed at determining whether, in the absence of a full genetic database for the Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) glutathione transferases from this insect could be characterized by cross-database matching of MALDI TOF data with the database for other metazoan organisms. Glutathione transferases of L. cuprina were partially purified by the sequential use of affinity chromatography media; first on glutathione immobilized on epichlorohydrin-activated Sepharose 6B and subsequently on dinitrophenyl-glutathione immobilized on the same matrix. The Proteins obtained were separated by 2D SDS-PAGE and tentatively characterized by MALDI-TOF analysis of tryptic peptides. The mass fragments were matched against the NCBInr "Other metazoa" database. The GSTs matched to other insect species were identified as coming from the Sigma, Delta and Epsilon classes. The relative abundance of most of these GSTs appeared to vary little during development, or across bodily segments, an exception being one group, (Zone E) tentatively identified as Epsilon class, which was most prominent in eggs and absent from adults and which is therefore assumed to play a specific role in development.

Antioxidant defense in mitochondria during diapause and postdiapause development of European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn.)

Antioxidant enzymes (CAT, catalase; GPx, selenium nondependent glutathione peroxidase; GST, glutathione-S-transferase; GR, glutathione reductase; DHAR, dehydroascorbate reductase) were determined in the mitochondria of diapausing and non-diapausing larvae and pupae of both diapausing and non-diapausing larvae of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn., Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). CAT, GST, and DHAR activity in mitochondria of diapausing larvae were reduced compared to non-diapausing larvae. Pupae of diapaused-larvae possessed lower GST, but higher DHAR activities compared to pupae of non-diapaused individuals. Comparison between larvae and pupae revealed lower GPx activity in the mitochondria of pupae. CAT activity in the mitochondria of pupae was higher compared to diapausing larvae, but lower than in non-diapausing ones. Correlation and canonical discriminant analyses revealed different antioxidant enzyme compositions for a particular stage and developmental pattern. Our results show that antioxidant enzymes have a similar role in the regulation of energetics in mitochondria as that in diapause and metamorphosis.

Role of antioxidant defense during different stages of preadult life cycle in European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn.): Diapause and metamorphosis

Antioxidant enzymes, total glutathione (GSH), and ascorbic acid (ASA) were determined in whole body homogenates of nondiapausing larvae, diapausing larvae during the diapausing period (October, December, and February), and in pupae emerged from both diapausing and nondiapausing larvae of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, Hubn., Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The activities of catalase, selenium nondependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), as well as the content of GSH and ASA, were found to vary throughout the larval diapause. Compared to diapausing larvae, nondiapausing larvae were higher in levels of catalase, GPx, GST, and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activity. GSH content was also increased. However, nondiapausing larvae contained less ASA than diapausing ones. Pupae had higher GPx and GST activity and an increased ASA content compared to larvae. The pupae emerged from nondiapausing larvae had higher GST, glutathione reductase (GR), and DHAR activities, but lower GPx activity and ASA content than those emerged from diapausing larvae. Correlation analysis revealed differences in the way the antioxidant level is equilibrated for a particular stage and developmental pattern. The results suggest that cellular antioxidants are involved in both the protection of cells and the regulation of redox levels during the pre-adult stages of Ostrinia nubilalis. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 55:79-89, 2004.

Identification and cloning of a key insecticide-metabolizing glutathione S-transferase (MdGST-6A) from a hyper insecticide-resistant strain of the housefly Musca domestica

Strains of the housefly, Musca domestica, highly resistant to organophosphate (OP) and other insecticides are known because they overproduce glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Previous work has shown that overproduction in these strains involved numerous isozymes with glutathione conjugating activities (Pesticide Biochem. Physiol., 25 (1986) 169; Mol. General Genetics, 227 (1991) 355; J. Biol. Chem., 267 (1992) 1840; Mol. General Genetics, 245 (1994) 236; J. Mol. Evol., 43 (1996) 236). The current work describes the purification and identification of a M. domestica GST isozyme (pI 7.1) broadly specific for substrates from a housefly strain, Cornell-HR, that is highly resistant against OP-insecticides, and the isolation of two new MdGST genes using the antibody made against it. This isozyme, which was identified from amongst more than 20 isoelectric forms of GSTs of the same subunit size, was highly active for conjugating GSH to the model substrate 3,4-dichloronitrobenzne (DCNB). When expressed in Escherichia coli, one of the cloned GSTs, MdGST-6A, produces an enzyme that conjugates glutathione to the insecticides methyl parathion and lindane. On indication that it was the most active isozyme toward several xenobiotics among several MdGSTs tested, we advance the notion that MdGST-6A probably plays an important role in M. domestica Cornell-HR's resistance towards OP-insecticides. MdGST-6A and a second closely related one found in this work, MdGST-6B, are members of the traditional insect class I family (theta-class) and share the greatest homologies with a cluster of Drosophila GSTs on locus 55. In addition to having the unusually broad substrate specificity, the sequence of the new group of enzymes reveals that it has a highly diverged hydrophobic motif in its active site as compared to other class I GSTs from insects.