The potential of transgenic legumes in integrated bruchid management: assessing the impact on bruchid parasitoids

Leguminous seeds are an important staple food and source of nutrition in many countries. Bruchid beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) are responsible for the greatest post-harvest losses to stored legumes. A powerful strategy to control bruchid infestations is the combination of plant resistance factors and biological control provided by parasitoids. Potent resistance factors are α-amylase inhibitors (αAI) which inhibit the starch metabolism in sensitive insects. Genetic engineering has been used to transfer αAI-1 from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to other leguminous plants which are subsequently protected from the attack by several bruchid species. However, there are concerns regarding the effects that the expressed insecticidal protein might have on non-target organisms. Here, we present an approach to assess the impact of αAI-1 genetically modified legumes on bruchid parasitoids. Keywords: Risk assessment, Genetically modified plants, Non-target organisms; α-amylase inhibitor; αAI-

A barley cysteine-protease inhibitor reduces teh performance of two aphid species in artificial diets and transgenic arabidopsis plants

Cystatins from plants have been implicated in plant defense towards insects, based on their role as inhibitors of heterologous cysteine-proteinases. We have previously characterized thirteen genes encoding cystatins (HvCPI-1 to HvCPI-13) from barley (Hordeum vulgare), but only HvCPI-1 C68 → G, a variant generated by direct-mutagenesis, has been tested against insects. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the whole gene family members of barley cystatins against two aphids, Myzus persicae and Acyrthosiphon pisum. All the cystatins, except HvCPI-7, HvCPI-10 and HvCPI-12, inhibited in vitro the activity of cathepsin L- and/or B-like proteinases, with HvCPI-6 being the most effective inhibitor for both aphid species. When administered in artificial diets, HvCPI-6 was toxic to A. pisum nymphs (LC50 = 150 μg/ml), whereas no significant mortality was observed on M. persicae nymphs up to 1000 μg/ml. The effects of HvCPI-6 ingestion on A. pisum were correlated with a decrease of cathepsin B- and L-like proteinase activities. In the case of M. persicae, there was an increase of these proteolytic activities, but also of the aminopeptidase-like activity, suggesting that this species is regulating both target and insensitive enzymes to overcome the effects of the cystatin. To further analyze the potential of barley cystatins as insecticidal proteins against aphids, Arabidopsis plants expressing HvCPI-6 were tested against M. persicae. For A. pisum, which does not feed on Arabidopsis, a combined diet-Vicia faba plant bioassay was performed. A significant delay in the development time to reach the adult stage was observed in both species. The present study demonstrates the potential of barley cystatins to interfere with the performance of two aphid specie

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI v.2.0)

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Aditionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further review

Characterization of Digestive Enzymes of Bruchid Parasitoids–Initial Steps for Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Legumes

Genetically modified (GM) legumes expressing the α-amylase inhibitor 1 (αAI-1) from Phaseolus vulgaris L. or cysteine protease inhibitors are resistant to several bruchid pests (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In addition, the combination of plant resistance factors together with hymenopteran parasitoids can substantially increase the bruchid control provided by the resistance alone. If the strategy of combining a bruchid-resistant GM legume and biological control is to be effective, the insecticidal trait must not adversely affect bruchid antagonists. The environmental risk assessment of such GM legumes includes the characterization of the targeted enzymes in the beneficial species and the assessment of the in vitro susceptibility to the resistance factor. The digestive physiology of bruchid parasitoids remain relatively unknown, and their susceptibility to αAI-1 has never been investigated. We have detected α-amylase and serine protease activities in all five bruchid parasitoid species tested. Thus, the deployment of GM legumes expressing cysteine protease inhibitors to control bruchids should be compatible with the use of parasitoids. In vitro inhibition studies showed that sensitivity of α-amylase activity to αAI-1 in the parasitoids was comparable to that in the target species. Direct feeding assays revealed that harmful effects of α-amylase inhibitors on bruchid parasitoids cannot be discounted and need further evaluation

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI v.2.0)

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Additionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further review.The development of the database has been supported by projects FASEGEO (CGL2009-09726) and IBER¬FAULT (CGL2009-07388), both funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and by project “Evaluación de la Peligrosidad Sís¬mica en España para Aplicaciones relacionadas con la Seguridad Nuclear (funded by Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN))

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Additionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further reviewInstituto Geológico y Minero de España, EspañaDepartamento de Geodinámica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, EspañaInstituto de Hidráulica Ambiental, Universidad de Cantabria, EspañaDepartament de Geodinàmica i Geofísica, Universidad de Barcelona, EspañaDepartamento de Geologia, Universidade de Lisboa, PortugalInstituto Dom Luiz, Universidade de Lisboa, PortugalÁrea de Geología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, EspañaDepartamento de Geología y Geoquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, EspañaInstituto Superior Técnico, Portuga