Biotechnological Potential of Araucaria angustifolia Pine Nuts Extract and the Cysteine Protease Inhibitor AaCI-2S.

ABSTRACT: Protease inhibitors are involved in the regulation of endogenous cysteine proteases during seed development and play a defensive role because of their ability to inhibit exogenous proteases such as those present in the digestive tracts of insects. Araucaria angustifolia seeds, which can be used in human and animal feed, were investigated for their potential for the development of agricultural biotechnology and in the field of human health. In the pine nuts extract, which blocked the activities of cysteine proteases, it was detected potent insecticidal activity against termites (Nasutitermes corniger) belonging to the most abundant termite genus in tropical regions. The cysteine inhibitor (AaCI-2S) was purified by ion-exchange, size exclusion, and reversed-phase chromatography. Its function

SUBMITTER: Sallai RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7760129 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature