Application of dopamine synthesis inhibitor in prevention and control of pest prodenia litura
By targeting the tyrosine hydroxylase of the beet armyworm and using the dopamine synthesis inhibitor AMPT to block dopamine synthesis, the problems of pest resistance and environmental pollution in beet armyworm control have been solved, achieving efficient and safe pest control.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SOUTH CHINA NORMAL UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing chemical pesticides pose challenges in controlling beet armyworm, including increased pest resistance, environmental pollution, and ecological risks. Furthermore, the beet armyworm's mimicry and migratory behavior increase the difficulty of control.
By targeting the tyrosine hydroxylase of the beet armyworm and using the dopamine synthesis inhibitor AMPT via in vivo injection, dopamine synthesis was blocked, resulting in reduced melanin deposition and decreased mobility, thus affecting its environmental adaptation and migration behavior.
It effectively reduces the environmental adaptability and migration behavior of the beet armyworm, provides green and precise control, reduces the risk of outbreaks, and is characterized by convenient operation, precise targeting, and environmental friendliness.
Smart Images
Figure CN122004221A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pest and disease control technology, and specifically discloses the application of a dopamine synthesis inhibitor in the control of the pest Spodoptera litura. Background Technology
[0002] The beet armyworm (Spodoptera litura), also known as the lotus armyworm, is a significant agricultural pest widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Its larvae have a broad and voracious diet, damaging over 300 species of crops from more than 100 families, including cruciferous and leguminous plants, posing a serious threat to agricultural production and food security. Currently, control still relies primarily on chemical pesticides; however, long-term and excessive use has not only led to increased pesticide resistance in pests but also caused environmental pollution and ecological risks. Therefore, developing new control products that are highly effective, safe, and environmentally friendly has become a key task in the field of agricultural pest management and is of great significance for promoting sustainable agricultural development.
[0003] The body color of the beet armyworm larvae can mimic their surroundings, effectively avoiding detection by natural enemies. Melanin, a key pigment component in its exoskeleton, not only participates in body color regulation but also enhances the physical resistance of the exoskeleton, helping to resist pathogen infection. Furthermore, melanin deposition helps mitigate the risk of DNA damage and cell death caused by solar radiation and plays a role in thermoregulation. While these adaptive characteristics enhance its survival ability, they also increase the difficulty of monitoring and controlling this pest. At high population densities, the beet armyworm becomes more active, capable of long-distance migration, and forms large, explosive swarms that cause enormous agricultural and economic losses due to its voracious consumption of crops.
[0004] Dopamine is an evolutionarily conserved catecholamine neurotransmitter widely present in insects. Through specific receptor binding, it participates in regulating various physiological and behavioral processes in insects, including development, immunity, feeding, courtship, and locomotion. Dopamine biosynthesis depends on the catalysis of two key rate-limiting enzymes: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopa decarboxylase (Ddc). AMPT, as a specific inhibitor of TH, can effectively block dopamine synthesis, leading to reduced melanin deposition in the insect's exoskeleton and decreased locomotion. Reduced melanin deposition weakens its environmental adaptability, while impaired locomotion directly affects its migratory behavior. Therefore, developing novel inhibitors targeting the dopamine synthesis pathway can provide a new approach for the green and precise control of the beet armyworm by simultaneously interfering with its morphological adaptation and behavioral dispersal mechanisms. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing control technologies, and to provide a compound AMPT that targets tyrosine hydroxylase to inhibit dopamine synthesis, taking the beet armyworm as an example, and its application in controlling the beet armyworm.
[0006] This invention, through the injection of AMPT into fourth-instar Spodoptera litura larvae, demonstrates for the first time that AMPT reduces melanin deposition in the exoskeleton of Spodoptera litura larvae, resulting in lighter body color and significantly weakened mobility. This artificial intervention alters the environmental adaptability and migratory ability of Spodoptera litura larvae, thereby effectively controlling the pest and reducing the risk of explosive outbreaks. This method offers numerous advantages, including ease of operation, precise and effective targeting, and environmental friendliness, making it promising for widespread application and capable of bringing long-term environmental and economic benefits to agricultural production.
[0007] The first objective of this invention is to provide the application of tyrosine hydroxylase as a target in the control of pests, wherein the dopamine synthesis inhibitor targeting the tyrosine hydroxylase of the beet armyworm is AMPT.
[0008] The second objective of this invention is to provide the application of the dopamine synthesis inhibitor AMPT in the control of beet armyworm and / or the preparation of products for the control of beet armyworm.
[0009] The third aspect of this invention aims to provide a method for controlling pests. By injecting AMPT into the larvae of the beet armyworm, the deposition of melanin in the larvae's exoskeleton is reduced, resulting in a significant lightening of the body surface color and a decrease in locomotion, thereby effectively controlling the pest. This method features precise targeting, high repeatability, and environmental friendliness, and has broad prospects for development and application.
[0010] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:
[0011] The application of a dopamine synthesis inhibitor in the preparation of a formulation for controlling the beet armyworm, wherein the dopamine synthesis inhibitor is α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride (AMPT). The structural formula of the dopamine synthesis inhibitor AMPT is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.
[0012] Preferably, the formulation uses α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride as the sole active ingredient.
[0013] This invention screened AMPT, an effective dopamine synthesis inhibitor that suppresses melanin deposition in the exoskeleton, leading to lighter body color and impaired motor function, and developed a technique for inhibiting dopamine synthesis through in vivo injection to control the beet armyworm. In this invention, AMPT was injected into fourth-instar larvae of the beet armyworm, and changes in exoskeleton melanin deposition were observed and recorded. The effects of AMPT on the exoskeleton color of the beet armyworm were quantitatively analyzed. Wild-type and AMPT-injected larvae were placed in a behavioral measurement device, and their motor parameters were measured for 2 hours to quantify their motor activity. The results showed that injection of AMPT into fourth-instar larvae of the beet armyworm significantly reduced exoskeleton melanin deposition, lightened body color, and significantly weakened motor ability.
[0014] Therefore, a first aspect of the present invention provides the application of tyrosine hydroxylase as a target in the control of pests. Preferably, the pest is a lepidopteran insect; more preferably, a noctuid moth, and even more preferably, an beet armyworm.
[0015] A second aspect of the present invention provides the use of the dopamine synthesis inhibitor AMPT in the control of beet armyworm and / or in the preparation of products for the control of beet armyworm, including but not limited to the following applications:
[0016] (1) Applied to biological control strategies for pests;
[0017] (2) Used for developing environmentally friendly pesticide formulations;
[0018] (3) Used to improve the predation efficiency of natural enemies;
[0019] (4) Prepare products that are susceptible to infection by pathogens during the larval stage.
[0020] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling pests.
[0021] The present invention also provides a method for controlling the beet armyworm, comprising applying an effective dose of α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride to the beet armyworm.
[0022] Preferably, the method of administration is injection.
[0023] More preferably, the α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride is dissolved in PBS buffer before injection.
[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0025] This invention discloses for the first time the application of tyrosine hydroxylase as a target in the control of the beet armyworm (Spodoptera litura). It also screens AMPT, a dopamine synthesis inhibitor targeting tyrosine hydroxylase, and develops a highly efficient control technique for the beet armyworm. This involves injecting AMPT into fourth-instar larvae of the beet armyworm. AMPT inhibits dopamine synthesis, leading to reduced melanin deposition in the larvae's exoskeleton, a lighter body color, and significantly weakened mobility. On the one hand, reduced melanin deposition affects the pest's environmental adaptability, increasing its exposure risk in the natural environment; on the other hand, decreased mobility directly affects its migratory behavior, limiting population spread and the range of damage. This dual mechanism of action reduces the pest's environmental adaptability and survival competitiveness, providing a new strategy for green pest control. Attached Figure Description
[0026] Figure 1 The chemical structural formula of AMPT, a dopamine synthesis inhibitor.
[0027] Figure 2 The phenotype of reduced melanin deposition and lighter color in the exoskeleton of the beet armyworm after injection of AMPT.
[0028] Figure 3 Measurement of locomotion ability of Spodoptera litura after injection of AMPT. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0030] Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods used in the embodiments of this invention are conventional methods; unless otherwise specified, the materials and reagents used are commercially available.
[0031] Example 1: Microinjection of AMPT into fourth instar larvae of the beet armyworm
[0032] All experimental supplies underwent rigorous sterilization or disinfection before injection. AMPT was dissolved in PBS buffer to prepare a stock solution with a concentration of 0.1 µg / µL, and the AMPT solution was filtered through a 0.2 μm membrane filter for sterilization. Injection was performed using a microinjector, with approximately 5 µL of the AMPT mixture injected into each fourth-instar larva. The control group received an equal volume of PBS solution. After injection, the larvae were reared in groups for 24 hours, followed by behavioral and biochemical analyses.
[0033] Example 2: Microinjection AMPT phenotype of Spodoptera litura
[0034] 1. Significant changes in melanin deposition on the exoskeleton.
[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, compared with the wild type, the melanin deposition in the exoskeleton of the beet armyworm larvae was significantly reduced after AMPT injection, resulting in a lighter body color. This result indicates that AMPT injection can effectively inhibit the synthesis and deposition of melanin in the exoskeleton of the beet armyworm larvae, thereby leading to a lighter body color.
[0036] 2. Significantly reduced athletic ability
[0037] Wild-type larvae and AMPT-injected larvae were placed separately in cylindrical plastic chambers (7.5 cm × 0.6 cm) for behavioral testing. One larva was placed in each chamber, which was sealed with a transparent plastic plate to prevent escape. Larvae were allowed at least 10 minutes to acclimatize before testing. Two hours of video were recorded from a top-down perspective and then analyzed using EthoVision XT software (v14.1, NoldusInformation Technology, Wageningen, Netherlands). Motility activity was quantified by measuring movement parameters, including walking time, distance traveled, movement speed, activity density map, and movement trajectory. At least 15 larvae were tested in each experimental group, and individuals that did not move during the test were not included in subsequent data analysis.
[0038] The results showed that, compared with the wild type, the locomotion ability of Spodoptera litura larvae treated with AMPT was significantly reduced, specifically manifested as a significantly shorter movement distance and a significantly slower movement speed. This result indicates that AMPT injection can effectively reduce the locomotion ability of Spodoptera litura larvae.
[0039] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples to clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the claims of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. The application of a dopamine synthesis inhibitor in the preparation of a formulation for controlling the beet armyworm, characterized in that, The dopamine synthesis inhibitor is α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride.
2. The application according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formulation uses α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride as the sole active ingredient.
3. The application according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formulation is used for one or both of the following applications: a. Reduce melanin deposition in the exoskeleton of pests, thereby lowering their immune defense capabilities; b. Reduce the mobility of pests.
4. The application according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formulation is administered to the beet armyworm via injection.
5. A method for controlling the beet armyworm, characterized in that, An effective dose of α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride was applied to the beet armyworm.
6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method of administration is injection.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The α-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride was dissolved in PBS buffer and then injected.