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Nemertide Alpha-1 as a Biopesticide: Aphid Deterrence, Antimicrobial Activity, and Safety Aspects
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3255-5196
Univ Zielona Gora, Dept Bot & Ecol, Szafrana 1, PL-65516 Zielona Gora, Poland..
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9508-008X
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9070-6944
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2025 (English)In: Marine Drugs, E-ISSN 1660-3397, Vol. 23, no 10, article id 388Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Aphid control often relies on synthetic pesticides, but their overuse has raised concerns about resistance development and negative impact on wildlife and human health. Consequently, the search for new biopesticide agents has gained significant attention. Nemertide alpha-1, a peptide toxin from the marine nemertean worm Lineus longissimus (Gunnerus, 1770), is known for its pesticide activity but has less documented biological safety. This study investigates the aphid feeding deterrence and biological safety of the experimental biopesticide nemertide alpha-1. Nemertide alpha-1 demonstrated a clear dose-dependent repellent effect on the penetration behaviour of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae, Sulzer). It also demonstrates bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects in an MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) assay, respectively, on E. coli (MIC: 112.5 µM) and S. aureus (MIC: 28.4 µM). In a bacterial liposome leakage assay, nemertide alpha-1 exhibits a less pronounced effect than the melittin control (20% maximum leakage at 100 µM), strengthening the hypothesis on the specificity of its neurotoxic mode of action. It is not toxic to mammalian cell U-937 GTB with only a slight decline in the percentage of survival at the highest concentration tested (80 µM). Finally, nemertide alpha-1 displays thermal stability over time for four weeks in three different conditions: cold (6 °C), room temperature (20–24 °C), and physiological temperature (37 °C). Nemertide alpha-1 deters green peach aphid feeding in the low micromolar range and exhibits low antimicrobial properties and very low toxicity to human cells. Its potential utility is further underscored by thermal stability over time.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2025. Vol. 23, no 10, article id 388
Keywords [en]
biopesticide, peptide toxin, pest control, repellent, Nemertea, aphid, Myzus persicae
National Category
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-571275DOI: 10.3390/md23100388ISI: 001601920500001PubMedID: 41149591Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105020051890OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-571275DiVA, id: diva2:2012801
Part of project
Exploring ion channel toxins from the Swedish Fauna, Swedish Research CouncilSustainable bioinsecticides from marine toxins, Swedish Research Council Formas
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 2018-00613Swedish Research Council, 2014-3327Swedish Research Council, 2018-005403Available from: 2025-11-10 Created: 2025-11-10 Last updated: 2025-11-10Bibliographically approved

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Laborde, QuentinJacobsson, ErikStrömstedt, Adam A.Muhammad, TajEriksson, CamillaSlazak, BlazejGöransson, UlfAndersson, Håkan S.

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