Exploration of Protease Resources in the Gut of Omnivorous <i>Gryllotalpa orientalis</i> (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae)
An insect’s gut microbiome is an essential “organ” in their life cycle, playing a crucial role by aiding food digestion and nutrient absorption. This study employed both culture-independent and culture-dependent methods to explore the protease resources present in the gut of the omnivorous insect &l...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-08-01
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| Series: | Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/9/650 |
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| Summary: | An insect’s gut microbiome is an essential “organ” in their life cycle, playing a crucial role by aiding food digestion and nutrient absorption. This study employed both culture-independent and culture-dependent methods to explore the protease resources present in the gut of the omnivorous insect <i>Gryllotalpa orientalis</i>. The findings revealed that the gut extract of <i>G. orientalis</i> contained a diverse array of proteases, including cysteine proteases, pepsin, serine proteases, and trypsin, as well as some unidentified proteases. Furthermore, the protease gene <i>htpX</i>, derived from gut bacterium <i>Priestia megaterium</i> DX-3, has been cloned and recombinantly expressed. The recombinant DX-3-<i>htpX</i> protease exhibited a 61.9-fold increase in fermentation level compared to the DX-3 protease. This protease was characterized as a neutral, heat-resistant metalloprotease with an M48 peptidase domain, and it was observed that the binding of Ca<sup>2+</sup> to the recombinant protease resulted in the formation of the largest active pocket. This study provides technical support for further development and utilization of functional protein resources in insect gut. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-7737 |