Demonstration of amylase from the zoophytophagous anthocorid Orius insidiosus.

To better understand facultative phytophagy in the zoophytophagous anthocorid, Orius insidiosus, tests for amylase were conducted and the enzyme was partially purified. Three activity bands were detected with polyacrylamide-starch gel electrophoretic analysis of amylase in O. insidiosus. The major amylase was found to have a mean isoelectric point (pI) of 4.53. The presence of amylase indicates the ability of O. insidiosus to use starch, a nutrient, derived from plants, either by direct ingestion or by ingestion of plant material from the digestive system of their prey. The presence of amylase suggests that these predators are more committed to plant feeding than other species of predators that lack this enzyme.