Cloning and expression of cDNA encoding a cysteine protease inhibitor from clamworm and its possible use in managing Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

A cDNA encoding cysteine protease inhibitor (CPI) was isolated from the cDNA library of clamworm Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube. The deduced amino acid sequence analysis showed that the protein had 51%, 48%, and 48% identity with Zgc:153129 from Danio rerio, cystatin B from Theromyzon tessulatum and ChainA, stefin B tetramer from Homo sapiens, respectively. The gene was cloned into the intracellular expression vector pET-15b and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant CPI (PA-CPI) was purified by affinity chromatography on Ni-charged resin and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose FF. The relative molecular mass of PA-CPI was 16 KDa deduced by SDS-PAGE. Activity analysis showed that the recombinant protein could inhibit the proteolytic activity of papain. A constitutive and secretive expression vector was also constructed, and the cDNA encoding CPI was subcloned into the vector for extracellular expression. Western blotting analysis results showed that the PA-CPI was secreted into the medium. Bioassay demonstrated that E. coli DH5alpha harboring pUC18ompAcat-CPI showed a significant difference in mortality to the Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis compared with untransformed E. coli DH5alpha and control.