Potential of Juvenile Hormone Esterase as a Bio-Insecticide: an Overview

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a key hormone in regulation of the insect's life cycle. This role is carefully regulated in insects to successfully develop. Conversely, this careful regulation of JH titer opens a window of attack where a recombinant baculovirus expressing an appropriate protein(s) could disrupt the fine balance in JH titer and consequently the insect life cycle. Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE), a member of the carboxylesterase family (EC 3.1.1.1), contributes to the rapid decline in the JH titer. Therefore, if JHE was introduced prematurely into insect larvae, the enzyme should induce physiological and morphological anti-JH effects by degrading JH at a time when JH biosynthesis is active. Recombinant baculovinises with IRE proteins represent valuable technology that may has great potential for effective integration into pest-management system. Such a demonstration would indicate that JHE, as a novel anti-JH agent, may be potentially useful for insect control and may represent a major step toward a more sustainable agriculture.