Diversity of insecticidal A1b homologs among legume seeds from Middle Eastern region
4 affiliations
- 1INSA-Lyon, INRAE
- 2Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Lebanese International University
- 3Faculty of Agronomy, Plant Protection Department, Lebanese University
- 4Faculty of Sciences, Biology Department, Laboratoire d’Innovation Therapeutique, Lebanese University
Abstract
Legumes (Fabaceae) play a central role in various food systems due to their nutritional, agronomic and ecological importance. Their high protein content, mainly composed of globulins and albumins, makes them valuable for both human and animal consumption. Among the albumins, Pea Albumin 1b (PA1b), a 37-amino-acid peptide from Pisum sativum seeds, exhibits potent insecticidal activity against various insects. Several A1 genes encoding homologous A1b peptides have been identified in other Fabaceae species, representing a promising source of natural entomotoxic peptides. This study aimed to (i) assess the insecticidal activity of legume seed flours from the Middle Eastern Faboideae species against the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae, a common storage pest, and (ii) to investigate the diversity and evolution of A1b homologs through genomic characterization, sequence structure analysis, and phylogenetic reconstruction. Toxicity tests revealed that several seeds exhibited insecticidal activity correlated with the presence of putative A1b peptides that retain conserved structural properties across species from different geographical origins. Sequence analyses showed both conservation and diversification among A1b homologs, consistent with evolutionary divergence within the Fabaceae. The loss of toxicity has been linked to a reduction in selective pressure on the corresponding paralogues. Notably, Vicia sativa and Medicago minima emerged as promising candidates for producing A1b homologs with insecticidal potential, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional insecticides.
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BibTeX
@article{diya2026diversity,
title = {{Diversity of insecticidal A1b homologs among legume seeds from Middle Eastern region}},
author = {Fatima Diya and Hubert Charles and Agnès Vallier and Isabelle Rahioui and Sylvain Benhamou and Lamis Karaki and Kenan Biyik and Linda Kfoury and Pedro Da Silva and Francine Rizk},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-62849-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62849-w},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Diversity of insecticidal A1b homologs among legume seeds from Middle Eastern region
AU - Fatima Diya
AU - Hubert Charles
AU - Agnès Vallier
AU - Isabelle Rahioui
AU - Sylvain Benhamou
AU - Lamis Karaki
AU - Kenan Biyik
AU - Linda Kfoury
AU - Pedro Da Silva
AU - Francine Rizk
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-62849-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62849-w
AB - Legumes (Fabaceae) play a central role in various food systems due to their nutritional, agronomic and ecological importance. Their high protein content, mainly composed of globulins and albumins, makes them valuable for both human and animal consumption. Among the albumins, Pea Albumin 1b (PA1b), a 37-amino-acid peptide from Pisum sativum seeds, exhibits potent insecticidal activity against various insects. Several A1 genes encoding homologous A1b peptides have been identified in other Fabaceae species, representing a promising source of natural entomotoxic peptides. This study aimed to (i) assess the insecticidal activity of legume seed flours from the Middle Eastern Faboideae species against the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae, a common storage pest, and (ii) to investigate the diversity and evolution of A1b homologs through genomic characterization, sequence structure analysis, and phylogenetic reconstruction. Toxicity tests revealed that several seeds exhibited insecticidal activity correlated with the presence of putative A1b peptides that retain conserved structural properties across species from different geographical origins. Sequence analyses showed both conservation and diversification among A1b homologs, consistent with evolutionary divergence within the Fabaceae. The loss of toxicity has been linked to a reduction in selective pressure on the corresponding paralogues. Notably, Vicia sativa and Medicago minima emerged as promising candidates for producing A1b homologs with insecticidal potential, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional insecticides.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -