Sains Malaysiana 51(2)(2022): 461-472

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2022-5102-11

Current Status of Genetically Modified Baculovirus Insecticide for Pest Control

(Status Terkini Racun Serangga Bakulovirus Terubah Suai Genetik untuk Kawalan Serangga Perosak)

MUHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN AZALI^{1, 2}, SALMAH MOHAMED², AZIAN HARUN³, SHAHARUM SHAMSUDDIN⁴ & MUHAMMAD FARID JOHAN¹*

¹Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan Darul Naim, Malaysia

²School of Agriculture Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 22200 Besut, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

³Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan Darul Naim, Malaysia

⁴School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan Darul Naim, Malaysia

Received: 17 January 2021/Accepted: 28 May 2021

ABSTRACT

Baculovirus is an insect specific virus which is harmless to human. This feature has made it suitable to be applied as biopesticide. It has been used to control the insect pest particularly in agriculture sector for half a century and several success stories have been shared. Nevertheless, this insecticide still cannot compete with the synthetic pesticides owing to its slow killing speed and deficiency of compatible hosts. Genetically engineered baculovirus has improved pathogenicity against insect by incorporating foreign genes. These foreign genes encode neurotoxin, hormones, enzymes, and antisense DNA. Expression of these genes can enhance the insecticidal activities of the recombinant baculovirus. Nonetheless, the genetically modified baculovirus still has not been commercialised until today. This might be associated with the concern about the release of the genetically modified organism (GMO) into the environment as the environmental impact of the genetically modified virus is not well understood. Furthermore, it has been found to have effect on certain parasitoid. In conclusion, genetic modifications of the baculovirus have successfully improved its insecticidal activities but insufficient knowledge about its safety has limited its use in the field.

Keywords: Baculovirus insecticide; biopesticide; insecticidal gene; neurotoxin

ABSTRAK

Bakulovirus adalah virus khusus terhadap serangga yang tidak berbahaya kepada manusia. Ciri ini menyebabkan ia sesuai digunakan sebagai bio-racun perosak. Ia telah digunakan untuk mengawal serangga perosak terutamanya dalam sektor pertanian selama setengah abad dan beberapa kejayaan telah dikongsikan. Walau bagaimanapun, penggunaan racun serangga ini tidak dapat mengatasi racun serangga sintetik disebabkan kadar pembunuhannya yang perlahan dan kekurangan hos yang bersesuaian. Pengubahsuaian genetik bakulovirus telah menambah baik kepatogenan bakulovirus terhadap serangga dengan memasukkan gen asing ke dalamnya. Gen asing ini mengekodkan neurotoksin, hormon, enzim dan DNA antisens. Pengekspresan gen ini dapat meningkatkan aktiviti insektisid bakulovirus rekombinan. Namun demikian, bakulovirus terubah suai genetik masih tidak dipasarkan sehingga kini. Ini mungkin berpunca daripada kegusaran terhadap pelepasan organisma terubah suai genetik (GMO) ke persekitaran memandangkan kesan virus terubah suai genetik terhadap persekitaran masih belum difahami sepenuhnya. Tambahan pula, ia telah didapati memberi kesan terhadap parasitoid tertentu. Secara kesimpulannya, pengubahsuaian genetik terhadap bakulovirus telah berjaya meningkatkan aktiviti insektisid tetapi kurangnya pengetahuan tentang keselamatan terhadap penggunaannya telah mengehadkan penggunaannya di lapangan.

Kata kunci: Bakulovirus insektisid; Bio-racun perosak; gen insektisid; neurotoksin

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*Corresponding author; email: faridjohan@usm.my