Purification and characterization of a new protease inhibitor from Spatholobus parviflorus seeds which inhibits the larval gut proteases of Spodoptera mauritia (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Plant protease inhibitors are defense molecules against pests, predators and pathogens. We purified and characterized a new 14 kDa protease inhibitor from the seeds of Spatholobus parviflorus by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchanges chromatography, trypsin-affinity chromatography and Ni-IMAC affinity chromatography. The purified inhibitor at a concentration of 0.1 µg/µl inhibited gut protease activity of Spodoptera mauritia, a pest of...