subsp. native to the Middle East comprises Pea Albumin1 b-like homologs: A promising natural biopesticide.

The extensive and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to adverse effects on human health, environmental pollution, and the emergence of pesticide-resistant pests. To mitigate these challenges, the development of environmentally friendly alternatives is crucial, with biopesticides emerging as promising solutions such as peptides. Legume seeds naturally contain diverse insecticidal peptides or proteins to combat pest attacks. One such peptide is PA1b (Pea Albumin 1, subunit b), a 37 amino acid extracted from pea seeds (). PA1b has shown significant potential in controlling cereal weevils ( spp.), a major pest of stored cereals. Here, we screened PA1b-like peptides in five wild seeds of vetches ( subsp. from the Middle East. Using a comprehensive set of biochemical, biological, and molecular techniques, we characterized different PA1b homologs and assessed their toxicity and expression profiles. Our results reveal that PA1b homolog from subsp. originating from turkey displays outstanding insecticidal activity against through binding to the receptor site found in the midgut of the insect. Moreover, it exhibits a strong cytotoxic effect against Sf9 cells. This cysteine-rich peptide shows sequence identity and the same hydrophobic pole as AG41, a tenfold more toxic isoform of PA1b from . Such observations pave the way for the development of bioinsecticides, with PA1b-like peptides as lead compounds.