Martinez, ManuelSantamaria, MariaDíaz Mendoza, María MercedesArnaiz, AnaCarrillo, LauraOrtego, FelixDiaz, Isabel2024-01-252024-01-252016Martinez, M.; Santamaria, M.E.; Diaz-Mendoza, M.; Arnaiz, A.; Carrillo, L.; Ortego, F.; Diaz, I. Phytocystatins: Defense Proteins against Phytophagous Insects and Acari. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17, 1747. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms171017471661-659610.3390/ijms17101747https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/95388This work was supported by projects from Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (projects BIO2014-53508-R and 618105-FACCE-Era Net Plus). Maria Estrella Santamaria was recipient of post-doctoral grant from the subprogram Juan de la Cierva 2012 from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad.This review deals with phytocystatins, focussing on their potential role as defence proteins against phytophagous arthropods. Information about the evolutionary, molecular and biochemical features and inhibitory properties of phytocystatins are presented. Cystatin ability to inhibit heterologous cysteine protease activities is commented on as well as some approaches of tailoring cystatin specificity to enhance their defence function towards pests. A general landscape on the digestive proteases of phytophagous insects and acari and the remarkable plasticity of their digestive physiology after feeding on cystatins are highlighted. Biotechnological approaches to produce recombinant cystatins to be added to artificial diets or to be sprayed as insecticide–acaricide compounds and the of use cystatins as transgenes are discussed. Multiple examples and applications are included to end with some conclusions and future perspectives.engAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/journal article1422-0067https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17101747open access577.112581.1PhytocystatinInsectAcariDigestive proteasesPlant-phytophagousinteractionsBioquímica (Biología)Fisiología vegetal (Biología)2403 Bioquímica2417 Biología Vegetal (Botánica)