벤질리덴아세톤(benzylinedeneacetone: BZA)은 두 곤충병원세균인 Xenorhabdus nematophila와 Photorhabdus temperata subsp. temperata에서 유래된 대사산물의 일종이다. 이 물질은 곤충의 세포성 및 체액성 면역반응을 억제하며 또한 다양한 세균이나 곰팡이에 대해 항생효과를 갖고 있다. 그러나 이 물질이 갖는 비교적 높은 약해와 낮은 식물체 침투력은 효과적 농약으로 개발하는 데 어려움을 주고 있다. 본 연구에서는 다섯 개의 서로 다른 BZA 유사체를 스크리닝하여 면역억제 및 항균활성을 유지하면서 비교적 용해도가 높고 약해가 낮은 물질을 선발하였다. BZA의 벤젠 고리에 수산기가 붙은 유도체는 면역억제 및 항균활성이 뚜렷이 낮아졌다. 또한 BZA의 케톤기를 카르복실기로 변형하면 면역억제와 항균활성을 잃게 되었다. 그러나 BZA의 탄화수소 사슬을 짧게 하여 형성된 아세테이트 유도체인 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HPA)는 면역억제와 항균활성을 잃지 않았다. 또한 HPA는 BZA 보다 고추(Capsicum annuum)에 대해 약해가 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 이 연구는 낮은 약해를 유발하면서 높은 곤충면역억제와 식물병원균에 대해 높은 항균활성을 보이는 BZA 유도체를 선발하였다.

Benzylideneacetone (BZA) is a compound derived from culture broth of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn). Its immunosuppressive activity is caused by its inhibitory activity against eicosanoid biosynthesis. This BZA is being developed as an additive to enhancc control efficacy of other commercial microbial insecticides. This study was focused on the enhancement of the immunosuppressive activity of BZA by generating its chemical derivatives toward decrease of its hydrophobicity. Two hydroxylated BZA and one sugar-conjugated BZA were chemically synthesized. All derivatives had the inhibitory activities of BZA against phospholipase A<SUB>2</SUB> (PLA<SUB>2</SUB>) and phenoloxidase (PO) of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, but BZA was the most potent. Mixtures of any BZA derivative with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) significantly increased pathogenicity of Bt. BZA also inhibited colony growth of four plant pathogenic fungi. However, BZA derivatives (especially the sugar-conjugated BZA) lost the antifungal activity. These results indicated that BZA and its derivatives inhibited catalytic activities of two immune-associated enzymes (PLA2 and PO) of P. xylostella and enhanced Bt pathogenicity. We suggest its use to control plant pathogenic fungi.

A monoterpenoid, benzylideneacetone (BZA), is synthesized by an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila K1, and known to suppress insect immune responses by inhibiting phospholipase A2(PLA2). This was designed to test its effect of insect digestion by oral administration. The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, was tested by treating its artificial diet with different doses of BZA. The second instar larval were treated with the diets and monitored in their pupation, pupal weight, and adult emergence. BZA gave significant adverse effects on the larval development and subsequent adult metamorphosis. Digestive lumen of the fifth instar larval of S. exigua possessed activity, which was significant inhibited by BZA. These results support that BZA can be developed as a novel feeding deterrent.