Expression and secretion of a functional scorpion insecticidal toxin in cultured mouse cells.
We have expressed a synthetic gene encoding the insecticidal neurotoxin of scorpion Androctonus australis (AaIT) in NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells under the transcriptional control of a murine retroviral long terminal repeat. The secretion of the toxin into the culture medium was directed by the signal peptide of human interleukin-2. The recombinant AaIT produced was selectively toxic to yellow-fever mosquito larvae and harmless to mice.
Department of Molecular Biology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285.
A
A
Dee
R M
RM
Belagaje
K
K
Ward
E
E
Chio
M H
MH
Lai
D000330:Aedes; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002678:Chimera / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007306:Insecticides; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity
D007306:Insecticides; D007376:Interleukin-2; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; C065634:AaIT neurotoxin, Androctonus australis