title: Structure, function and engineering of Bacillus thuringiensis toxins.
abstract: Nature has provided potent insecticidal toxins as fermentation products of many Bacillus thuringiensis strains. Elucidation of structure-function relationships for this class of natural toxins is in its early stages. Both direct experimentation and application of theoretical structure-function principles emerging from the rapidly growing field of protein structure are accelerating understanding of these toxins. Coupled with the increasing demand for biologically sound pesticides, the benefits from engineering nature's toxins for improved performance set the stage for exciting, fast growth in discovery, characterization and commercialization of new active ingredients for biopesticides and transgenic plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Mycogen Corporation, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Schnepf
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Feitelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000187:drug effects; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis