Insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis protect corn from corn rootworms.
Field tests of corn co-expressing two new delta-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have demonstrated protection from root damage by western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte). The level of protection exceeds that provided by chemical insecticides. In the bacterium, these proteins form crystals during the sporulation phase of the growth cycle, are encoded by a single operon, and have molecular masses of 14 kDa and 44 kDa. Corn rootworm larvae fed on corn roots expressing the proteins showed histopathological symptoms in the midgut epithelium.
Moellenbeck
D J
DJ
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., 7250 NW 62nd Avenue, P.O. Box 552, Johnston, IA 50131-0552, USA. DAN.MOELLENBECK@pioneer.com
Peters
M L
ML
Bing
J W
JW
Rouse
J R
JR
Higgins
L S
LS
Sims
L
L
Nevshemal
T
T
Marshall
L
L
Ellis
R T
RT
Bystrak
P G
PG
Lang
B A
BA
Stewart
J L
JL
Kouba
K
K
Sondag
V
V
Gustafson
V
V
Nour
K
K
Xu
D
D
Swenson
J
J
Zhang
J
J
Czapla
T
T
Schwab
G
G
Jayne
S
S
Stockhoff
B A
BA
Narva
K
K
Schnepf
H E
HE
Stelman
S J
SJ
Poutre
C
C
Koziel
M
M
Duck
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D007814:Larva; D008957:Models, Genetic; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism*
D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis