title: Glycolipids as receptors for Bacillus thuringiensis crystal toxin.
abstract: The development of pest resistance threatens the effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins used in transgenic and organic farming. Here, we demonstrate that (i) the major mechanism for Bt toxin resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans entails a loss of glycolipid carbohydrates; (ii) Bt toxin directly and specifically binds glycolipids; and (iii) this binding is carbohydrate-dependent and relevant for toxin action in vivo. These carbohydrates contain the arthroseries core conserved in insects and nematodes but lacking in vertebrates. We present evidence that insect glycolipids are also receptors for Bt toxin.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0349, USA.
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Griffitts
authors.forename: Stuart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Haslam
authors.forename: Tinglu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Stephan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Garczynski
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mulloy
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cremer
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dell
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Adang
authors.forename: Raffi V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Aroian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D001665:Binding Sites; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008756:Methylgalactosides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008756:Methylgalactosides; D008757:Methylglucosides; D009005:Monosaccharides; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis; C031552:methyl beta-galactoside; C027020:methylglucoside; C479824:Bre-2 protein, C elegans; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D005690:Galactose