A recombinant truncated Cry1Ca protein is toxic to lepidopteran insects and forms large cuboidal crystals in insect cells.
A truncated version of the cry1Ca gene from Bacillus thuringiensis was introduced into the genome of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) under the control of two promoters. A recombinant virus (vSyncry1c) was isolated and used to infect insect cells in culture and insect larvae. Structural and ultrastructural analysis of insects infected with vSyncry1C showed the formation of large cuboidal crystals inside the cytoplasm of insect cells in culture and in insect cadavers late in infection. Infected insect cell extracts were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot and showed the presence of a 65-kDa polypeptide probably corresponding to the protease processed form of the toxin. Bioassays using purified recombinant toxin crystals showed a CL(50) of 19.49 ng/ml for 2(nd) instar A. gemmatalis larvae and 114.1 ng/ml for S. frugiperda.
Aguiar
Raimundo W S
RW
Cell Biology Department, University of Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Martins
Erica S
ES
Valicente
Fernando H
FH
Carneiro
Newton P
NP
Batista
Andréia C
AC
Melatti
Viviane M
VM
Monnerat
Rose G
RG
Ribeiro
Bergmann M
BM
D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000633:toxicity; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology
D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis