title: Identification, cloning and expression of an insecticide cry8 gene from Bacillus thuringiensis INTA Fr7-4.
abstract: Insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis is attributed largely to the crystal proteins. These were found with specific toxic activity against insects in different orders. A novel cry8 gene from B. thuringiensis strain INTA Fr7-4 from Argentina was characterized. The encoded protein, Cry8Qa2, is 1184 amino acids long and its sequence is more similar to those of Cry8F class. We cloned and expressed the protein in an acrystalliferous strain of B. thuringiensis using two differentially regulated promoters. The recombinant strains produced ovoid crystals with low toxicity against larvae of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The morphology and insecticidal properties of these crystals resembled those produced by the native strain INTA Fr7-4.
authors.affiliation: Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Rafaela, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ariel F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Amadio
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Navas
authors.forename: Diego H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sauka
authors.forename: Marcelo F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Berretta
authors.forename: Graciela B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Benintende
authors.forename: Rubén O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Zandomeni
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis