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PubMed1991

The toxic moiety of the Bacillus thuringiensis protoxin undergoes a conformational change upon activation.

Proteolytic processing of the 133-kDa crystal protein (protoxin) from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki yields a 67-kDa insecticidal toxin. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate whether the toxic moiety in the protoxin molecule has the same conformation as activated toxin. Compared to protoxin, toxin gives rise to a more complex endotherm which extends over a 10 degrees C broader temperature range and contains a component occurring at a substantially higher temperature than any unfolding transition in the protoxin endotherm. It is concluded that the toxic moiety undergoes a conformational change upon activation in which the thermal stability of at least one of its domains is significantly increased.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed1989

A 20-kilodalton protein is required for efficient production of the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 27-kilodalton crystal protein in Escherichia coli.

The 27-kilodalton (kDa) mosquitocidal protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis has been cloned as a 10-kilobase (kb) HindIII fragment from plasmid DNA; efficient expression in Escherichia coli KM1 depends on a region of DNA located approximately 4 kb upstream (K. McLean and H. R. Whiteley, J. Bacteriol. 169:1017-1023, 1987). We have cloned the upstream DNA region and show that it contains a complete open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein with a molecular mass of 19,584 Da. Sequencing of adjacent stretches of DNA revealed two partial ORFs: one has 55.2% identity in an overlap of 319 amino acids to the putative transposase of IS231 of B. thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis, and the other, a 78-codon partial ORF, may be the carboxyl terminus of the 67-kDa protein previously observed in maxicells of strain KM1. A 0.8-kb fragment containing only the 20-kDa protein gene greatly enhanced the expression of the 27-kDa protein in E. coli. The introduction of nonsense codons into the 20-kDa protein gene ORF abolished this effect, indicating that the gene product, not the mRNA or DNA, is required for the enhancement. The effect of the 20-kDa protein gene on various fusions of lacZ to the 27-kDa protein gene suggests that the 20-kDa protein acts after the initiation of translation of the 27-kDa protein gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

A theoretical model of the tridimensional structure of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin Cry 11Bb toxin deduced by homology modelling.

Cry11Bb is an insecticidal crystal protein produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin during its stationary phase; this partial differential-endotoxin is active against dipteran insects and has great potential for mosquito borne disease control. Here, we report the first theoretical model of the tridimensional structure of a Cry11 toxin. The tridimensional structure of the Cry11Bb toxin was obtained by homology modelling on the structures of the Cry1Aa and Cry3Aa toxins. In this work we give a brief description of our model and hypothesize the residues of the Cry11Bb toxin that could be important in receptor recognition and pore formation. This model will serve as a starting point for the design of mutagenesis experiments aimed to the improvement of toxicity, and to provide a new tool for the elucidation of the mechanism of action of these mosquitocidal proteins.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed2003

Occurrence and linkage between secreted insecticidal toxins in natural isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis.

Little is known about the occurrence and linkage between secreted insecticidal virulence factors in natural populations of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). We carried out a survey of 392 Bt strains isolated from various samples originating from 31 countries. The toxicity profile of the culture supernatants of these strains was determined individually against Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera) and Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera). We analyzed beta-exotoxin I production and searched for the genes encoding Vip1-2, Vip3, and Cry1I toxins in 125 of these strains. Our results showed that these insecticidal toxins were widespread in Bt but that their distribution was nonrandom, with significant linkage observed between vip3 and cry1I and between vip1-2 and beta-exotoxin I. Strains producing significant amounts of beta-exotoxin I were more frequently isolated from invertebrate samples than from dust, water, soil, or plant samples.

Adenosine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Multiple genes of delta-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies galleriae].

Cloning and expression in E. coli delta-endotoxin genes cryIAb7, cryIG and, cryIX from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp galleriae has been performed. Restriction mapping and partial sequencing have shown the identity of the 3'-terminal parts of cryIG and cryIX, although their 5'-terminal halves corresponding to the toxin are unique. Sequencing 5'-flanking region of cryIX revealed no translation initiation site, which indicates a nonfunctional state of the gene. The clusterized locating of the cryIG and cryIG genes has been shown. The absence of a promoter-like structure in the 5'-flanking region of cryIG suggests transcription of the gene as a bicistronic mRNA with cryIX. The extremely high homology of the cryIG and cryIX 3'-terminal parts (2 kB long) suggests a recombination act in the gene origin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Characterization of a new Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin, Cry47Aa, from strains that are toxic to the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina.

Sixteen isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis, derived from various soil samples collected in Australia, are highly toxic to larvae of the sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina). The toxin gene from one of the strains (CAA890) was cloned by genome walking, and sequencing of the cloned fragments revealed a new cry gene, encoding a protein of 1134 amino acid residues, with a theoretical molecular mass of 139,209Da. Based on the amino acid sequence comparison with known Cry delta-endotoxins, the gene was designated cry47Aa. Homology modelling based on known crystal structures of the Cry toxins reveals the differences to be located in the loops of domain II in the putative toxin-receptor binding surfaces between Cry47Aa and the dipteran active Cry2Aa. We also showed that the cry47Aa gene is present in the other isolates that are highly toxic to the sheep blowfly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Cloning and expression of delta-endotoxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis in Escherichia coli.

Fragments (larger than 4 kb) of partially Sau 3AI-digested plasmid DNA from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kenyae 7404 and kurstaki HD-1 were cloned into the BamH I site of pBR322. Four transformants, containing the corresponding delta-endotoxin gene and producing proteins that reacted with antiserum against crystalline protein, were selected on the basis of results from in situ colony hybridization, radioimmunologic screening, and Western blot analysis. Three of those tested, i.e., the lysates of one transformant (TK89) carrying the delta-endotoxin gene of B.t. 7404 and two transformants (TH12 and TH48) carrying the delta-endotoxin gene of HD-1, were toxic for tobacco budworm (Heliothis assulta) and armyworm (Leucania separata Walker) caterpillars. This is the first report on cloning of the delta-endotoxin gene from B.t. subsp. kenyae, which is different in serotype from the well-studied subsp. kurstaki.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Expression of orf1 from the Bacillus thuringiensis NRD-12 cry2Aa1 operon.

The 5' untranslated region and the orf1 sequence from the cry2Aa1 operon from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki NRD-12 were sequenced and compared to that from strain HD-1. The start codon described in HD-1 does not yield in NRD-12 a protein of the expected size of 20 kDa, but a 10-amino acid peptide. A second, highly conserved start codon is located 25 bp downstream from the first one and corresponds to an open reading frame of the same size in all known orf1-related sequences. Expression of lacZ gene fusions created at the level of the first ATG, second ATG, and stop codon of the NRD-12 orf1 sequence showed that orf1 is translated from the second ATG. The expected protein is 19 kDa in size. The expression starts at t2, which is in agreement with the presence of a BtI promoter in the cry2Aa1 operon.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Why Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal toxins are so effective: unique features of their mode of action.

The spore-forming bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produces intracellular inclusions comprised of protoxins active on several orders of insects. These highly effective and specific toxins have great potential in agriculture and for the control of disease-related insect vectors. Inclusions ingested by larvae are solubilized and converted to active toxins in the midgut. There are two major classes, the cytolytic toxins and the delta-endotoxins. The former are produced by B. thuringiensis subspecies active on Diptera. The latter, which will be the focus of this review, are more prevalent and active on at least three orders of insects. They have a three-domain structure with extensive functional interactions among the domains. The initial reversible binding to receptors on larval midgut cells is largely dependent upon domains II and III. Subsequent steps involve toxin insertion into the membrane and aggregation, leading to the formation of gated, cation-selective channels. The channels are comprised of certain amphipathic helices in domain I, but the three processes of insertion, aggregation and the formation of functional channels are probably dependent upon all three domains. Lethality is believed to be due to destruction of the transmembrane potential, with the subsequent osmotic lysis of cells lining the midgut. In this review, the mode of action of these delta-endotoxins will be discussed with emphasis on unique features.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Specific PCR primers directed to identify cryI and cryIII genes within a Bacillus thuringiensis strain collection.

In this paper we describe a PCR strategy that can be used to rapidly identify Bacillus thuringiensis strains that harbor any of the known cryI or cryIII genes. Four general PCR primers which amplify DNA fragments from the known cryI or cryIII genes were selected from conserved regions. Once a strain was identified as an organism that contains a particular type of cry gene, it could be easily characterized by performing additional PCR with specific cryI and cryIII primers selected from variable regions. The method described in this paper can be used to identify the 10 different cryI genes and the five different cryIII genes. One feature of this screening method is that each cry gene is expected to produce a PCR product having a precise molecular weight. The genes which produce PCR products having different sizes probably represent strains that harbor a potentially novel cry gene. Finally, we present evidence that novel crystal genes can be identified by the method described in this paper.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed1986

Purification and characterization of the active fragment from Bacillus thuringiensis delta-toxin.

Limited tryptic hydrolysis of a partially purified delta-toxin (Mr = 100,000) from Bacillus thuringiensis, has produced a polypeptide fragment of Mr = 60,000 containing the full biological activity. The fragment was the only polypeptide observed in the polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of the delta-toxin after treatment with trypsin and could be purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Amino acid and partial sequence analyses indicate that the 60,000 Mr fragment has been derived from the mid-section of the holotoxin peptide; over 80% of Lys, 65% of Pro and 50% of His residues in the holotoxin have been lost in the active fragment. This section must contain the active site since its specific insecticidal activity is approximately twice that of the holotoxin. The active fragment shows complete cross-reactivity with the antiserum raised against the native toxin, and appeared to possess higher thermal stability than the mother protein. It provides a powerful tool for studies of the structure involved in the insecticidal activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Reduction of mortality rates of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis aqueous suspensions due to freezing and thawing.

When studying the behavior (carry, dispersion, persistence) of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (B.t.i.) formulations used in the treatment of rivers or streams for black fly control, a large number of samples containing small quantities of B.t.i. are required for proper analysis. Freezing is a useful procedure to prevent enzymatic alteration or bacterial growth in samples before bioassays are to be performed. Using Aedes atropalpus neonate larvae, we studied the effect of freezing and thawing of B.t.i. aqueous suspensions by looking at mortality response parameters such as the slope and the LC50 of the probit regression. Initial concentration values of 1, 5, 10 and 20 mg/liter at the moment of freezing of the B.t.i. suspensions did not significantly affect toxicity. The number of freeze-thaw cycles greatly increased the LC50 values without much change to the slope of the log-probit regressions. We derived an equation that allowed us to compensate for the loss of toxicity of a given B.t.i. sample, knowing the number of freeze-thaw cycles.

Aedes↗
PubMed1998

Toxicity and binding properties of the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin Cry1C to cultured insect cells.

A better understanding of the mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxins is needed to develop strategies which may prevent or slow down selection for resistance. We studied the effect of Cry1C on several different cultured insect cell lines by means of toxicity assays, ligand blotting, and toxin binding studies. A clear difference in sensitivity toward Cry1C between the insect cell lines was observed. Spodoptera frugiperda cell line Sf9 was most sensitive, whereas Spodoptera exigua cell lines SeUCR and SelZD2109 showed intermediate sensitivity. Mamestra brassicae (Mb0503) and Drosophila melanogaster (Dm1) cells were the least sensitive as compared to Sf9 cells. Ligand blot analysis of SDS-PAGE size-separated proteins showed that Cry1C specifically binds to a 40-kDa protein in Sf9, SeUCR, and SelZD2109 cells. Cry1Ab does not bind to this protein. The Cry1C-binding protein was not observed in Mb0503 and Dm1 cells, suggesting that the presence of the 40-kDa Cry1C-binding protein is correlated with sensitivity toward Cry1C.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Heterologous expression of cry2 gene from a local strain of Bacillus thuringiensis isolated in Nigeria.

A cry2 gene encoding a larvicidal crystal protein was isolated from a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis found in soil samples in Nigeria. This gene was cloned into plasmid pUC19 and subcloned into both pBluescript (sk(+/-)) and pPICZ alpha B placed under a T7/AOXI (alcohol oxidase I) promoter respectively and transformed into Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris. Clones were induced for expression, and the cellular proteins extracted and analysed by SDS/PAGE. Integration of an insert into the yeast chromosome was confirmed by PCR amplification using AOXI primers designed to monitor the intactness of the insertion into the chromosome. The expression cassettes constructed were both expressed in E. coli strain (XL1-blue) and P. pastoris (SMD1168) respectively. An approximately 70 kDa recombinant toxin was obtained both in P. pastoris and E. coli in different quantities. Expression was confirmed by Northern-blot analysis of 2.0 kb transcripts, obtained from clones induced for RNA transcripts, which hybridized with a [(32)P]dCTP-labelled probe prepared from a 641 bp fragment of restriction-endonuclease- Hae II-digested PCR product of the cry2 gene.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed1986

Immunological relationships among proteins making up the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis crystalline toxin.

The immunological relationships among the proteins of the mosquito larvicidal toxin produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis have been investigated by using polyclonal antisera specific for the 28-, 70-, and 135-kilodalton proteins. Each of these proteins was immunologically distinct. There was no cross-reaction among the three proteins and the two non-homologous antisera. Treatment of toxin proteins with larval gut enzymes for 20 h identified protease-resistant domains at approximately 65, 38, and 22 kilodaltons. Similar domains were generated by treatment with trypsin and chymotrypsin. Our immunological and kinetic data indicate that the 28-kilodalton protein is degraded successively to protein bands at 26, 25, 23, and 22 kilodaltons, the 70-kilodalton protein is degraded to a protein at 38 kilodaltons, and the 135-kilodalton protein is degraded successively to protein bands at 94, 72, and, probably, 65 kilodaltons. Solubilized toxin possesses two biological activities, larvicidal and general cytolytic (hemolytic). We used nondenaturing gel electrophoresis to show that the hemolytic activity resides in the 28-kilodalton protein. However, higher-molecular-weight proteins are required to achieve the level of toxicity observed in intact toxin.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1997

Occurrence of a common binding site in Mamestra brassicae, Phthorimaea operculella, and Spodoptera exigua for the insecticidal crystal proteins CryIA from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Specific binding to midgut membrane proteins is required for the toxicity of insecticidal crystal proteins (ICP) from Bacillus thuringiensis. A direct relationship between toxicity and binding has been proposed. It has been hypothesized that sharing of a single receptor by more than one ICP could lead to the occurrence of multiple resistance in the event of an alteration in the common receptor. Binding of CryIA(a), CryIA(b) and CryIA(c), three structurally related ICPs, has been studied in Phthorimaea operculella, Mamestra brassicae and, Spodoptera exigua using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from the midgut tissue. Using iodinated CryIA(b), the three insects showed similar results: one binding site for CryIA(b), which is shared with CryIA(a) and CryIA(c). The binding site concentrations obtained for CryIA(b) in P. operculella, M. brassicae and S. exigua were 5.1, 16.3 and 2.2 pmol/mg vesicle protein, respectively. In the same way, dissociation constants were 3.8, 5.3 and 0.7 nM. Data show that binding for an ICP does not directly imply toxicity. The occurrence of a common receptor for the CryIA subgroup of ICPs in P. operculella, M. brassicae and S. exigua might theoretically discourage the use of combinations of these ICPs in integrated pest management programmes.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Bacillus thuringiensis growth and toxicity. Basic and applied considerations.

Despite the known importance of the composition of culture media and culture conditions on Bacillus thuringiensis growth and toxicity, very few reviews are concerned with this subject. This article reviews some aspects of the microbiology of Bacillus thuringiensis, and how toxicity is affected by the composition of growth media and bioreactor operation.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed2006

Potential of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin reservoir for the control of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a major pest of grape plants.

The potential of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins to control the grape pest Lobesia botrana was explored by testing first-instar larvae with Cry proteins belonging to the Cry1, Cry2, and Cry9 groups selected for their documented activities against Lepidoptera. Cry9Ca, a toxin from B. thuringiensis, was the protein most toxic to L. botrana larvae, followed in decreasing order by Cry2Ab, Cry1Ab, Cry2Aa, and Cry1Ia7, with 50% lethal concentration values of 0.09, 0.1, 1.4, 3.2, and 8.5 microg/ml of diet, respectively. In contrast, Cry1Fa and Cry1JA were not active at the assayed concentration (100 microg/ml). In vitro binding and competition experiments showed that none of the toxins tested (Cry1Ia, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, and Cry9C) shared binding sites with Cry1Ab. We conclude that either Cry1Ia or Cry9C could be used in combination with Cry1Ab to control this pest, either as the active components of B. thuringiensis sprays or expressed together in transgenic plants.

Animals↗