Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis delta-endotoxin. Cloning and expression of the toxin in sporogenic and asporogenic strains of Bacillus subtilis

Multifunctional Properties of a Bacillus thuringiensis Strain (BST-122): Beyond the Parasporal Crystal

Chemical products still represent the most common form of controlling crop pests and diseases. However, their extensive use has led to the selection of resistances. This makes the finding of new solutions paramount to countering the economic losses that pests and diseases represent in modern agriculture. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is one of the most reliable alternatives to chemical-based solutions. In this study, we aimed to further expand the global applicability of Bt strains beyond their spores and crystals. To this end, we selected a new Bt strain (BST-122) with relevant toxicity factors and tested its activity against species belonging to different phyla. The spore and crystal mixture showed toxicity to coleopterans. Additionally, a novel Cry5-like protein proved active against the two-spotted spider mite. In vivo and plant assays revealed significant control of the parasitic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. Surprisingly, our data indicated that the nematocidal determinants may be secreted. When evaluated against phytopathogenic fungi, the strain seemed to decelerate their growth. Overall, our research has highlighted the potential of Bt strains, expanding their use beyond the confinements of spores and crystals. However, further studies are required to pinpoint the factors responsible for the wide host range properties of the BST-122 strain.

Advances in the Immunoassays for Detection of Bacillus thuringiensis Crystalline Toxins

Insect-resistant genetically modified organisms have been globally commercialized for the last 2 decades. Among them, transgenic crops based on Bacillus thuringiensis crystalline (Cry) toxins are extensively used for commercial agricultural applications. However, less emphasis is laid on quantifying Cry toxins because there might be unforeseen health and environmental concerns. Immunoassays, being the preferred method for detection of Cry toxins, are reviewed in this study. Owing to limitations of traditional colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the trend of detection strategies shifts to modified immunoassays based on nanomaterials, which provide ultrasensitive detection capacity. This review assessed and compared the properties of the recent advances in immunoassays, including colorimetric, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, surface plasmon resonance, and electrochemical approaches. Thus, the ultimate aim of this study is to identify research gaps and infer future prospects of current approaches for the development of novel immunosensors to monitor Cry toxins in food and the environment.

Potential for Bacillus thuringiensis and Other Bacterial Toxins as Biological Control Agents to Combat Dipteran Pests of Medical and Agronomic Importance

The control of dipteran pests is highly relevant to humans due to their involvement in the transmission of serious diseases including malaria, dengue fever, Chikungunya, yellow fever, zika, and filariasis; as well as their agronomic impact on numerous crops. Many bacteria are able to produce proteins that are active against insect species. These bacteria include Bacillus thuringiensis, the most widely-studied pesticidal bacterium, which synthesizes proteins that accumulate in crystals with insecticidal properties and which has been widely used in the biological control of insects from different orders, including Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. In this review, we summarize all the bacterial proteins, from B. thuringiensis and other entomopathogenic bacteria, which have described insecticidal activity against dipteran pests, including species of medical and agronomic importance.

Bacillus subtilis as a host for mosquitocidal toxins production

Aedes albopictus transmits several arboviral infections. In the absence of vaccines, control of mosquito populations is the only strategy to prevent vector-borne diseases. As part of the search for novel, biological and environmentally friendly strategies for vector control, the isolation of new bacterial species with mosquitocidal activity represents a promising approach. However, new bacterial isolates may be difficult to grow and genetically manipulate. To overcome these limits, here we set up a system allowing the expression of mosquitocidal bacterial toxins in the well-known genetic background of Bacillus subtilis. As a proof of this concept, the ability of B. subtilis to express individual or combinations of toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) was studied. Different expression systems in which toxin gene expression was driven by IPTG-inducible, auto-inducible or toxin gene-specific promoters were developed. The larvicidal activity of the resulting B. subtilis strains against second-instar Ae. albopictus larvae allowed studying the activity of individual toxins or the synergistic interaction among Cry and Cyt toxins. The expression systems here presented lay the foundation for a better improved system to be used in the future to characterize the larvicidal activity of toxin genes from new environmental isolates.

Contributions of 5'-UTR and 3'-UTR cis elements to Cyt1Aa synthesis in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

The biopesticide used most effectively to control mosquito and blackfly vectors of human diseases worldwide is Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. The high efficacy of this bacterium is due to synergistic interactions among four protein entomotoxins assembled individually into a single parasporal body (PB) during sporulation. Cyt1Aa, the primary synergist, is the most abundant toxin, comprising approximately 55% of the PB's mass. The other proteins are Cry11Aa at ∼35%, and Cry4Aa and Cry4Ba, which together account for the remaining ∼10%. The molecular genetic basis for the comparatively large amount of Cyt1Aa synthesized is unknown. Here, in addition to the known strong BtI (σ^E) and BtII (σ^K) promoters, we demonstrate a third promoter (BtIII) that has high identity to the σ^E promoter of Bacillus subtilis, contributes to the large amount of Cyt1Aa synthesized. We also show that a cyt1Aa-BtIII construct was not functional in a σ^E-deficient strain of B. subtilis. Comparison of transcription levels and protein profiles for recombinant strains containing different combinations of BtI, BtII and BtIII, or each promoter alone, showed that BtIII is active throughout sporulation. We further demonstrate that a stable stem-loop in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR, predicted ΔG=-27.6) contributes to the high level of Cyt1Aa synthesized.

A cryptic Bacillus isolate exhibited narrow 16S rRNA gene sequence divergence with Bacillus thuringiensis and showed low maintenance requirements in hyper-osmotic complex substrate cultivations

A cryptic Bacillus (K90) isolate obtained from soil samples from the Kuwait desert exhibited lower maintenance requirements in complex substrate cultivations than Bacillus thuringiensis. A mathematical model was used to estimate apparent maintenance coefficients (m(c)) and these were found to be 0.336 and 0.041/h for B. thuringiensis and K90, respectively. The results also showed that the values of apparent maintenance coefficients were inversely related to the specific growth rates. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that K90 exhibited 99.81% sequence similarity to that of B. mojavensis and 92.9% with B. thuringiensis. It is evident from the dendrogram that the evolution of B. mojavensis (K90) (B. subtilis group), which may have originated after B. licheniformis could have been influenced by prolonged hyper-osmotic conditions, while B. thuringiensis that evolved before B. oleronius exhibited greater sensitivity as implied by the higher maintenance coefficient obtained for the hyper-osmotic cultures. As K90 exhibited low maintenance requirements in hyperosmotic cultures, close phylogenetic relationship with B. thuringiensis, along with the reported property of encapsulation of insecticidal crystal proteins (Cry) in Bacillus strains and endophytic nature of B. mojavensis, strongly suggest that K90 could be a promising surrogate host for the transgenic delivery of "Cry" proteins.

Expression of the cry11A gene of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The complete cry11A region gene of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis was fused in frame to the 3' end of the GST gene under the control of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae HXK1 promoter. The fusion protein GST-cry11A was expressed in S. cerevisiae strain AMW13C+. The fusion gene GST-cry11A was expressed when yeast cells were grown on galactose and a nonfermentable medium containing ethanol as carbon and energy source. When the cells were grown in glucose, mannose, fructose, or glycerol as carbon sources, the GST-cry11A gene was repressed. Thus, a regulated expression in accordance with the regulatory activity of the HXK1 gene promoter has been detected. The GST-cry11A fusion protein was detected in the transformed yeasts as a soluble protein. The fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography using glutathione-Sepharose beads. Cell-free extracts from transformed yeasts grown in ethanol-containing culture media showed insecticidal activity against third-instar Aedes aegypti larvae. This insecticidal activity was increased about 4-fold when the purified fusion protein was assayed.

Toxicity and synergism in transgenic Escherichia coli expressing four genes from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

The genes cyt1Aa and p20, encoding, respectively, cytolytic and accessory proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, were introduced into previously constructed clones expressing cry4Aa and cry11Aa in Escherichia coli (Ben-Dov et al., 1995). Fifteen clones with all possible combinations of the four genes were obtained and found to express the genes included. Two new combinations, pVE4-ADRC and pVE4-ARC, expressing cyt1Aa, p20 and cry4Aa, with or without cry11Aa, respectively, were more toxic than their counterparts without cyt1Aa. They displayed the highest toxicity against Aedes aegypti larvae ever reached in transgenic bacteria. Five out of the six clones (except pVE4-DC) containing cry4Aa or cry11Aa (with or without p20) displayed varying levels of synergism with cyt1Aa: they are 1.5-to 34-fold more toxic than the respective clones without cyt1Aa against exposed larvae. Their lethal times also decreased (they kill larvae quicker), more so at higher cell concentrations. These clones are anticipated to dramatically reduce the likelihood of resistant development in the target organisms (Wirth et al., 1997).

Transcriptional regulation of the cryIVD gene operon from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

The CryIVD protein is involved in the overall toxicity of the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis parasporal inclusions and is one of the four major components of the crystals. Determination of the DNA sequence indicated that the cryIVD gene is the second gene of an operon which includes three genes. The first one encodes a 19-kDa polypeptide and has sequence homology with the orf1 gene of the Bacillus thuringiensis cryIIA and cryIIC operons. The second and third genes have already been identified and encode the CryIVD crystal protein and the P20 polypeptide, respectively. The promoter region was located by deletion analysis, and the 5' end of the mRNA was determined by primer extension mapping. Transcription of the cryIVD gene in B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis strains is induced 9 h after the beginning of sporulation. Sequence analysis indicated two potential promoters, a strong one and a weak one, recognized respectively by the RNA polymerase associated with the sigma 35 or the sigma 28 factor of B. thuringiensis (sigma E and sigma K of Bacillus subtilis, respectively). Transcriptional lacZ fusion integrated in single copy into the chromosome of various B. subtilis sporulation mutants confirmed the sigma E dependence of cryIVD gene transcription.

Improved production of the insecticidal CryIVD protein in Bacillus thuringiensis using cryIA(c) promoters to express the gene for an associated 20-kDa protein

Previous studies have shown that a 20-kDa protein enhances production of the insecticidal CytA and CryIVA proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis in Escherichia coli as well as CytA production and crystal formation in B. thuringiensis. To determine whether the 20-kDa protein could enhance CryIVD production, an expression vector was constructed with the 20-kDa open-reading frame under control of cryIA(c) promoters and the cryIVD gene under control of its own promoter. Acrystalliferous cells of B. thuringiensis transformed with this plasmid, designated pWF53, produced large bitrapezoidal CryIVD crystals that averaged 1.3 x 0.92 x 0.31 microns, approximately fivefold larger in volume than wild-type CryIVD crystals, and 1.7 fold the volume of crystals produced using the cryIVD operon, which contains the cryIVD gene and the gene for the 20-kDa protein. These results demonstrate that the 20-kDa protein significantly improves net synthesis of CryIVD and promotes CryIVD crystal formation. Improved production of proteins as diverse as CryIVD and CytA by the 20-kDa protein indicates this protein may be useful in facilitating the production of other proteins.

Synergism of mosquitocidal toxicity between CytA and CryIVD proteins using inclusions produced from cloned genes of Bacillus thuringiensis

The toxicity to mosquito larvae of the parasporal body produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and the PG-14 isolate of B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni is at least 20-fold greater than any of the four mosquitocidal proteins of which it is composed (CytA, CryIVA, B, and D). This high toxicity is postulated to be due to synergistic interactions among parasporal proteins. However, this remains controversial because values reported for the specific toxicity of individual proteins, especially the CytA protein, vary widely owing to the methods used to purify and assay toxins against larvae. In an attempt to resolve questions of purity, specific toxicity, and synergism, individual genes encoding the CytA and CryIVD toxins were cloned and expressed in acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis cells using the shuttle vector pHT3101. CytA and CryIVD inclusions were purified and their toxicity was determined alone and when combined at different ratios using bioassays against first instars of Aedes aegypti. The LC50 for the CytA inclusion was 60 ng ml-1, whereas the LC50 for the CryIVD was 85 ng ml-1. In comparison, the LC50s for different combinations of CytA and CryIVD inclusions ranged from 12-15 ng ml-1, 4-5 times higher than the toxicity of either protein alone, demonstrating marked synergism between these two proteins. These results suggest that the high toxicity of the wild-type parasporal bodies of B. thuringiensis subspp. israelensis and morrisoni is due to synergism among three or four of their major proteins.

Mosquitocidal toxins of bacilli and their genetic manipulation for effective biological control of mosquitoes

The identification, cloning, and characterization of protein toxins from various species of bacilli have demonstrated the existence of mosquitocidal toxins with different structures, mechanisms of action, and host ranges. A start has been made in understanding the polypeptide determinants of toxicity and insecticidal activity, and the purification of toxins from recombinant organisms may lead to the elucidation of their X-ray crystal structures and the cloning of brush border membrane receptors. The results of cloning mosquitocidal toxins in heterologous microorganisms show the potential of expanding the range of susceptible mosquito species by combining several toxins of different host specificity in one cell. Toxins have been expressed in new microorganisms with the potential for increasing potency by persisting at the larval feeding zone. The powerful tools of bacterial genetics are being applied to engineer genetically stable, persistent toxin expression and expand the insecticidal host ranges of Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains. These techniques, together with modern formulation technology, should eventually lead to the construction of mosquitocidal microorganisms which are effective enough to have a real impact on mosquito-borne diseases.

A 20-kilodalton protein preserves cell viability and promotes CytA crystal formation during sporulation in Bacillus thuringiensis

The effect of a 20-kDa protein on cell viability and CytA crystal production in its natural host, Bacillus thuringiensis, was studied by expressing the cytA gene in the absence or presence of this protein. In the absence of the 20-kDa protein, B. thuringiensis cells either were killed during sporulation (strain cryB) or produced very small CytA crystals (strain 4Q7). Expression of cytA in the presence of the 20-kDa protein, however, preserved cell viability, especially in strain cryB, and in both strains yielded bipyramidal crystals of the CytA protein that were larger than those of wild-type B. thuringiensis. These results suggest that the 20-kDa protein promotes crystal formation, perhaps by chaperoning CytA molecules during synthesis and crystallization, concomitantly preventing the CytA protein from interacting lethally with the bacterial host cell.

High-level cryIVD and cytA gene expression in Bacillus thuringiensis does not require the 20-kilodalton protein, and the coexpressed gene products are synergistic in their toxicity to mosquitoes

Interactions among the 20-kDa protein gene and the cytA and cryIVD genes located in a 9.4-kb HindIII fragment were studied. A series of plasmids containing a combination of these different genes was constructed by using the Escherichia coli/Bacillus thuringiensis shuttle vector pHT3101. The plasmids were then used to transform an acrystalliferous strain, cryB, derived from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. The results from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analyses suggest that although the 20-kDa protein is required for the efficient CytA protein production in E. coli, it is not required in B. thuringiensis. With or without the truncated 20-kDa protein gene, the CtyA and/or CryIVD proteins are produced and form parasporal inclusions in B. thuringiensis cells. However, more-efficient expression is obtained when a second protein, probably acting as a chaperonin, is present. In addition, the time course studies show that the CytA and CryIVD proteins are coordinately produced. Both the crude B. thuringiensis culture and purified inclusions from each recombinant B. thuringiensis strain are toxic to Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. The parasporal inclusions formed in B. thuringiensis cells are mosquitocidal, with CytA synergizing CryIVD toxicity.

Involvement of a possible chaperonin in the efficient expression of a cloned CryIIA delta-endotoxin gene in Bacillus thuringiensis

The Bacillus thuringiensis cryIIA delta-endotoxin gene is found as the third-gene in a three-gene operon, with a sporulation-dependent promoter lying upstream of the first gene, orf1. We show here that the polypeptide product of the middle gene (orf2) is required for efficient expression of the toxin gene. In the absence of a functional ORF2 polypeptide the toxin does not form the crystalline inclusions characteristic of other known Bacillus thuringiensis toxins. We discuss the importance of this finding with respect to the possible role of chaperonins in the crystallization of these proteins.

Properties of a 72-kilodalton mosquitocidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni PG-14 expressed in B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki by using the shuttle vector pHT3101

The mosquitocidal properties of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni PG-14 are attributable to protein inclusions grouped together within a parasporal body. In both of these strains, the mosquitocidal activity resides in proteins with molecular masses of 27, 72, 128, and 135 kDa. In an attempt to determine the toxicity of each protein, the shuttle vector pHT3101 was used to express the cryIVD gene (encoding the 72-kDa CryIVD protein) from B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni in an acrystalliferous mutant of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. With this system, parasporal inclusions of the 72-kDa protein were obtained that were comparable in size, shape, and toxicity to those produced by parental B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni. The inclusions were bar shaped, measured 500 by 300 by 150 nm, and were easily visible with phase-contrast microscopy by 16 h of cell growth. A 50% lethal concentration of 64 ng/ml for these inclusions was determined in bioassays against fourth instars of Culex quinquefasciatus, which was similar to the 50% lethal concentration of 55 ng/ml obtained for the 72-kDa inclusion from B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. In contrast, expression of the cryIVD gene in Escherichia coli was very low and only detectable by immunoblot analysis. These results demonstrate that the pHT3101-B. thuringiensis expression system can be used to express the CryIVD protein in quantities and with properties comparable to that obtained with the natural host. This system may prove useful for the expression of other B. thuringiensis proteins and, in particular, for reconstitution experiments with inclusions produced by the mosquitocidal subspecies of B. thuringiensis.

Deletion by in vivo recombination shows that the 28-kilodalton cytolytic polypeptide from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis is not essential for mosquitocidal activity

The cytA gene encoding the 28-kDa polypeptide of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis crystals was disrupted in the 72-MDa resident plasmid by in vivo recombination, thus indicating that homologous recombination occurs in B. thuringiensis. The absence of the 28-kDa protein in B. thuringiensis did not affect the crystallization of the other toxic components of the parasporal body (68-, 125-, and 135-kDa polypeptides). The absence of the 28-kDa protein abolished the hemolytic activity of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis crystals. However, the mosquitocidal activity of the 28-kDa protein-free crystals did not differ significantly from that of the wild-type crystals when tested on Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens larvae. The 28-kDa protein contributed slightly to the toxicity to Anopheles stephensi larvae. This indicates that the 28-kDa protein is not essential for mosquitocidal activity, at least against the three species tested.

Effect of a 20-kilodalton protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis on production of the CytA protein by Escherichia coli

CytA, a 27-kDa cytolytic crystal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, is produced only at very low levels by recombinant Escherichia coli cells unless a 20-kDa B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis protein is also present (K. M. McLean and H. R. Whiteley, J. Bacteriol. 169:1017-1023, 1987; L. F. Adams, J. E. Visick, and H. R. Whiteley, J. Bacteriol. 171:521-530, 1989). However, the data reported here demonstrate that the 20-kDa protein is not required for high-level CytA production in E. coli strains carrying mutations in rpoH, groEL, or dnaK, all of which affect the proteolytic ability of the cells. The 20-kDa protein also increases the amount of CryIVD (another B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis crystal protein) and LacZX90 (a mutant of beta-galactosidase) made by E. coli. The latter phenomenon is attributable to an increase in the half-life of LacZX90, suggesting that the 20-kDa protein may stabilize this protein. The effect of the 20-kDa protein was also examined in vitro and in a T7 RNA polymerase expression system, and the possible significance of these results for the timing of proteolysis and of 20-kDa protein activity is discussed. Finally, the ability of a single antibody to coimmunoprecipitate CytA and the 20-kDa protein from E. coli extracts provides evidence for a protein-protein interaction that may be related to the mechanism of action of the 20-kDa protein.

Studies on Bacillus thuringiensis H-14 strains isolated in Egypt-V. Composition and toxicity of the mosquitocidal parasporal inclusions

Parasporal inclusions of Bacillus thuringlensis H-14 strains M1 and S128 were characterized by solubilization, electron microscopy, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, amino acid analysis and insecticidal activity. Inclusions of both strains are composed largely of protein with 8 to 9% carbohydrate. Amino acid analysis of the purlfied inclusions revealed that the two strains produce inclusions that are closely related to each other but significantly different from lepidopteran-toxic B. thuringiensis parasporal crystals. The LC50 values of the purlfied inclusions of strains M1 and S128 were 3.4 and 2.9 ng/ml, respectively, for fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti. Inclusions from strain M1 were resolved into two inclusion bands on the basis of their densities possibly formed as a result of disruption of some envelopes during sonication. Both inclusion types contained proteins of approximately 27, 38 and 66 kDa. The heavlest and more predominant type had an envelope and was either spherical or irregular being composed of several subunits which varied in shape, size and staining densities. The LC50 value was 2.2 ng/ml and the major protein was of approximately 27 kDa. The lightest inclusions type did not have an envelope and showed clear crystal lattices. They were 10 times less toxic to A. aegypti larvae, as compared to the heavy-type inclusions and contained major protein of approximately 66 kDa.

Cloning and expression of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis delta-endotoxin DNA in B. sphaericus

Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis delta-endotoxin genes were cloned into Bacillus sphaericus 2362, producing stable transformants reacting with antibody to the 28- and 65-kDa B. thuringiensis israelensis crystal proteins and approximately 10 times more toxic to Aedes mosquito larvae than the original host strain. The LC50 after 48 hr of exposure of Aedes larvae to the most active transformed clone was 0.19 microgram/ml, compared with an LC50 of 1.9 microgram/ml for B. sphaericus 2362 and less than 0.1 microgram/ml for B. thuringiensis israelensis. The cloning vector, plasmid pPL603E, was also effective in transforming B. subtilis 1E20 with B. thuringiensis israelensis DNA, producing highly toxic clones with less stable gene expression than the clones of B. sphaericus.

Isolation of the second Bacillus thuringiensis RNA polymerase that transcribes from a crystal protein gene promoter

A crystal protein gene of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-1-Dipel is transcribed in vivo from two overlapping promoters that are activated at different times during sporulation. We reported earlier (K. L. Brown and H. R. Whiteley, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4166-4170, 1988) that an RNA polymerase containing a sigma subunit with an apparent Mr of 35,000 can transcribe in vitro from the promoter utilized from early to midsporulation. We now report the isolation of an RNA polymerase containing a sigma subunit with an Mr of ca. 28,000; this polymerase activates transcription in vitro from the promoter used from mid- to late sporulation. This form of RNA polymerase also directs transcription in vitro from promoters preceding two other crystal protein genes and a gene coding for a spore coat protein. On the basis of a comparison of the four promoters, we propose the following consensus sequence for the -10 region recognized by RNA polymerase containing the Mr-28,000 sigma subunit: 5'-TNATANNaTGag-3'. No consensus sequence could be derived for the -35 region. When the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the sigma 28 polypeptide was aligned with the amino acid sequences of known sigma subunits, significant homology was found with the N terminus of the mature form of the sigma K subunit of RNA polymerase isolated from sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis.

The construction of Bacillus thuringiensis strains expressing novel entomocidal delta-endotoxin combinations

Using our recently reported method of electroporation to transform Bacillus thuringiensis [Bone & Ellar (1989) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 58, 171-178], cloned B. thuringiensis entomocidal delta-endotoxin genes have been introduced into several native B. thuringiensis strains. In many cases the resulting transformants expressed both their native toxins and the cloned toxin, producing strains with broader toxicity spectra. The introduction of the var. tenebrionis toxin gene into B. thuringiensis var. israelensis resulted in a strain with activity against Pieris brassicae (cabbage white butterfly), an activity which neither parent strain possesses. We discuss further the possibility of synergism and also the problems associated with introducing cloned DNA by this method.

Expression of Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin genes during vegetative growth

Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin (crystal protein) genes are normally expressed only during sporulation. It is possible to produce crystal protein during vegetative growth by placing B. thuringiensis crystal protein genes downstream of a strong vegetative promoter. By removing a possible transcriptional terminator of the tetracycline resistance gene of pBC16 and inserting a multiple cloning site, delta-endotoxin genes can be cloned downstream from the tetracycline resistance gene promoter. This construct allows for readthrough transcription from the strong vegetative promoter. Crystal protein is then produced during vegetative growth as well as during sporulation in both B. thuringiensis and Bacillus megaterium. This construct also allows for production of delta-endotoxin in B. thuringiensis strains that do not normally produce delta-endotoxin because of a defect in sporulation.

Functional mapping of an entomocidal delta-endotoxin. Single amino acid changes produced by site-directed mutagenesis influence toxicity and specificity of the protein

Mutagenesis has been used to investigate the toxicity and specificity of a larvicidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis aizawai IC1 that is toxic to both lepidoptera and diptera and differs by only three residues from a monospecific lepidopteran toxin from B. thuringiensis berliner. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to investigate the contribution of these residues to the dual specificity of the aizawai protein. The results suggest that changes in the identity of residues adjacent to Arg544 and Arg567 on the C-terminal side may convert a monospecific toxin into a dual specificity toxin by altering the protease sensitivity of the arginyl peptide bond. A series of deletion mutants was constructed and their protein products analysed for toxicity in vitro and in vivo and for their ability to perturb phospholipid bilayers. The results indicate a different functional role for various protein segments in the toxin's mode of action and suggest that two separate regions close to the C terminus of the active toxin are important in conferring dual specificity on the aizawai IC1 toxin. A model suggesting a basis for the activity of monospecific and dual-specificity B. thuringiensis toxins is presented, which postulates that association of sequences at the C terminus of the active toxin with regions near the N terminus may be responsible for determining toxin specificity.

Purification and properties of a 28-kilodalton hemolytic and mosquitocidal protein toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. darmstadiensis 73-E10-2

The mosquitocidal crystal of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. darmstadiensis 73-E10-2 was purified, bioassayed against third-instar Aedes aegypti larvae (50% lethal concentration, 7.5 micrograms/ml), and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, revealing polypeptides of 125, 50, 47, and 28 kilodaltons (kDa). When solubilized and proteolytically activated by insect gut proteases or proteinase K, the crystal was cytotoxic to insect and mammalian cells in vitro and was hemolytic. By using nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a polypeptide of 23 kDa, derived from the 28-kDa protoxin, was identified which was hemolytic and cytotoxic to Aedes albopictus, A. aegypti, and Choristoneura fumiferana CF1 insect cell lines. The 23-kDa polypeptide was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gave 50% lethal dose values of 3.8, 3.3, and 6.9 micrograms/ml against A. albopictus, A. aegypti, and C. fumiferana CF1 cells lines, respectively. Cytotoxicity in vitro was both dose and temperature dependent, with a sigmoidal dose-response curve. The cytotoxicity of the 23-kDa toxin and the solubilized and proteolytically activated delta-endotoxin was inhibited by a range of phospholipids containing unsaturated fatty acids and by triglyceride and diglyceride dispersions. An interaction with membrane phospholipids appears important for toxicity. Polyclonal antisera prepared against the 23-kDa polypeptide did not cross-react with polypeptides in the native crystals of four other mosquitocidal strains.

Formation of crystals of the insecticidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai IPL7 in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli JM103 cells harboring expression plasmid pTB1 or pKC6 synthesized the 130- and 135-kilodalton insecticidal proteins, respectively, of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai IPL7, and both products accumulated as cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Amorphous inclusions which contained contaminating proteins, together with the corresponding insecticidal proteins, were formed in cultures at 37 degrees C, but bipyramidal crystals practically free of contaminants were observed at 30 degrees C. Although 9.8% of the amino acids were substituted between these two proteins, both protein crystals had the same shape as those of the parental B. thuringiensis strain, which produced both proteins.

Insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis

A classification for crystal protein genes of Bacillus thuringiensis is presented. Criteria used are the insecticidal spectra and the amino acid sequences of the encoded proteins. Fourteen genes are distinguished, encoding proteins active against either Lepidoptera (cryI), Lepidoptera and Diptera (cryII), Coleoptera (cryIII), or Diptera (cryIV). One gene, cytA, encodes a general cytolytic protein and shows no structural similarities with the other genes. Toxicity studies with single purified proteins demonstrated that every described crystal protein is characterized by a highly specific, and sometimes very restricted, insect host spectrum. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences reveals sequence elements which are conserved for Cry proteins. The expression of crystal protein genes is affected by a number of factors. Recently, two distinct sigma subunits regulating transcription during different stages of sporulation have been identified, as well as a protein regulating the expression of a crystal protein at a posttranslational level. Studies on the biochemical mechanisms of toxicity suggest that B. thuringiensis crystal proteins induce the formation of pores in membranes of susceptible cells. In vitro binding studies with radiolabeled toxins demonstrated a strong correlation between the specificity of B. thuringiensis toxins and the interaction with specific binding sites on the insect midgut epithelium. The expression of B. thuringiensis crystal proteins in plant-associated microorganisms and in transgenic plants has been reported. These approaches are potentially powerful strategies for the protection of agriculturally important crops against insect damage.

Immunotoxins up to the present day

Immunotoxins consist of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies conjugated to bacterial or plant toxins. The toxins used are typically of the A-B type in which a toxic A chain is coupled to a B chain responsible for cell binding and facilitation of A chain entry into the cytosol. Two broad strategies have been followed: coupling intact toxins, or A chains alone, to antibodies. This review examines current progress in in vitro and in vivo research, including recent clinical studies, concentrating principally on ricin or ricin A chain conjugates. The future role of conjugates using membrane-acting toxins, immunolysins, is also discussed.

A cytolytic delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis forms cation-selective channels in planar lipid bilayers

In order to determine the mechanism of action of the 27 kDa mosquitocidal delta-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis we have studied its effects on the conductance of planar lipid bilayers. The toxin formed cation-selective channels in the bilayers, permeable to K+ and Na+ but not to N-methylglucamine or Cl-, showing very fast, cooperative opening and closing. Channel opening was greatly reduced in the presence of divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) and the effect was reversed when these ions were removed. These results are consistent with our proposal that B. thuringiensis toxins act by a mechanism of colloid-osmotic lysis.

Two highly related insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki possess different host range specificities

Two genes encoding insecticidal crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-1 were cloned and sequenced. Both genes, designated cryB1 and cryB2, encode polypeptides of 633 amino acids having a molecular mass of ca. 71 kilodaltons (kDa). Despite the fact that these two proteins display 87% identity in amino acid sequence, they exhibit different toxin specificities. The cryB1 gene product is toxic to both dipteran (Aedes aegypti) and lepidopteran (Manduca sexta) larvae, whereas the cryB2 gene product is toxic only to the latter. DNA sequence analysis indicates that cryB1 is the distal gene of an operon which is comprised of three open reading frames (designated orf1, orf2, and cryB1). The proteins encoded by cryB1 and orf2 are components of small cuboidal crystals found in several subspecies and strains of B. thuringiensis; it is not known whether the orf1 or cryB2 gene products are present in cuboidal crystals. The protein encoded by orf2 has an electrophoretic mobility corresponding to a molecular mass of ca. 50 kDa, although the gene has a coding capacity for a polypeptide of ca. 29 kDa. Examination of the deduced amino acid sequence for this protein reveals an unusual structure which may account for its aberrant electrophoretic mobility: it contains a 15-amino-acid motif repeated 11 times in tandem. Escherichia coli extracts prepared from cells expressing only orf1 and orf2 are not toxic to either test insect.

Mechanism of action of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal delta-endotoxin: interaction with phospholipid vesicles

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal delta-endotoxin from three subspecies and the product of a cloned crystal protein gene were activated in vitro and their interaction with phospholipid liposomes studied. Despite their diverse spectrum of activity, all these toxins were found to cause a rapid increase in the light scattering of liposome suspensions, which reflects a morphological change in the lipid bilayer. When liposomes loaded with radioactive markers were incubated with B. thuringiensis aizawai IC1 toxin, a relatively rapid release of more than 70% of the trapped markers occurred after an initial lag. Activated Bta IC1 and B. thuringiensis israelensis toxins were shown to bind to phospholipid vesicles. Two of the five conserved domains (D1-D5) detectable in the sequence of a range of Bt toxins are predicted to be highly hydrophobic. It is suggested that these, together with an additional conserved hydrophobic region showing structural homology and two predicted amphiphilic helices, play a major part in the interaction of these toxins with target membranes.

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.

Molecular characterization of a gene encoding a 72-kilodalton mosquito-toxic crystal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

A gene encoding a 72,357-dalton (Da) crystal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis was isolated from a native 75-MDa plasmid by the use of a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe. Bacillus megaterium cells harboring the cloned gene (cryD) produced significant amounts of the 72-kDa protein (CryD), and the cells were highly toxic to mosquito larvae. In contrast, cryD-containing Escherichia coli cells did not produce detectable levels of the 72-kDa CryD protein. The sequence of the CryD protein, as deduced from the sequence of the cryD gene, was found to contain regions of homology with two previously described B. thuringiensis crystal proteins: a 73-kDa coleopteran-toxic protein and a 66-kDa lepidopteran- and dipteran-toxic protein of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. A second gene encoding the B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 28-kDa crystal protein was located approximately 1.5 kilobases upstream from and in the opposite orientation to the cryD gene.

Single amino acid changes in the Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis delta-endotoxin affect the toxicity and expression of the protein

Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to change individual amino acids of the larvicidal 27,000 Mr delta-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. Basic and acidic residues have been systematically replaced by alanine, and the resulting mutant polypeptides analysed for cytolytic and larvicidal activity, and binding to phosphatidyl choline liposomes. Replacement of residues at positions 154, 163, 164, 213 and 225 results in proteins which accumulate as inclusions in recombinant Bacillus subtilis cells similar to the wild-type, but have considerably reduced in-vitro and in-vivo toxicity. One mutant (Glu45 to Ala45) results in a protein that has reduced activity in vitro, but retains wild-type larvicidal toxicity. In addition, seven other mutations of charged residues result in proteins which form small or no inclusions in recombinant cells, despite being produced at levels similar to the wild-type in six out of seven cases. In most instances, the toxicity of these aberrantly expressed proteins is considerably less than the wild-type, although one (Lys124 to Ala124) results in a polypeptide with approximately threefold increased activity in vitro. A secondary structural model is proposed to explain these observations.

Nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for a 130-kDa mosquitocidal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis

The nucleotide sequence of pVB131 containing the gene coding for a 130-kDa Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (B.t.isr) mosquitocidal protein was determined. The pVB131 plasmid was constructed by Sekar and Carlton [Gene 33 (1985) 151-158]. Our sequencing revealed only one open reading frame large enough to code for a protein of 130 kDa. The translation start site was determined by sequencing the protein isolated from B.t.isr. The amino acid sequence of the protein was deduced from the nucleotide sequence, and its Mr was determined as 128,505. Immunological and biochemical analyses of B.t.isr mosquitocidal proteins indicated that the 130-kDa protein coded by pVB131 was indeed expressed in B.t.isr. Comparing the peptide sequence of the 130-kDa B.t.isr toxin with the sequences of other B.t. toxins having activities specific to lepidopteran species showed that several domains were highly homologous. This suggests that they are evolutionarily related to each other, and in the evolutionary process the sequences in the homologous domains that are important to the insecticidal activity have been conserved.

Common features of Bacillus thuringiensis toxins specific for Diptera and Lepidoptera

The complete nucleotide sequence of a cloned gene encoding a 130-kDa crystal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) subspecies israelensis has been determined. The recombinant protein (Bt8) was purified and shown to be a mosquito-specific toxin with a LC50 value of 43 ng/ml to third-instar larvae of Aedes aegypti. Bt8 is processed by proteases or midgut extracts of mosquito larvae into toxic fragments of 68-78 kDa. Deletion mapping indicated that the active fragment of Bt8 is localized in the N-terminal half of the protoxin molecule. The deduced amino acid sequence of Bt8 has been compared with that of Bt2, a Lepidoptera-specific toxin, previously cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis berliner. Highly homologous amino acid stretches are present in the C-terminal half of the proteins. The N-terminal parts show much less sequence homology but they display a strikingly similar distribution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids. In addition, Bt8 and Bt2 show a significant immunological cross-reaction. The data indicate that although these B.t. delta endotoxins exhibit a different insect-host specificity, they are structurally related and might use a similar mechanism to interact with insect cell membranes.

Cloning and expression of two homologous genes of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis which encode 130-kilodalton mosquitocidal proteins

Two homologous genes encoding 130-kilodalton (kDa) mosquitocidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis or both. One of these genes, pPC130, was expressed as a lacZ transcriptional fusion in E. coli at a level sufficient to produce phase-bright inclusions, which were purified and shown to be toxic to Aedes aegypti larvae. The second gene, pCH130, was expressed at a low level in recombinant E. coli cells and was therefore cloned in B. subtilis as a transcriptional fusion of the promoter sequences corresponding to a B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 27-kDa delta-endotoxin (E. S. Ward, A. R. Ridley, D. J. Ellar, and J. A. Todd, J. Mol. Biol. 191:13-22, 1986) and the structural gene. Recombinant B. subtilis cells produced phase-bright inclusions during late sporulation; these were partially purified and shown to be toxic to A. aegypti larvae at an LC50 (concentration required to cause 50% mortality of larvae after 24 h of assay) which is significantly lower than that of the pPC130 protein. Neither 130-kDa protein was hemolytic under the assay conditions. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of these two genes indicates that they share a high degree of homology in the C-terminal portions, but relatively little similarity in the N termini. In addition, significant homologies were found between the pCH130 gene and the HD-1 Dipel gene of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (H. E. Schnepf, H. C. Wong, and H. R. Whiteley, J. Biol. Chem. 260:6264-6272, 1985).