Coleopteran-specific and putative novel cry genes in Iranian native Bacillus thuringiensis collection

JA. Identification of Cry toxin receptor genes homologs in a de novo transcriptome of Premnotrypes vorax (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The white potato worm Premnotrypes vorax (Hustache) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the most destructive insect pests of potato crops in South America. Like many coleopteran insects, P. vorax shows low susceptibility to Cry insecticidal proteins produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, the presence of Cry toxin receptors in the midgut of this this insect has never been studied. The main Cry-binding proteins described in other insect species are cadherin (CAD), aminopeptidase N (APN), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. In this study, we analyzed and validated a de novo assembled transcriptome of Illumina sequencing data to identify and to characterize homologs of Cry toxin receptors. We identified the protein sequences in P. vorax that show high identity with their orthologous sequences of the Cry toxin binding proteins in other coleopteran larvae such as APN, ALP, CAD and ABC transporter. This study provides preliminary identification of putative receptor genes of Cry proteins that would be useful for future studies involving biocontrol of this important potato crop pest.

Isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis from Maranhão biomes with potential insecticidal action against Aedes aegypti larvae (Diptera, Culicidae)

Entomopathogenic agents are viable and effective options due to their selective action against insects but benign effects on humans and the environment. The most promising entomopathogens include subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which are widely used for the biological control of insects, including mosquito vectors of human pathogens. The efficacy of B. thuringiensis toxicity has led to the search for new potentially toxic isolates in different regions of the world. Therefore, soil samples from the Amazon, Cerrado and Caatinga biomes of the state of Maranhão were evaluated for their potential larvicidal action against Aedes aegypti. The isolates with high toxicity to mosquito larvae, as detected by bioassays, were subjected to histological evaluation under a light microscope to identify the genes potentially responsible for the toxicity. Additionally, the toxic effects of these isolates on the intestinal epithelium were assessed. In the new B. thuringiensis isolates toxic to A. aegypti larvae, cry and cyt genes were amplified at different frequencies, with cry4, cyt1, cry32, cry10 and cry11 being the most frequent (33-55%) among those investigated. These genes encode specific proteins toxic to dipterans and may explain the severe morphological changes in the intestine of A. aegypti larvae caused by the toxins of the isolates.

Bacillus thuringiensis: a successful insecticide with new environmental features and tidings

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is known as the most successful microbial insecticide against different orders of insect pests in agriculture and medicine. Moreover, Bt toxin genes also have been efficiently used to enhance resistance to insect pests in genetically modified crops. In light of the scientific advantages of new molecular biology technologies, recently, some other new potentials of Bt have been explored. These new environmental features include the toxicity against nematodes, mites, and ticks, antagonistic effects against plant and animal pathogenic bacteria and fungi, plant growth-promoting activities (PGPR), bioremediation of different heavy metals and other pollutants, biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles, production of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer, and anticancer activities (due to parasporins). This review comprehensively describes recent advances in the Bt whole-genome studies, the last updated known Bt toxins and their functions, and application of cry genes in plant genetic engineering. Moreover, the review thoroughly describes the new features of Bt which make it a suitable cell factory that might be used for production of different novel valuable bioproducts.

The basis for rootstock resilient to Capnodis species: screening for genes encoding δ-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis

BACKGROUND

Conventional methods often fail to control the flatheaded borers Capnodis spp., major pests of stone fruit trees; the larvae are protected from insecticides and predation because they feed deep in the roots. A potential solution is transgenic trees producing in their roots toxic compounds such as Cry proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

RESULTS

Toxicities against Capnodis larvae were demonstrated by exploiting a recently designed artificial larval diet and an available collection of field isolated Bt. An isolate of Bt tenebrionis (Btt) from commercial bioinsecticide (Novodor) displayed LC50 and LC95 values of 3.2 and 164 mg g(-1) , respectively, against neonates of Capnodis tenebrionis, whereas values of the most toxic field isolate K-7 were 1.9 and 25.6 mg g(-1) respectively. Weights of surviving larvae after 1 month on diets containing low concentrations of K-7 (0.1-1.0 mg g(-1) ) were lower than on Btt or untreated larvae. K-7 was also toxic against larvae of C. cariosa and C. miliaris and found to harbour genes encoding Cry9Ea-like and Cry23Aa/Cry37Aa binary toxins.

CONCLUSION

Larvae of Capnodis spp. are susceptible to Bt Cry toxins. Expressing cry genes active against these pests thus seems a feasible solution towards production of transgenic rootstock trees resilient to the pest.

Microbial control of the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) by Egyptian Bacillus thuringiensis isolates

Four local Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates that had been serologically identified as Bt var. kurstaki (Btk2, Btk3, and Btk66) and Bt var. mexicanensis (Btm27), in addition to two reference strains (4D20 and 4AC1), were laboratory assayed as microbial control agents against the Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification analysis revealed that each of the six experimental strains carries, at least, a cry1 type gene which expresses a protein toxin active against lepidopterous insects. Additionally, PCR amplification results demonstrated that 4D20 and Btk66 contain the Lepidoptera- and Diptera-active cry2 type gene and that Btk66 contains Coleoptera-active cry7 and cry8 genes. Among the six strains, Btk66 and Btm27 were the most promising microbial control agents against S. littoralis. The present findings were the first to report that Btm27 (classified as B. thuringiensis var. mexicanensis) is a very potent microbial control agent against S. littoralis-tested larvae. For more characterization of these two isolates, the sspO gene was investigated as a molecular chronometer. The DNA sequencing results proved that Btk66 and Btm27 carry sspO open reading frames with identical nucleotide sequences, suggesting a strong phylogenetic relationship between the two strains.

Insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolated from soil and water

We attempted to search novel Bacillus thuringiensis strains that produce crystals with potential utility in plant protection and with higher activity than strains already used in biopesticide production. Seven B. thuringiensis soil and water isolates were used in the research. We predicted the toxicity of their crystals by cry gene identification employing PCR method. The isolate MPU B63 with interesting, according to us, genes content was used in evaluating its crystal toxicity against Cydia pomonella caterpillars. The strain MPU B63 was cultured from water sample and had cry1Ab, cry1B, and cry15 genes. The LC₅₀ crystals of MPU B63 were compared to LC₅₀ of commercial bioinsecticide Foray determined against C. pomonella (codling moth). The activity of MPU B63 inclusions against codling moth larvae was approximately 24-fold higher than that of Foray. The results are a promising introduction for further study evaluating the potential usefulness of isolate MPU B63 crystals in plant protection.

Two new Brazilian isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis toxic to Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacterium used for biopesticides production and pest-resistant plants due to the synthesis of protein crystals by cry genes, which are effective in controlling several insect orders such as Lepidoptera. This work aimed at the evaluation and characterisation of two new B. thuringiensis isolates active against A. gemmatalis (Hübner 1818) larvae, which is the soybean major pest. The results showed that Bt117-4 isolate amplified fragments corresponding to cry2 and cry9 genes, and synthesised protein fragments equivalent to 130, 90 and 45 kDa. The Bt3146-4 isolate amplified DNA fragments corresponding to cry9 gene and synthesised protein fragments of 70, 58 and 38 kDa. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of protein crystals in both isolates. CL50 with Cry purified proteins from Bt117-4 and Bt3146-4, corresponded to 0.195 and 0.191 µg larvae-1, respectively. The two B. thuringiensis isolates selected in this study were effective to control velvetbean caterpillar at laboratory conditions. Field tests should be carried on to develop new biopesticides formulation as well for cry genes resource for Anticarsia gemmatalis resistant transgenic plants.

Cloning, characterization and diversity of insecticidal crystal protein genes of bacillus thuringiensis native isolates from soils of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Bt strains were isolated from soils of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and characterized by microscopic and molecular methods. Diversity was observed both in protein and cry gene profiles, where majority of the isolates showed presence of 65 kDa protein band on SDS-PAGE while rest of them showed 130, 72, 44, and 29 kDa bands. PCR analysis revealed predominance of cry1I and cry7, 8 genes in these isolates. The PCR screening strategy presented here led us to identify putative novel cry genes which could be active against Coleoptera insects. Variation in the nucleotide sequences of cry genes from the isolates suggests that the genetic diversity of Bt isolates results from the influence of different ecological factors and spatial separation between strains generated by the conquest of different habitats in the soils of Andaman and Nicobar islands. The implications of our studies are important from the point of view of identifying novel cry genes that could be toxic to insects other than lepidoptera.