Purification of an active fragment of Cry1Ie toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Rotation of Multiple Single-Gene Transgenic Crops Did Not Slow the Evolution of Resistance to Cry1F or Cry1Ie in Ostrinia furnacalis

A common strategy for delaying the evolution of resistance to transgenic crops that produce insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis is to ensure that insect pests are exposed to multiple toxins with different mechanisms of action (MoAs). This can take the form of planting crops in a rotation pattern when different crops expressing single toxins are available on the market. The efficacy of a rotation strategy is reliant on mathematical models based on biological assumptions. Here, we designed laboratory evolution experiments to test whether Bt-based insecticidal proteins with different MoAs used in rotation could delay resistance from developing in Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis. We investigated the proteins Cry1Ab, Cry1F, and Cry1Ie, which are widely utilized for commercial insect control. We found that rotation of multiple toxins did not slow the evolution of resistance to Cry1F or Cry1Ie. Furthermore, the evolution of ACB to the Cry1Ab toxin develops faster when Cry1F or Cry1Ie is present, as compared to Cry1Ab exposure only. Our results suggest that toxins used in a rotation fashion do not work as an effective strategy in delaying ACB resistance evolution to Cry toxins over one-toxin exposure. Our result highlights the need to better understand the biological factors leading to insecticidal protein resistance and to develop IRM strategies against target insects.

Activation of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1I to a 50 kDa stable core impairs its full toxicity to Ostrinia nubilalis

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1I insecticidal proteins are structurally similar to other three-domain Cry proteins, although their size, activity spectrum, and expression at the stationary phase are unique among other members of the Cry1 family. The mode of action of Cry1 proteins is not completely understood but the existence of an activation step prior to specific binding is widely accepted. In this study, we attempted to characterize and determine the importance of the activation process in the mode of action of Cry1I, as Cry1Ia protoxin or its partially processed form showed significantly higher toxicity to Ostrinia nubilalis than the fully processed protein either activated with trypsin or with O. nubilalis midgut juice. Oligomerization studies showed that Cry1Ia protoxin, in solution, formed dimers spontaneously, and the incubation of Cry1Ia protoxin with O. nubilalis brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) promoted the formation of dimers of the partially processed form. While no oligomerization of fully activated proteins after incubation with BBMV was detected. The results of the in vitro competition assays showed that both the Cry1Ia protoxin and the approx. 50 kDa activated proteins bind specifically to the O. nubilalis BBMV and compete for the same binding sites. Accordingly, the in vivo binding competition assays show a decrease in toxicity following the addition of an excess of 50 kDa activated protein. Consequently, as full activation of Cry1I protein diminishes its toxicity against lepidopterans, preventing or decelerating proteolysis might increase the efficacy of this protein in Bt-based products. KEY POINTS: • Processing Cry1I to a 50 kDa stable core impairs its full toxicity to O. nubilalis • Partially processed Cry1Ia protoxin retains the toxicity of protoxin vs O. nubilalis • Protoxin and its final processed forms compete for the same functional binding sites.

Susceptibility of agricultural pests of regional importance in South America to a Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ia protein

Bacillus thuringiensis toxins of the Cry1I class have dual specificity for insects in the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. We assessed the toxicity of a Cry1Ia protein from an Argentinian B. thuringiensis strain against agricultural pests in the families Tenebrionidae, Curculionidae, Noctuidae and Tortricidae. Three recombinant protein variants were produced that differed in length and fusion tag position to rule out artifactual results. The protein was toxic to Cydia pomonella and Rachiplusia nu. In contrast, Alphitobius diaperinus, Anthonomus grandis and Spodoptera frugiperda were not susceptible. The results are discussed with respect to previous studies and the prospective use of Cry1Ia in strategies to control major cotton pests in the region.

Evolution of Asian Corn Borer Resistance to Bt Toxins Used Singly or in Pairs

Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have revolutionized pest control, but the benefits of this approach have been reduced by the evolution of resistance in pests. The widely adopted 'pyramid strategy' for delaying resistance entails transgenic crops producing two or more distinct toxins that kill the same pest. The limited experimental evidence supporting this strategy comes primarily from a model system under ideal conditions. Here we tested the pyramid strategy under nearly worst-case conditions, including some cross-resistance between the toxins in the pyramid. In a laboratory selection experiment with an artificial diet, we used Bt toxins Cry1Ab, Cry1F, and Cry1Ie singly or in pairs against Ostrinia furnacalis, one of the most destructive pests of corn in Asia. Under the conditions evaluated, pairs of toxins did not consistently delay the evolution of resistance relative to single toxins.

Role of the peritrophic matrix in insect-pathogen interactions

The peritrophic matrix (PM) is an acellular chitin and glycoprotein layer that lines the invertebrate midgut. The PM has long been considered a physical as well as a biochemical barrier, protecting the midgut epithelium from abrasive food particles, digestive enzymes and pathogens infectious per os. This short review will focus on the latter function, as a barrier to pathogens infectious per os. We focus on the evidence confirming the role of the PM as protective barrier against pathogenic microorganisms of insects, mainly bacteria and viruses, as well as the evolution of a variety of mechanisms used by pathogens to overcome the PM barrier.

No effect of Bt Cry1Ie toxin on bacterial diversity in the midgut of the Chinese honey bees, Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Cry1Ie protein derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been proposed as a promising candidate for the development of a new Bt-maize variety to control maize pests in China. We studied the response of the midgut bacterial community of Apis cerana cerana to Cry1Ie toxin under laboratory conditions. Newly emerged bees were fed one of the following treatments for 15 and 30 days: three concentrations of Cry1Ie toxin (20 ng/mL, 200 ng/mL, and 20 μg/mL) in sugar syrup, pure sugar syrup as a negative control and 48 ng/mL imidacloprid as a positive control. The relative abundance of 16S rRNA genes was measured by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction and no apparent differences were found among treatments for any of these counts at any time point. Furthermore, the midgut bacterial structure and compositions were determined using high-throughput sequencing targeting the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rDNA. All core honey bee intestinal bacterial genera such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Snodgrassella, and Gilliamella were detected, and no significant changes were found in the species diversity and richness for any bacterial taxa among treatments at different time points. These results suggest that Cry1Ie toxin may not affect gut bacterial communities of Chinese honey bees.

Domain III of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ie Toxin Plays an Important Role in Binding to Peritrophic Membrane of Asian Corn Borer

The insecticidal IE648 toxin is a truncated Cry1Ie protein with increased toxicity against Asian corn borer (ACB). Cry toxins are pore-forming toxins that disrupt insect midgut cells to kill the larvae. However, the peritrophic membrane (PM) is an important barrier that Cry toxins must cross before binding to midgut cells. Previously, it was shown that Cry toxins are able to bind and accumulate in the PM of several lepidopteran insects. Binding of IE648 toxin to PM of ACB was previously reported and the goal of the current work was the identification of the binding region between Cry1Ie and the PM of ACB. Homologous competition binding assays showed that this interaction was specific. Heterologous competition binding assays performed with different fragments corresponding to domain I, domain II and domain III allowed us to identify that domain III participates in the interaction of IE648 with the PM. Specifically, peptide D3-L8 (corresponding to Cry1Ie toxin residues 607 to 616), located in an exposed loop region of domain III is probably involved in this interaction. Ligand blot assays show that IE648 interact with chitin and PM proteins with sizes of 30, 32 and 80 kDa. The fact that domain III interacts with proteins of similar molecular masses supports that this region of the toxin might be involved in PM interaction. These data provide for the first time the identification of domain III as a putative binding region between PM and 3D-Cry toxin.

Identification of a New cry1I-Type Gene as a Candidate for Gene Pyramiding in Corn To Control Ostrinia Species Larvae

Pyramiding of diverse cry toxin genes from Bacillus thuringiensis with different modes of action is a desirable strategy to delay the evolution of resistance in the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). Considering the dependency of susceptibility to Cry toxins on toxin binding to receptors in the midgut of target pests, a diverse mode of action is commonly defined as recognition of unique binding sites in the target insect. In this study, we present a novel cry1Ie toxin gene (cry1Ie2) as a candidate for pyramiding with Cry1Ab or Cry1Fa in corn to control Ostrinia species larvae. The new toxin gene encodes an 81-kDa protein that is processed to a protease-resistant core form of approximately 55 kDa by trypsin digestion. The purified protoxin displayed high toxicity to Ostrinia furnacalis and O. nubilalis larvae but low to no activity against Spodoptera or heliothine species or the coleopteran Tenebrio molitor. Results of binding assays with (125)I-labeled Cry1Ab toxin and brush border membrane vesicles from O. nubilalis larvae demonstrated that Cry1Ie2 does not recognize the Cry1Ab binding sites in that insect. Reciprocal competition binding assays with biotin-labeled Cry1Ie2 confirmed the lack of shared sites with Cry1Ab or Cry1Fa in O. nubilalis brush border membrane vesicles. These data support Cry1Ie2 as a good candidate for pyramiding with Cry1Ab or Cry1Fa in corn to increase the control of O. nubilalis and reduce the risk of resistance evolution.

A cadherin-like protein from the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a putative Cry1Ac receptor

In S. exigua, ingestion of Cry1Ac reduces larval growth, shortens lifespan, and decreases copulation and oviposition of the adults. Cadherin-like protein SeCad1b in S. exigua has recently been published. Here, we tested whether SeCad1b mediates the negative effects of Cry1Ac. We identified three potential Cry toxin binding regions in SeCad1b, i.e., (879) EIAIQITDTNN(889) , (1357) SLLTVTI(1363) , and (1436) GVISLNFQ(1443) . We expressed and purified a truncated cadherin, rSeCad1bp, and its interspecific homologue, rHaBtRp, from H. armigera that contain the putative toxin binding regions. Using a toxin overlay assay, we found that rSeCad1bp specifically binds to biotinylated Cry1Ac in a dose-dependent manner. We also discovered that an addition of rSeCad1bp and rHaBtRp enhances the suppression of larval growth by Cry1Ac, although rSeCad1bp is less suppressive than rHaBtRp. Finally, RNA interference-mediated knockdown of SeCad1b reduced approximately 80% of the target gene and significantly alleviated the negative effect of CrylAc on larval growth. We infer that the  S. exigua SeCad1b is a functional receptor of Cry1Ac.