Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive bacterium, widely used in agriculture as a biological pesticide. The biocidal activity mainly resides in a parasporal protein inclusion body, or crystal. The inclusion is composed of one or more types of δ-endotoxins (Cry and Cyt proteins). Cry proteins are selectively toxic to different species from several invertebrate phyla: arthropods (mainly insects), nematodes, flatworms and protozoa. The mode of action of the insecticidal proteins is still a matter of investigation; generally, the active toxin is supposed to bind specific membrane receptors on the insect midgut brush-border epithelium, leading to intestinal cell lysis and subsequent insect death by starvation or septicemia. The toxin-encoding cry genes have been extensively studied and expressed in a large number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The expression of such genes in transgenic plants has provided a powerful alternative for crop protection.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 202-219 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Delta-endotoxin
- Heterologous expression
- Insecticidal crystal protein
- Ion-channel
- Pesticide
- Transgenic plants
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biotechnology
- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Bioengineering