Affiliation:
1. Monsanto Company, Chesterfield, Missouri 63017-1732
2. Ecogen Inc., Belmar, New Jersey 07719
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The western corn rootworm,
Diabrotica virgifera virgifera
LeConte, is a significant pest of corn in the United States. The development of transgenic corn hybrids resistant to rootworm feeding damage depends on the identification of genes encoding insecticidal proteins toxic to rootworm larvae. In this study, a bioassay screen was used to identify several isolates of the bacterium
Bacillus thuringiensis
active against rootworm. These bacterial isolates each produce distinct crystal proteins with approximate molecular masses of 13 to 15 kDa and 44 kDa. Insect bioassays demonstrated that both protein classes are required for insecticidal activity against this rootworm species. The genes encoding these proteins are organized in apparent operons and are associated with other genes encoding crystal proteins of unknown function. The antirootworm proteins produced by
B. thuringiensis
strains EG5899 and EG9444 closely resemble previously described crystal proteins of the Cry34A and Cry35A classes. The antirootworm proteins produced by strain EG4851, designated Cry34Ba1 and Cry35Ba1, represent a new binary toxin. Genes encoding these proteins could become an important component of a sustainable resistance management strategy against this insect pest.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Ecology,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,Food Science,Biotechnology
Cited by
38 articles.
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