苏云金芽孢杆菌vip3A基因的检测及保守性分析

Vip3A蛋白是苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)在营养期分泌的一类新型杀虫蛋白。用PCR方法从114个Bl菌株和41个Bl标准菌株中筛选到39株即约25％的菌株含有vip3A基因。利用所制备的Vip3A蛋白的多克隆抗体对以上含有vip3A基因的Bt菌株进行Western印迹分析,发现多数PCR反应为阳性的菌株都产生89kD大小的蛋白,其中有4株没有Vip3A蛋白的表达。从以上菌株中挑选2个对夜蛾科害虫具有较高和较低毒力的菌株,即S101和6ll,并分别进行vip3A基因的克隆和测序,再与GenBank上所登录的其它6个全长vip3A基因和2个已报道的但未登录GenBank的vip3A基因进行核苷酸和氨基酸序列比较,结果表明,vip3A是一个极其保守的基因。将以上所克隆的2个却3A基因即vip3A—S101和vip3A-611分别插入表达载体pQE30构建了表达质粒pOTP-S101和pOTP-6ll,转化到大肠杆菌M15,经lmmol／L IPTG诱导后均表达89kD大小的Vip3A蛋白。蛋白可溶性试验表明,Vip3A-S101和Vip3A-611分别有48％和35％的蛋白是可溶的。将Vip3A-S101和Vip3A-6ll蛋白和已报道的Vip3A—S184蛋白对初孵斜纹夜蛾(Spodoptera litura)幼虫进行生物测定,结果表明,3个Vip3A蛋白对斜纹夜蛾幼虫毒力没有显著性差异,这说明了Vip3A个别氨基酸的变化对蛋白的杀虫活性没有影响。     

苏云金杆菌vip3A基因的克隆、表达及杀虫活性分析

用全长PCR方法从野生型苏云金杆菌（Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt）菌株S184中克隆了2.3 kb大小的vip3A基因并进行了序列分析。将vip3AS184基因插入表达载体pQE30构建了表达质粒pOTP,转化大肠杆菌M15,转化子经1mmol/L IPTG诱导后可表达89 kD大小的Vip3A-S184蛋白,并得到Western blot证实。蛋白可溶性试验表明,目的蛋白中约有19%是可溶的,用透射电镜观察到大多数蛋白是以包涵体形式存在的。因此,可以在自然条件下进行目的蛋白的纯化和对家兔进行免疫制备多克隆抗体,用于苏云金杆菌Vip3A蛋白表达的检测。利用IPTG进行诱导培养的菌液对甜菜夜蛾（Spodoptera exigua）、斜纹夜蛾(S.litura)和棉铃虫(Helicoverpa armigera)等3种害虫的初孵幼虫进行生物测定,结果表明,Vip3AS184蛋白对夜蛾科害虫具有较高的杀虫活性。     

苏云金芽孢杆菌vip3A基因的鉴定、克隆及活性分析

【目的】鉴定我国自行分离的苏云金芽孢杆菌（Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt）菌株中vip3A基因的分布和基因型,从其中对鳞翅目幼虫表现高毒力的Bt菌株中克隆vip3Aa基因。【方法】利用PCR-RFLP方法确定vip3A基因的分布和鉴定基因型,利用PCR方法克隆vip3A全长基因。【结果】171株野生型Bt菌株中共鉴定出63株含有vip3A基因,均与vip3Aa1类基因相似。从TF9和Bt16菌株中克隆得到2个vip3Aa基因,分别构建了携带vip3Aa基因的表达载体p30vip-26和p30vip-27,SDS-PAGE和Western Blot分析表明,IPTG诱导后均可表达88 kDa左右的Vip3A蛋白,蛋白可溶性分析表明约10%可溶。这两种基因序列已被国际Bt基因命名委员会分别正式命名为vip3Aa26和vip3Aa27。生物测定结果显示,Vip3Aa27蛋白对粉纹夜蛾（Trichoplusia ni）、甜菜夜蛾（Spodoptera exigua）和棉铃虫（Helicoverpa armigera）3种重要鳞翅目害虫初孵幼虫的毒力较高,LC50值分别为0.125 μg/mL,0.238 μg/mL和9.238 μg/mL。而Vip3Aa26蛋白仅对粉纹夜蛾有活性,LC50值为4.423 μg/mL。【结论】本研究中的Vip3Aa27蛋白对粉纹夜蛾、甜菜夜蛾和棉铃虫幼虫均能表现高杀虫活性,而Vip3Aa26蛋白仅对粉纹夜蛾幼虫有活性,实验结果表明Vip3A蛋白个别氨基酸的变化对其杀虫活性影响很大。     

苏云金芽孢杆菌vip3A基因的检测及保守性分析

Vip3A蛋白是苏云金芽孢杆菌（Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt）在营养期分泌的一类新型杀虫蛋白。用PCR方法从114个Bt菌株和41个Bt标准菌株中筛选到39株即约25%的菌株含有vip3A基因。利用所制备的Vip3A蛋白的多克隆抗体对以上含有vip3A基因的Bt菌株进行Western印迹分析,发现多数PCR反应为阳性的菌株都产生89 kD大小的蛋白,其中有4株没有Vip3A蛋白的表达。从以上菌株中挑选2个对夜蛾科害虫具有较高和较低毒力的菌株,即S101和611,并分别进行vip3A基因的克隆和测序,再与GenBank上所登录的其它6个全长vip3A基因和2个已报道的但未登录GenBank的vip3A基因进行核苷酸和氨基酸序列比较,结果表明,vip3A是一个极其保守的基因。将以上所克隆的2个vip3A基因即vip3AS101和vip3A611分别插入表达载体pQE30构建了表达质粒pOTP-S101和pOTP-611,转化到大肠杆菌M15,经1 mmol/L IPTG诱导后均表达89 kD大小的Vip3A蛋白。蛋白可溶性试验表明,Vip3A-S101和Vip3A-611分别有48%和35%的蛋白是可溶的。将Vip3A-S101和Vip3A-611蛋白和已报道的Vip3A-S184蛋白对初孵斜纹夜蛾 (Spodoptera litura) 幼虫进行生物测定,结果表明,3个Vip3A蛋白对斜纹夜蛾幼虫毒力没有显著性差异,这说明了Vip3A个别氨基酸的变化对蛋白的杀虫活性没有影响。     

苏云金杆菌辅助蛋白P20对营养期杀虫蛋白Vip3A表达的影响

为检测苏云金杆菌辅助蛋白P20对Vip3A表达和杀虫活性的影响,将p20基因与vip3A基因相连构建了重组质粒pHVP20,然后电激转化至Bt中进行了共表达,以仅携带vip3A基因的质粒pHPT3作为对照质粒。Westernblot结果显示,当vip3A基因和p20基因在Bt无晶体缺陷株CryB中共表达时,Vip3A蛋白的最大表达量约是其在CryB(pHPT3)菌株中单独表达的1.5倍。生物测定结果表明,CryB(pHVP20)和CryB(pHPT3)菌株对初孵斜纹夜蛾幼虫的LC50值分别为48.79μg/mL和78.00μg/mL,这说明P20蛋白可以促进vip3A基因在Bt中的表达,但对提高Vip3A蛋白的杀虫毒力没有显著性帮助。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌营养期杀虫蛋白基因vip3A在枯草芽胞杆菌中的表达

枯草芽胞杆菌Bacillus subtilis常被用于表达杀虫和抗菌蛋白.为了探讨苏云金芽胞杆菌B. thuringiensis营养期杀虫蛋白基因（vip3A）在枯草芽胞杆菌中的表达情况,促进杀虫防病工程菌构建,将枯草芽胞杆菌168菌株核糖体小亚基S4蛋白基因的启动子与苏云金芽胞杆菌WB7菌株vip3A基因的编码序列连接,插入大肠杆菌Escherichia coli与枯草芽胞杆菌穿梭载体pAD123,得到重组原核表达质粒pADpvip,将重组质粒转化枯草芽胞杆菌标准菌株168和分离自辣椒体内的生防内生枯草芽胞杆菌BS-2菌株中,获得工程菌株.SDS-PAGE分析表明在枯草芽胞杆菌168菌株的部分工程菌株中有约88 kDa大小的VIP条带,而BS-2的工程菌株中未见相应的条带,表明Vip3A蛋白仅在168菌株中表达.生物测定表明有5株168的工程菌株（168vip1-4,6）表现较高的杀虫活性,工程菌株发酵稀释液（约10⁷CFU/mL）处理的小白菜叶片饲喂斜纹夜蛾2龄幼虫72 h的杀虫效果可达87.64%~92.13%,但vip3A基因转入内生枯草芽胞杆菌BS-2中不表现杀虫作用.毒力测定表明168vip2菌株对斜纹夜蛾2龄幼虫72 h的LC₅₀为0.0194 mL/mL.这些结果为进一步研究基因在枯草芽胞杆菌中的表达构建杀虫防病工程菌打下了基础.     

Vip3a基因植物表达载体的构建及其对烟草的遗传转化

为了研究Vip3A基因在转基因抗虫植物中的应用,利用PCR技术克隆了苏云金芽孢杆菌的Vip3A基因和烟草的EF1α启动子,以pB1121质粒为基本载体,构建了分别由组成型CaMV35S启动子和花特异表达的EF1α启动子驱动Vip3A基因的植物表达载体pBIVip3A和pBIEFVip3A,并通过农杆菌介导的方法对烟草进行了遗传转化。经PCR检测,外源基因已整合到烟草基因组中。     

新vip3Aa基因的克隆、表达及其序列分析

克隆了Bt9816C的vip3A基因,并将测序结果提交到GenBank(序列号:AY945939)。该基因是一个新的vip3Aa基因,Bt杀虫晶体蛋白命名委员会将其命名为vip3Aa18。在大肠杆菌BL21中表达了该基因,生物测定结果表明纯化的Vip3Aa18蛋白对棉铃虫和甜菜夜蛾具有很高的杀虫活性。序列分析结果显示Vip3Aa18C端536至667位氨基酸残基间是一个糖类结合域,推测可能参与Vip3Aa18与敏感昆虫中肠受体结合;N端272至292位氨基酸残基间存在一个跨膜螺旋,可能与Vip3Aa18形成穿孔有关。此外,Vip3Aa18还可能具有一个二硫键。这些特殊区域和位点可能与其功能密切相关。     

对二点委夜蛾高毒力苏云金芽胞杆菌的筛选及其基因型分析

【目的】获得对二点委夜蛾Athetis lepigone(M(o|¨)schler)高毒力的苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bt)菌株,寻找对该虫具有特异杀虫活性的蛋白毒素,探索Bt菌株或其杀虫基因应用于二点委夜蛾防治的可行性。【方法】通过生物测定方法比较了36株苏云金芽胞杆菌和一株恶臭假单胞工程菌PHB-cry1Ab对二点委夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性,同时利用PCR-RFLP方法对这些菌株的基因型进行了分析。【结果】不同Bt菌株对二点委夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性差别很大,杀虫活性高的菌株都含有cry1Ac基因。饲毒72 h后含单基因的BtHD-73菌株(cry1Ac)对二点委夜蛾2龄幼虫的毒力(LC_(50)值为188.51μg/g)明显高于含多基因的Bt SC-40菌株(cry1Ac,cry2Ac,cry1I,vip3A)的毒力(LC_(50)值为418.13μg/g)。含有vip3A基因的Bt SC-40和BtHD-13营养期上清液对二点委夜蛾2龄幼虫表现出一定的杀虫活性(72 h死亡率分别达到42.5%和57.4%),而无vip3A基因的Bt HD-73营养期上清液未表现出明显的杀虫活性。【结论】由cry1Ac基因编码的Cry1Ac蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫具有特异杀虫活性,Vip3A蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫可能也有一定的杀虫活性。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Vip3AaAdAa嵌合蛋白的构建及其杀虫活性分析

Vip3A类杀虫蛋白是一类新型杀虫蛋白,在氨基酸序列上与研究较为深入的Cry蛋白没有同源性,且昆虫受体结合位点与Cry蛋白也没有竞争关系。利用同源重组技术针对对甜菜夜蛾具有高活性的Vip3Aa39与无活性的Vip3Ad开展研究,成功构建了三个vip3AaAdAa型嵌合基因,将其转入大肠杆菌中表达嵌合蛋白Vip3AaAdAa1、Vip3AaAdAa2、Vip3AaAdAa3,并将这三种嵌合蛋白对甜菜夜蛾进行了杀虫活性测定。研究表明,三种嵌合蛋白对甜菜夜蛾具有杀虫活性,Vip3AaAdAa3蛋白的LC_(50)值比Vip3Aa39增加了1.4倍,Vip3AaAdAa1蛋白的LC_(50)值比Vip3Aa39增加了2.7倍,嵌合蛋白Vip3AaAdAa1和Vip3AaAdAa3的杀虫活性均低于Vip3Aa39;Vip3AaAdAa2的杀虫活性与Vip3Aa39差异不显著。     

Comparison of the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis full-length and N-terminally truncated vip3A gene in Escherichia coli

AIMS: Studies were performed to demonstrate the function of the putative signal peptide of Vip3A proteins in Escherichia coli. METHODS AND RESULTS: The full-length vip3A-S184 gene was isolated from a soil-isolated Bacillus thuringiensis, and the vip3AdeltaN was constructed by deleting 81 nucleotides at the 5'-terminus of vip3A-S184. Both were transformed and expressed in E. coli. About 19.2% of Vip3A-S184 proteins secreted soluble proteins and others formed inclusion bodies in the periplasmic space. In contrast, the Vip3AdeltaN was insoluble and formed inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm. Bioassay indicated that Vip3A-S184 showed different toxicity against Spodoptera exigua, Helicoverpa armigera and S. litura, but Vip3AdeltaN showed no toxicity to either of them because of the deletion of the first 27 amino acids at the N-terminus. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the deleted N-terminal sequences were essential for the secretion of Vip3A-S184 protein in E. coli and might be required for toxicity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The function of the putative signal peptide of Vip3A protein in E. coli was investigated. These would be helpful to make clear the unknown secretion pathway of Vip3A protein in B. thuringiensis and determine the receptor-binding domain or toxic fragment of Vip3A-S184 protein.     

Isolation, characterization and expression of a novel vegetative insecticidal protein gene of Bacillus thuringiensis

Twenty-four serovars of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were screened by polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of vegetative insecticidal protein gene (vip)-like sequences by using vip3Aa1-specific primers. vip-like gene sequences were identified in eight serovars. These genes were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of the vip3Aa14 gene from Bacillus thuringiensis tolworthi showed considerable differences as compared to those of Vips reported so far. The vip3Aa14 gene from Bt tolwarthi was expressed in Escherichia coli using expression vector pET29a. The expressed Vip3Aa14 protein was found in cytosolic supernatant as well as pellet fraction, but the protein was more abundant in the cytosolic supernatant fraction. Both full-length and truncated (devoid of signal sequence) Vips were highly toxic to the larvae of Spodoptera litura and Plutella xylostella. Truncation of Vip3Aa14 protein at N-terminus did not affect its insecticidal activity.     

Efficient expression of vip184DeltaP gene under the control of promoters plus Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequences of cry genes from Bacillus thuringiensis

AIMS: To compare vip184DeltaP gene expression time course and Vip184 protein yield under the control of promoters and Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequences of vip184, cry3A and cry1A gene from Bacillus thuringiensis respectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: Derived from the shuttle vector pHT3101, recombinant plasmids pHPT3, pHTP3A(Delta)P and pHTP1A(Delta)P were constructed with the native vip184 gene and the vip184(Delta)P gene, either under the control of promoters and SD sequences of cry3A or cry1A genes. When the above plasmids were transformed into an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis strain Cry(-)B, their expression time course were consistent with those of vip184, cry3A and cry1A gene respectively. The maximum yields of Vip184 protein were increased when under the control of promoters plus SD sequences of cry3A and cry1A gene. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that both cry3A and cry1A promoter/SD sequence combinations were able to enhance synthesis of Vip184 and change its expression time course. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Both cry3A and cry1A promoter/SD systems offer a method for improving the expression efficacy of the vip184 gene in B. thuringiensis and it is possible to co-express the vip184 gene and cry genes and accumulate Vip184 in the form of inclusion bodies by these systems in order to construct novel useful B. thuringiensis engineered strains.     

Expression of vip1/vip2 genes in Escherichia coli and Bacillus thuringiensis and the analysis of their signal peptides

AIMS: To determine the expression time courses and high expression level of Vip2A(c) and Vip1A(c) in Bacillus thuringiensis, and survey their insecticidal toxicity and insecticidal spectrum. METHODS AND RESULTS: A kind of new vegetative insecticidal toxin genes encoded by a single operon from B. thuringiensis had been cloned and sequenced. The individual genes, 5-terminus truncated genes and the operon were respectively expressed in Escherichia coli. Only N-terminus deleted Vip2A(c) and Vip1A(c) proteins could be purified by Ni-NTA agarose, while others were processed and their N-terminal signal peptides were cleaved. The individual genes and the operon were also expressed in B. thuringiensis. Both proteins were mostly secreted into the cell supernatants. The expression level of Vip1A(c) was influenced because of the interruption of vip2A(c) gene on the operon. Bioassays showed that neither separate protein nor both performed any toxicity against tested lepidopteran and coleopteran insects. CONCLUSIONS: Vip2A(c) and Vip1A(c) have similar secretion mechanism in E. coli and B. thuringiensis. Vip1A(c) remained its high expression level only when being expressed with vip2A(c) gene as an operon in B. thuringiensis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Expression of vip2A(c) and vip1A(c) genes in E. coli and B. thuringiensis were investigated. This would help to make clear the secretion mechanism of VIP proteins and study the function of ADP-ribosyltransferase Vip2.     

Identification of vip3A-type genes from Bacillus thuringiensis strains and characterization of a novel vip3A-type gene

AIMS: To search for novel Vip3A proteins for controlling insect pests. METHODS AND RESULTS: A pair of universal primers was designed based on the conserved regions of five vip3A genes. Amplified products were digested with the HindIII and EcoR enzymes so as to confirm different restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns used to identify vip3A-type genes. The vip3A gene types of 606 Bacillus thuringiensis strains were screened and three patterns of RFLP were successfully identified. Two novel vip3A genes were found and one of these, vip3Aa19, was further characterized and its product was confirmed toxic to Spodoptera exigua, Helicoverpa armigera and Plutella xylostella larvae. Partial sequences of another novel vip3A-type gene were obtained that shared 83% homology with that of the vip3Af1 gene. CONCLUSIONS: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP system we developed could be used for identifying novel vip3A-genes from B. thuringiensis strains. A novel Vip3A protein was found to have a broader insecticidal spectrum. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The reported method is a powerful tool to find novel Vip3A proteins from large-scale B. thuringiensis strains. The novel Vip3A protein may be used to control insect pests or resistant insect pests by constructing genetically engineered strains or transgenic plants.     

Characterization of a novel vip3-type gene from Bacillus thuringiensis and evidence of its presence on a large plasmid

A novel vip3-type gene named vip3LB has been isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis strain BUPM95. The corresponding secreted vegetative insecticidal protein was active against the lepidopteran insect Ephestia kuehniella. The vip3LB gene was shown, for the first time, to be carried by the large plasmid containing the cry1Ia genes of B. thuringiensis. The nucleotide sequence predicted a protein of 789 amino acids residues with a calculated molecular mass of 88.5kDa. Both nucleotide and amino acid sequences similarity analysis revealed that vip3LB is a new vip3-type gene, presenting several differences with the other vip3-type genes. Heterologous expression of the vip3LB under the control of the strong promoter P(BAD) was performed in Escherichia coli and the produced protein conferred insecticidal activity against Ephestia kuehniella. This novel vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3LB could be a very useful biological control agent.     

Unusually High Frequency of Genes Encoding Vegetative Insecticidal Proteins in an Australian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Collection

Of 188 Australian Bacillus thuringiensis strains screened for genes encoding soluble insecticidal proteins by polymerase chain reaction/restriction-length fragment polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, 87% showed the presence of such genes. Although 135 isolates (72%) produced an RFLP pattern identical to that expected for vip3A genes, 29 isolates possessed a novel vip-like gene. The novel vip-like gene was cloned from B. thuringiensis isolate C81, and sequence analysis demonstrated that it was 94% identical to the vip3Ba1 gene. The new gene was designated vip3Bb2. Cell-free supernatants from both the B. thuringiensis strain C81 and from Escherichia coli expressing the Vip3Bb2 protein were toxic for the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera.