Purification of the Cry1Ac protein of Bacillus thuringiensis and assessment against the Plutella xylostella and soil microbial community

The insecticidal toxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the most commonly used to develop insect‐resistant living modified organisms (LMOs). Insecticidal proteins produced in transgenic plants are released into the soil from the roots. In this study, possible effects of crystal 1Ac (Cry1Ac) protein on the soil microbial community in Korea were studied. To purify the insoluble Cry1Ac protein expressing Escherichia coli cells, we performed repeated sonication and PBS washing of the insoluble part and Cry1Ac protein was isolated in soluble form from the insoluble form using 100 mM Na₂CO₃ buffer (pH 9.6) without affinity bead. Also, size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC) was performed to increase the purity of the isolated Cry1Ac protein. The final protein product was identified as Cry1Ac protein through MALDI‐TOF. Insecticidal activity of Cry1Ac protein was demonstrated through the death of Plutella xylostella treated with Cry1Ac protein. Purely isolated Cry1Ac protein showed the same insecticidal activity as Cry1Ac expressed in LM crops. To investigate the change of soil microbial distribution using maize field soils treated with Cry1Ac protein, we isolated high quality metagenomic DNAs from buffer‐ and Cry1Ac protein‐treated soil groups, and analyzed the distribution of soil microorganisms through next‐generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. NGS results showed a similar microbial distribution in both buffer‐ and Cry1Ac protein‐treated samples. These results suggest a useful risk assessment method for domestic targeted insect and soil microorganisms using the Cry1Ac protein.