A pair of adjacent genes, cry5Ad and orf2-5Ad, encode the typical N- and C-terminal regions of a Cry5Aδ-endotoxin as two separate proteins in Bacillus thuringiensis strain L366

A new DNA sequence cry5Ad/orf2-5Ad (GenBank accession number EF219060 ) was isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis strain L366. This DNA sequence contains two ORFs: cry5Ad (a previously unreported member of the cry5A gene family) and orf2-5Ad . cry5Ad is unique among cry5A genes in that it encodes only the N-terminal region of a typical Cry5Aδ-endotoxin. The cry5Ad sequence includes homology blocks 1–5, which are present in most B. thuringiensis δ-endotoxins. The usual C-terminal region of a Cry5Aδ-endotoxin (including homology blocks 6–8) is encoded by orf2-5Ad . Both proteins encoded by cry5Ad and orf2-5Ad were found in IPTG-induced Escherichia coli , after a copy of cry5Ad/orf2-5Ad was cloned into the pQE32 expression vector and transformed into pREP4 E. coli cells. Both proteins were also found in parasporal crystal inclusions of B. thuringiensis L366. Sequencing of cDNA derived from transformed E. coli cells showed that the two ORFs are transcribed as a single mRNA. Extracts prepared from the recombinant E. coli expressing Cry5Ad and Orf2-5Ad were not toxic to nematode larvae ( Haemonchus contortus ), indicating that these two proteins are most likely not responsible for the nematocidal activity seen previously in the B. thuringiensis strain L366.     

Characterization of a cry2A Gene Cloned from an Isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto

A cry2A-type gene, designated as cry2(SKW), was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto SKW01-10.2-06, and some unique features of the gene were revealed. The cry2(SKW) gene encoded a polypeptide of 635 residues with a predicted molecular mass of 71,137 Da. Cry2(SKW) had 95.4% identity with Cry2Aa in amino acid sequence and was two residues longer than Cry2Aa. Two open reading frames (ORFs), designated as orf1 and orf2, were present upstream of the cry2(SKW) and showed high homology with the corresponding ORFs in the cry2Aa operon. The Orf2 from SKW01-10.2-06 contained a region of repeated sequences. However, unlike Cry2Aa, Cry2(SKW) formed the cuboidal crystalline inclusions when the cry2(SKW) gene was expressed in an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis strain in the absence of the upstream ORFs. Furthermore, Cry2(SKW) was less toxic to a lepidopteran species, Bombyx mori, than Cry2Aa in spite of high homology between the two proteins. Received: 17 July 1996 / Accepted: 5 December 1996     

Contribution of the 65-kilodalton protein encoded by the cloned gene cry19A to the mosquitocidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan.

Two new crystal protein genes, cry19A and orf2, isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan were cloned and characterized. The cry19A gene encodes a 74.7-kDa protein, and the orf2 gene encodes a 60-kDa protein. Cry19A contains the five conserved blocks present in most B. thuringiensis delta-endotoxins. The ORF2 amino acid sequence is similar to that of the carboxy terminus of Cry4 proteins. The cry 19A gene was expressed independently or in combination with orf2 in a crystal-negative B. thuringiensis host. The proteins accumulated as inclusions. Purified inclusions containing either Cry19A alone or Cry19A and ORF2 together were toxic to Anopheles stephensi and Culex pipiens mosquito larvae. They were more toxic to C. pipiens than to A. stephensi. However, inclusions containing Cry19A and ORF2 together were more toxic than inclusions of Cry19A alone but less toxic than the wild-type inclusions of B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan.     

A novel negative regulatory factor for nematicidal Cry protein gene expression in Bacillus thuringiensis

A 3-kb HindIII fragment bearing the cry6Aa2 gene and the adjacent and intergenic regions was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1518. Two open reading frames (ORFs), namely, orf1 (termed cry6Aa2) and orf2 that were separated by an inverted-repeat sequence were identified. orf1 encoded a 54-kDa protein that exhibited high toxicity to the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla. The orf2 expression product was not detected by SDS-PAGE, but its mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The orf2 coexpressed with orf1 at a high level in the absence of the inverted-repeat sequence, whereas, the expression level of orf1 was decreased. When orf2 was mutated, the level of orf1 expression was enhanced obviously. In conclusion, the inverted-repeat sequence disturbs orf2 expression, and the orf2 downregulates orf1 expression. This is an example of novel negative regulation in B. thuringiensis and a potential method for enhancing the expression level of cry genes.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Rpp39杀虫晶体蛋白基因的鉴定及cry2Aa12基因的克隆表达

[目的]本研究的目的是分析从四川生态条件下分离的苏云金芽胞杆菌Rpp39菌株的特性,从分子水平上揭示该菌株对鳞翅目高毒力的原因;进一步从中分离克隆cry2Aa基因,并对其进行初步的表达研究.[方法]本研究主要采用扫描电镜观察、PCR-RFLP鉴定法和SDS-PAGE分析法研究菌株的特性;采用PCR直接克隆法克隆cry2Aa全长基因,并亚克隆到原核表达载体pET-30a中,构建重组表达质粒pET-2Aa,再转入受体菌E.coli.BL21(DE3)中进行诱导表达;采用室内生物测定法测定表达产物对小菜蛾和水稻二化螟的毒力.[结果]经扫描电镜观察菌株Rpp39主要产生菱形、方形和圆形3种伴胞晶体;SDS-PAGE分析表明主要产生130 kDa和60 kDa左右2种蛋白;经PCR-RFLP鉴定,该菌株含有cry1Aa、cry1Ab、cry1Ac、cry1Ia和cry2Aa五类杀虫晶体蛋白基因;1种cry2Aa类杀虫晶体蛋白全长基因被克隆,序列分析显示该基因的开放阅读框(ORF)为1902 bps,编码由634个氨基酸组成的蛋白质,氨基酸序列与Cry2Aa1蛋白同源性为99.7%,被国际Bt杀虫晶体蛋白基因命名委员会命名为cry2Aa12.重组表达质粒pET-2Aa在E.coli BL21(DE3)中,经IPTG诱导能正常表达,SDS-PAGE电泳验证含有65 kDa表达蛋白.生物活性测定表明表达的包涵体蛋白对小菜蛾和二化螟具有杀虫活性,LC50分别为5.4 μg/mL和22.3μg/mL.[结论]菌株Rpp39及从中分离克隆的cry2Aa12基因来自四川生态条件,丰富了菌株及基因的资源,在资源积累方面具有重要意义.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel mosquitocidal protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. fukuokaensis.

A novel mosquitocidal protein gene, cry20Aa, was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. fukuokaensis (H-3a: 3d: 3e). The gene product, Cry20Aa, was naturally truncated and had a molecular mass of 86,138 Da. The Cry20Aa protein possessed five conserved sequence blocks, as do most other insecticidal Cry toxins. However, an amino acid comparison of Cry20Aa with other mosquitocidal toxins, including Cry4A, Cry4B, Cry10A, Cry11A, and Cry11B, demonstrated that Cry20Aa was quite different from other toxins except for the conserved blocks. The N terminus of Cry20Aa was, however, homologous to the N termini of Cry4A and Cry10A. Interestingly, an inverted repeat (IR1) sequence in the open reading frame of the cry20Aa gene caused incomplete expression of Cry20Aa. When this internal IR1 sequence was altered with no change of amino acid sequence, acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis cells transformed with cry20Aa gene dramatically produced crystal inclusions. However, the intact 86-kDa Cry20Aa protein is highly labile, and it is rapidly degraded to polypeptides of 56 and 43 kDa. To increase expression of the cry20Aa gene, the p20 chaperonelike protein and the cyt1Aa promoter were utilized. While p20 did not increase Cry20Aa expression or stability, chimeric constructs in which the cry20Aa gene was under control of the cyt1Aa promoter overexpressed the Cry20Aa protein in acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis. The expressed Cry20Aa protein showed larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. However, the mosquitocidal activity was low, probably due to rapid proteolysis to inactive 56- and 43-kDa proteins.     

Cloning and analysis of the first cry gene from Bacillus popilliae.

An 80-kDa parasporal crystal protein was detected in protein extracts of sporangia of Bacillus popilliae isolated from a diseased larva of the common cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha L.). Amino acid analysis of tryptic peptides revealed significant homology to the Cry2Aa endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis. The gene cryBP1 (cry18Aa1), which codes for the parasporal crystal protein, was found in a putative cry operon on the bacterial chromosome, which contains at least one further (smaller) open reading frame, orf1. The 706-amino-acid-long CryBP1 (Cry18Aa1) protein has a predicted molecular mass of 79 kDa and shows about 40% sequence identity to the Cry2 polypeptides of B. thuringiensis. In the light of published observations which suggest that the parasporal crystal proteins of B. popilliae are slightly toxic to their grub hosts, we propose the following survival strategy of B. popilliae. As an obligate pathogen of grubs, B. popilliae germinates in the gut of a grub and the parasporal crystal proteins are released and activated. The activated protein does not cause colloid osmotic lysis but instead damages the gut wall somehow to allow the vegetative cells to enter the hemolymph more easily. By becoming a parasite, B. popilliae can continue to proliferate efficiently while the living grub provides a food supply. This process is in contrast to that of B. thuringiensis, which rapidly kills the insect and is then limited to growth on the larval carcass.     

Cloning and Characterization of Two Novel Genes, cry24B and s1orf2, from a Mosquitocidal Strain of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto

Two new crystal protein genes, cry24B and s1orf2, were cloned from a mosquitocidal Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto strain. The cry24B and s1orf2 genes encoded a 76-kDa and 62-kDa protein, respectively. The Cry24B protein retained five conserved regions commonly found in the existing Cry proteins. The amino acid sequence of the S1ORF2 had a high homology to that of the ORF2 protein of B. thuringiensis serovar jegathesan. Southern hybridization experiments with a cry24B gene-specific probe revealed that these genes are located on two large plasmids of > 100 kb. When the two genes, cry24B and s1orf2, were expressed in an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis host, the proteins were synthesized and accumulated as inclusions. These inclusions exhibited no larvicidal activities against three mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex pipiens molestus. Likewise, the inclusions contained no cytocidal activity against HeLa cells.     

Cloning and characterization of a Bacillus thuringiensis serovar higo gene encoding a novel class of the delta-endotoxin protein, Cry27A, specifically active on the Anopheles mosquito

A novel gene encoding a 98-kDa mosquitocidal delta-endotoxin protein, designated Cry27A, was cloned from a Bacillus thuringiensis serovar higo strain. The Cry27A protein contained the five sequence blocks of amino acids commonly conserved in most B. thuringiensis Cry proteins. Relatively high homologies, ranging from 43.0% to 84.4%, existed between the Cry27A protein and several established classes of mosquitocidal Cry proteins (Cry4A, Cry10A, Cry19A, Cry19B, and Cry20A) in the sequence of 51 N-terminal amino acids. The complete sequence of this protein, however, showed low levels (<40%) of amino acid identity to those of the known Cry proteins. Although the expression level of the cry27A gene was low in the transformants under the control of its own promoter, the use of the cyt1A promoter resulted in high-level expression of the gene, leading to the formation of inclusions. The expressed Cry27A protein showed larvicidal activity highly specific for Anopheles stephensi, but lacked the toxicity against Culex pipiens molestus and Aedes aegypti. The results suggest that the Cry27A protein is responsible for the Anopheles-preferential toxicity of the B. thuringiensis serovar higo strain.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of a novel cry gene from Bacillus thuringiensis

A cry1Ab-type gene was cloned from a new isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis by PCR. When restriction pattern was compared with that of known genes it was found to have additional restriction site for ClaI. Nucleotide sequencing and homology search revealed that the toxin shared 95% homology with the known Cry1Ab proteins as compared to more than 98% homology among the other reported Cry1Ab toxins. The gene encoded a sequence of 1,177 amino acids compared to 1,155 amino acids encoded by all the other 16 cry1Ab genes reported so far. An additional stretch of 22 amino acids after the amino acid G793 in the new toxin sequence showed 100% homology with several other cry genes within cry1 family. Homology search indicated that the new cry1Ab-type gene might have resulted by nucleotide rearrangement between cry1Ab and cry1Aa/cry1Ac genes.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌cry1Ac与烟草几丁质酶tchiB双价基因克隆表达及其杀虫增效作用研究

将苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)4.0718菌株质粒上的cry1Ac基因和烟草几丁质酶tchiB基因 (去掉信号肽或去信号肽再加肠激酶位点)构建了重组基因。经过双酶切和亚克隆,将带有cry1Ac基因上游启动序列和下游终止序列的重组基因片段克隆至穿梭载体pHT315,分别构建重组质粒pHUAccB6、pHUAccB7,在大肠杆菌中扩增后,将两个重组质粒分别电转化苏云金芽胞杆菌无晶体突变株XBU001中,获得重组菌株HAccB6和HAccB7。经液体双相胞晶分离提取离心后,将晶体和上清液分别进行SDS-PAGE分析,双价基因重组与cry1Ac基因在无晶体突变株中表达量相比较,几丁质酶活性提高5.2倍,双价重组蛋白表达量显著提高,主要产生130kDa蛋白条带。经定量分析：双价重组目的晶体蛋白占总蛋白量的61.38%;Cry1Ac蛋白占总蛋白量的42%。发酵上清液经60％硫酸铵沉淀,显示出一条分子量为18kDa新蛋白条带。经原子力显微镜和电子显微镜观察,表达后的重组蛋白呈菱形或椭原形晶体,其规格约为1.5×3.0μm;经生测分析,重组菌株HAccB6和 HAccB7毒力相近,与HAc菌株比较毒力提高4.5倍,对棉铃虫（Helicourpa armigora）具有高效杀虫活性,其3d LC₅₀值分别为9.1μg/mL和11.34μg/mL。研究结果表明,烟草几丁质酶与cry1Ac双价基因重组表达产物具有杀虫增效作用。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白基因cry1Ab16的克隆及表达

通过对已知cry1类基因以及已发表的cry1Ab的序列进行分析,分别设计了引物P1、P2、P3和P4,首次从无晶体的芽胞杆菌AC11中扩增到一个苏云金芽胞杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白（Insecticidal crystal protein, ICP）cry1Ab类基因。测序结果显示该基因与已知的cry1Ab1基因有8个核苷酸不同,编码的蛋白有7个氨基酸差异。此基因已登录GenBank,并命名为新亚型基因cry1Ab16 (Ac. NO. AF375608)。Southern杂交结果进一步证实该基因存在于菌体的质粒上。将cry1Ab16基因克隆到Escherichia coli表达载体pQE30上并转化E. coli M15。Western印迹分析表明,E. coli M15表达了130 kD的Cry1Ab16蛋白,但此蛋白不稳定,大部分降解成65 kD的蛋白。将表达Cry1Ab16 蛋白的大肠杆菌用涂布法对三龄小菜蛾（Plutella xylostella）毒力测定,其LC50为258.3mg/L;对其他夜蛾科害虫的生长发育也有明显的抑制作用。     

Expression of a recombinant Cry1Ac crystal protein fused with a green fluorescent protein in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Cry-B

To investigate the co-expression and crystallization of a fusion gene between the Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein and a foreign protein in B. thuringiensis, the expression of the Cry1Ac fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes in a B. thuringiensis Cry(-)B strain was examined. The cry1Ac gene was cloned in the B. thuringiensis-E. coli shuttle vector, pHT3101, under the control of the native cry1Ac gene promoter, while the GFP gene was inserted into the XhoI site upstream of the proteolytic cleavage site, in the middle region of the cry1Ac gene (pProAc-GFP). The B. thuringiensis Cry(-)B strain carrying pProAc-GFP (ProAc-GFP/CB) did not produce any inclusion bodies. However, the transformed strain expressed fusion protein forms although the expression level was relatively low. Furthermore, an immunoblot analysis using GFP and Cry1Ac antibodies showed that the fusion protein was not a single species, but rather multiple forms. In addition, the N-terminal fragment of Cry1Ac and a non-fused GFP were also found in the B. thuringiensis Cry(-)B strain after autolysis. The sporulated cells before autolysis and the spore-crystal mixture after autolysis of ProAc-GFP/CB exhibited insecticidal activities against Plutella xylostella larvae. Accordingly, the current results suggest that a fusion crystal protein produced by the transfomant, ProAc-GFP/CB, can be functionally expressed but easily degraded in B. thuringiensis.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌B-Pr-88菌株中cry2Ab4基因的表达和杀虫活性研究

以我室自行分离的对鳞翅目夜蛾科害虫具有高毒力的Bt菌株B-Pr-88为材料,用PCR-RFLP方法从其质粒DNA文库中筛选到含cry2Ab基因的一个阳性克隆pZF858,序列测定发现,该片段含有cry2Ab全长基因,开放读码框为1902bps,编码由633个氨基酸组成的70.7kD蛋白,氨基酸同源性与已公布的cry2Ab基因同源性均为99.8%,经Bt基因国际命名委员会正式命名为cry2Ab4。根据cry2Ab4基因开放阅读框架(ORF)两端序列,设计合成一对特异引物L2ab5和L2ab3,PCR扩增获得cry2Ab4完整ORF,与大肠杆菌表达载体pET-21b连接,构建了重组表达质粒pET-2Ab4,质粒导入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE电泳证实该基因表达了60kD的蛋白,生物测定表明,Cry2Ab4对棉铃虫和大豆食心虫具有高毒力,同时对小菜蛾和二化螟有一定的杀虫活性,而对亚洲玉米螟和甜菜夜蛾没有杀虫活性。     

Identification of the minimal active fragment of the Cry1Ah toxin

cry1Ah1, a novel holo-type gene cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis strain BT-8, encoded a protein exhibiting strong insecticidal activity against lepidopteran insects. To identify the minimal active fragment of the Cry1Ah toxin, 9 pairs of primers were designed to generate different PCR products. Seven PCR products were amplified by different primers using the cry1Ah1 gene as a template and cloned into a pET-21b vector. These positive clones were separately transformed into Escherichia coli. Insecticidal activity against 2nd-instar larvae of Plutella xylostella was performed using the leaf-dip bioassay: the minimal active fragment of the Cry1Ah toxin was located between amino acid residues 50I and 639E.     

Cross-resistance spectra of Culex quinquefasciatus resistant to mosquitocidal toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis towards recombinant Escherichia coli expressing genes from B. thuringiensis ssp. israelensis

Sixteen Escherichia coli clones were assayed against susceptible and Bacillus thuringiensis-resistant Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. The clones expressed different combinations of four genes from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis; three genes encoded mosquitocidal toxins (Cry11Aa, Cry4Aa and Cyt1Aa) and the fourth encoded an accessory protein (P20). The cross-resistance spectra of the mosquitoes were similar to the profiles for recombinant B. thuringiensis strains expressing B. thuringiensis toxin genes, but with varied toxicity levels. The toxicity of the recombinants towards resistant mosquito larvae was improved when p20 and cyt1Aa were expressed in combination with cry4Aa and/or cry11Aa. Recombinant pVE4-ADRC, expressing cry4Aa, cry11Aa, p20 and cyt1Aa, was the most active against the resistant Culex, and resistance levels did not exceed fourfold. These results indicate that B. thuringiensis ssp. israelensis genes expressed in a heterologous host such as E. coli can be effective against susceptible and B. thuringiensis-resistant larvae and suppress resistance.     

A novel cry2Ab gene from the indigenous isolate Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki

A novel cry2Ab gene was cloned and sequenced from the indigenous isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. This gene was designated as cry2Ab25 and its sequence revealed an open reading frame of 1,902 bp encoding a 633 aa protein with calculated molecular mass of 70 kDa and pI value of 8.98. The amino acid sequence of the Cry2Ab25 protein was compared with previously known Cry2Ab toxins, and the phylogenetic relationships among them were determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Cry2Ab25 protein showed 99% homology to the known Cry2Ab proteins, except for Cry2Ab10 and Cry2Ab12 with 97% homology, and a variation in one amino acid residue in comparison with all known Cry2Ab proteins. The cry2Ab25 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that the Cry2Ab25 protein is about 70 kDa. The toxin expressed in BL21(DE3) exhibited high toxicity against Malacosoma neustria and Rhagoletis cerasi with 73% and 75% mortality after 5 days of treatment, respectively.     

Cloning, characterization and expression of a new cry1Ab gene from Bacillus thuringiensisWB9

A new cry 1Ab-type gene, cry 1Ab17, was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis WB9 by PCR. Nucleotide sequence indicated that the open reading frames (ORFs) consists of 3471 bases and encodes a protein of 1156 residues with a calculated molecular weight of 130.5 kDa and an pI value of 5.04. Homology comparison revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence of Cry1Ab17 had 95.4% to 99.7% identity with those of the known Cry1Ab proteins. The Cry1Ab17 was one residue longer than the known Cry1Ab (except for Cry1Ab2). Domain I (Tyr(33) to Arg(253)), II (Arg(265) to Phe(462)), III (Asn(464) to Thr(610)) of the Cry1Ab17 were 96.8%, 68.2% and 100% identical to the corresponding domains of Cry1Aa. Additionally, the cry 1Ab17 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 under the control of T7 promoter and the Cry1Ab17 isolated from the culture medium was toxic to 3rd instar Plutella xylostella larvae.     

Cloning and expression of a novel toxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan encoding a highly mosquitocidal protein.

A gene, designated cry11B, encoding a 81,293-Da crystal protein of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan was cloned by using a gene-specific oligonucleotide probe. The sequence of the Cry11B protein, as deduced from the sequence of the cry11B gene, contains large regions of similarity with the Cry11A toxin (previously CryIVD) from B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. The Cry11B protein was immunologically related to both Cry11A and Cry4A proteins. The cry11B gene was expressed in a nontoxic strain of B. thuringiensis, in which Cry11B was produced in large amounts during sporulation and accumulated as inclusions. Purified Cry11B inclusions were highly toxic for mosquito larvae of the species Aedes aegypti, Culex pipiens, and Anopheles stephensi. The activity of Cry11B toxin was higher than that of Cry11A and similar to that of the native crystals from B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan, which contain at least seven polypeptides.