Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

, Volume 93, Issue 3, pp 1249–1256 | Cite as

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa fused to a cellulase-binding peptide shows increased toxicity against the longhorned beetle

  • Chang-Hua Guo
  • Shu-Tang Zhao
  • Yuan Ma
  • Jian-Jun Hu
  • Xiao-Jiao Han
  • Jun Chen
  • Meng-Zhu Lu
Applied microbial and cell physiology
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Cry3 class toxins are used extensively for biological control of coleopteran larvae. We previously identified a peptide (PCx) from a phage display library that specifically binds Cx-cellulase from the midgut of Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky (Asian longhorn beetle) larvae. Here, we added a DNA fragment that encodes the peptide onto either end of the cry3Aa gene and tested the expressed PCx-Cry3Aa and Cry3Aa-PCx proteins for insecticidal activity in the longhorned beetle. An insect bioassay revealed that, compared with native Cry3Aa, the two modified Cry3Aa proteins had significantly higher lethality, with PCx-Cry3Aa exhibiting a mortality rate almost three times that of Cry3Aa. We also proposed that the increased lethality in larvae fed with PCx-Cry3Aa or Cry3Aa-PCx would be attributable to the binding of the toxin with Cx-cellulase, thereby increasing toxin retention in the midgut. The significantly enhanced insecticidal activity of Cry3Aa fused with the Cx-cellulase binding peptide provides a new strategy for increasing toxin efficacy against the longhorned beetle. These uniquely modified Cry3Aa proteins have potential use for pest control.

Keywords

Binding peptide Cry3Aa Cx-cellulase Enhancement Longhorned beetle 
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Notes

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30872049) and Transgenic Breeding Projects (No. 2009ZX08009-095B), Ministry of Agriculture, China.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chang-Hua Guo
    • 1
    • 2
  • Shu-Tang Zhao
    • 2
    • 3
  • Yuan Ma
    • 2
  • Jian-Jun Hu
    • 2
    • 3
  • Xiao-Jiao Han
    • 1
    • 2
  • Jun Chen
    • 2
    • 3
  • Meng-Zhu Lu
    • 2
    • 3
  1. 1.International Centre for Bamboo and RattanBeijingPeople’s Republic of China
  2. 2.State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and BreedingChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingPeople’s Republic of China
  3. 3.Research Institute of ForestryChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingPeople’s Republic of China

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