Abstract
A δ-endotoxin gene previously cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae has been shown by a combination of restriction mapping and DNA sequence analysis to be a cryIIB clone; in common with other cryIIB genes it was found to lack a functional promoter. Addition of a promoter resulted in expression of the gene in Bacillus thuringiensis but did not result in the formation of the crystalline inclusions normally associated with such toxins. Inclusion formation was only observed when the gene was incorporated into an operon containing a gene known to be involved in the crystallisation of another δ-endotoxin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Adams LF, Visick JE, Whiteley HR (1989) A 20-kilodalton protein is required for efficient production of the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 27-kilodalton crystal protein in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 171:521–530
Ahmad W, Nicholls C, Ellar DJ (1989) Cloning and expression of an entomocidal protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae toxic to both lepidoptera and diptera. FEMS Microbiol Lett 59:197–202
Brown KL, Whiteley HR (1990) Isolation of the second Bacillus thuringiensis RNA polymerase that transcribes from a crystal protein gene promoter. J Bacteriol 172:6682–6688
Crickmore N, Ellar DJ (1992) Involvement of a possible chaperonin in the efficient expression of a cloned CryIIA δ-endotoxin gene in Bacillus thuringiensis. Mol. Microbiol 6:1533–1537
Crickmore N, Bone EJ, Ellar DJ (1990a) Genetic manipulation of Bacillus thuringiensis: towards an improved pesticide. Aspects Appl Biol 24:17–24
Crickmore N, Nicholls C, Earp DJ, Hodgman TC, Ellar DJ (1990b) The construction of Bacillus thuringiensis strains expressing novel entomocidal δ-endotoxin combinations. Biochem J 270:133–136
Dankocsik C, Donovan WP, Jany CS (1990) Activation of a cryptic crystal protein gene of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki by gene fusion and determination of the crystal protein insecticidal specificity. Mol Microbiol 4:2087–2094
Höfte H, Whiteley HR (1989) Insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis. Microbiol Rev 53:242–255
Lecadet MM, Chaufaux J, Ribier J, Lereclus D (1992) Construction of novel Bacillus thuringiensis strains with different insecticidal activities by transduction and transformation. Appl Environ Microbiol 58:840–849
Ward ES, Ellar DJ (1988) Cloning and expression of two homologous genes of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis which encode 130-kilodalton mosquitocidal proteins. J Bacteriol 170:727–735
Widner WR, Whiteley HR (1989) Two highly related insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki possess different host range specificities J Bacteriol 171:965–974
Wu D, Cao XL, Bai YY, Aronson AJ (1991); Sequence of an operon containing a novel δ-endotoxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 81:31–36
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by H. Hennecke
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Crickmore, N., Wheeler, V.C. & Ellar, D.J. Use of an operon fusion to induce expression and crystallisation of a Bacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxin encoded by a cryptic gene. Molec. Gen. Genet. 242, 365–368 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00280428
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00280428