Abstract
The mosquitocidal toxin 1 (mtx1) gene from genomic DNA of B. sphaericus strain 2297 was cloned and expressed in E. coli. DNA sequencing analysis of the cloned gene revealed a single open reading frame encoding an 870-amino acid polypeptide. Expression level of the full-length gene in E. coli was very low even though strong promoter was used or the gene was expressed as a fusion protein. Expression level was highly improved after the putative leader sequence was deleted, and the truncated gene was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST-tMtx1). E. coli cells expressing GST-tMtx1 was highly toxic to Culex quinquefasciatus larvae and showed lower toxicity against Anopheles dirus and Aedes aegypti larvae. Enterobacter amnigenus An11, a mosquito larval gut colonizable bacteria, transformed with the cloned gene exhibited mosquito larvicidal activity. Result suggested that there is a potential to develop this protein to be used as an alternative mosquito control agent.
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Promdonkoy, ., Promdonkoy, ., Tanapongpipat, . et al. Cloning and Characterization of a Mosquito Larvicidal Toxin Produced During Vegetative Stage of Bacillus sphaericus 2297. Curr Microbiol 49, 84–88 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-004-4274-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-004-4274-y