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An engineered Bacillus thuringiensis strain with insecticidal activity against Scarabaeidae (Anomala corpulenta) and Chrysomelidae (Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Colaphellus bowringi)

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Abstract

A genetically-engineered Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain, 3A-HBF, with a broad insecticidal spectrum was constructed by introducing the recombinant plasmid pSTK-3A containing cry3Aa7 into the wild-type Bt strain HBF-1 containing the cry8Ca2 gene. The Cry3Aa7 protein produced by strain 3A-HBF was verified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Flat rectangular crystals of Cry3Aa7 protein were observed besides spherical crystals (Cry8Ca2). The plasmid pSTK-3A was stable when strain 3A-HBF was grown in medium without antibiotics. The growth rate of 3A-HBF was not significantly different from that of the recipient strain, HBF-1. Strain 3A-HBF showed toxicity against two families of pests, Scarabaeidae and Chrysomelidae pests, which are susceptible to Cry8Ca (Anomala corpulenta) and Cry3Aa (Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Colaphellus bowringi). The 50% lethal concentrations of 3A-HBF against A. corpulenta, L. decemlineata and C. bowringi were 0.730 × 108 c.f.u./g dry soil, 1.74 μg/ml and 1.15 μg/ml, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Yingping Liang for insect rearing and bioassays. This study was funded by the 973 and 863 Projects of China (2009CB118902 and 2006AA10A212).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 100193, Beijing, China

    Ginxin Yan, Fuping Song, Changlong Shu, Jingjing Liu & Jie Zhang

  2. Cangzhou Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, 061001, Cangzhou, China

    Chunqin Liu

  3. Biotechnology Research Institute, CAAS, 100081, Beijing, China

    Dafang Huang

  4. Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, 071000, Baoding, China

    Shuliang Feng

Authors
  1. Ginxin Yan
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  2. Fuping Song
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  3. Changlong Shu
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  4. Jingjing Liu
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  5. Chunqin Liu
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  6. Dafang Huang
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  7. Shuliang Feng
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  8. Jie Zhang
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Correspondence to Jie Zhang.

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Yan, G., Song, F., Shu, C. et al. An engineered Bacillus thuringiensis strain with insecticidal activity against Scarabaeidae (Anomala corpulenta) and Chrysomelidae (Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Colaphellus bowringi). Biotechnol Lett 31, 697–703 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-9913-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-9913-8

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