ABSTRACT
The Bacillus thuringiensis S1/4 strain was previously found to harbour vip1S, vip2S, and vip3 genes. Its plasmid curing led to the obtaining of four partially cured strains S1/4-2, S1/4-3, S1/4-7, and S1/4-9 (vip2S-vip1S (-), vip3 (+)), one strain S1/4-4 (vip2S-vip1S (+), vip3 (-)), and S1/4-0 strain lacking the three genes. Using these derivative strains as templates, PCR amplification and southern blot assay revealed that vip2S-vip1S operon and vip3 gene were localized on two different large plasmids. Bioinformatics studies showed that vip2S (1.356 kb), and vip1S (2.637 kb) genes are encoding by an operon consisting of two ORFs separated by an intergenic spacer of 4bp. Using the InterPro tool, Vip2S was found to belong to the family of Binary exotoxin A and Vip1S to bacterial exotoxin B. In silico modeling indicated that the 3D structure of Vip2S is a mixed α/ß protein and proposed 3D-model of Vip1S. Bioassays of the partially cured strains supernatants showed a weak toxicity of S1/4-4 to the lepidopteran Spodoptera littoralis comparing to a better effect of S1/4-2, S1/4-3, S1/4-7, and S1/4-9, suggesting its eventual contribution to the toxicity. Nevertheless, the concentrated supernatant of S1/4-4 strain was not toxic against the coleopteran Tribolium castaneum.
Subject(s)
Bacillus thuringiensis , Insecticides/chemistry , Animals , Bacillus thuringiensis/chemistry , Bacillus thuringiensis/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/chemistry , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Computer Simulation , Protein Domains , Spodoptera , TriboliumABSTRACT
The Vegetative insecticidal Vip3A proteins display a wide range of insecticidal spectrum against several agricultural insect pests. The fact that the expression of vip3 genes occurs only during the vegetative growth phase of Bacillus thuringiensis is a limiting factor in term of production level. Therefore, extending the synthesis of the Vip proteins to the sporulation phase is a good alternative to reach high levels of toxin synthesis. In this study, we have demonstrated that the maximal production of the secreted Vip3LB (also called Vip3Aa16) during the growth of the wild-type strain B. thuringiensis BUPM 95 is reached at the end of the vegetative growth phase, and that the protein remains relatively stable in the culture supernatant during the late sporulation stages. The vip3LB gene was cloned and expressed under the control of the sporulation dependant promoters BtI and BtII in B. thuringiensis BUPM 106 (Vip3(-)) and BUPM 95 (Vip3(+)) strains. The examination of the culture supernatants during the sporulation phase evidenced the synthesis of Vip3LB and its toxicity against the second-instars larvae of the Lepidopteron insect Spodoptera littoralis for the recombinant BUPM 106. Moreover, there was an increase of the Vip3LB synthesis level and an enhancement of the oral toxicity for the recombinant BUPM 95 resulting from the expression of the vip3LB gene during both the vegetative and sporulation phases and the relative stability of the Vip3LB protein.
