New Haplotypes of the Mitochondrial Gene CytB in the Nesting Population of the Siberian Black Kite Milvus migrans lineatus Gray, 1831 in the Territory of the Republic of Tyva.

We analyzed a fragment of mitochondrial CytB locus obtained from young and adult black kites Milvus migrans lineatus from 19 nests in the Republic of Tyva, Russia. Three previously known (CytB-6, CytB-14, CytB-19) and three new haplotypes identified as CytB-6.1, CytB-6.2, and CytB-19.1 were detected. We described a set of substitutions specific to M. migrans lineatus but not to M. migrans migrans, the European subspecies of black kite.

Anti-cancer Parasporin Toxins of New Bacillus thuringiensis Against Human Colon (HCT-116) and Blood (CCRF-CEM) Cancer Cell Lines.

Bacillus thuringiensis is one of the most important microorganisms used against cancer cell lines in latest studies all over the world. This study aims to perform the isolation, molecular identification, and to identify novel B. thuringiensis strains that specifically targeting human cancer cell-killing activities in Iran. A total of 88 B. thuringiensis isolates were recovered from Iran. Upon the treatment of the non-hemolytic crystal proteins by proteinase K, five isolates belonging to three biotypes, thuringiensis, kurstaki and sotto of B. thuringiensis are found to have different cytotoxicity toward HCT-116 and CCRF-CEM cell lines. Digested inclusions of the isolates consisted of one major poly peptide of 34-kDa, as estimated by sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The structure, molecular identification, and functionality of five isolates inclusion proteins have shown to be closely like to parasporin-2 but their size of activated protein is not similar to this parasporin. It is unclear that discovered damaging proteins are parasporin-2. This 34-kD protein exhibited varying degrees of cytocidal activity toward human colon and blood cancer cells and caused cell swelling and the formation of blebs in the surface of the cells or alteration in cytoskeleton. The soil in the humid and temperate climates of Iran is a good reservoir for parasporin producing B. thuringiensis. The isolated B. thuringiensis strains exhibit specific and different cytocidal activities against human colon and blood cancer cells. Parasporin is a novel cytotoxic protein to human cancer cells produced by B. thuringiensis and these toxins appeared to attack an identical target on human cancer cells.

The sequence, structural, and functional diversity within a protein family and implications for specificity and safety: The case for ETX_MTX2 insecticidal proteins.

The need for sustainable insect pest control is driving the investigation and discovery of insecticidal proteins outside of the typical 3-domain Cry protein family from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Examples include Cry35 and Cry51 that belong to protein families (Toxin_10, ETX_MTX2) sharing a common ß-pore forming structure and function with known mammalian toxins such as epsilon toxin (ETX). Although ß-pore forming proteins are related to mammalian toxins, there are key differences in sequence and structure that lead to organism specificity that is useful in the weight-of-evidence approach for safety assessment. Despite low overall amino acid sequence identity among ETX_MTX2 proteins, sequence and structural similarities are found in the tail region responsible for the shared oligomerization and pore formation functions (causing the "relatedness"). Conversely, most of the sequence and structural diversity is located in the head region that is likely responsible for differential receptor binding and target species specificity (e.g., insecticidal vs. mammalian). Therefore, inclusion of a domain-based protein characterization approach that includes bioinformatic and functional comparisons of conserved and diverse domains will enhance the overall weight of evidence safety assessment of proteins including recently reported Cry51 protein variants (Cry51Aa1, Cry51Aa2, and Cry51Aa2.834_16).

New Cyt-like δ-endotoxins from Dickeya dadantii: structure and aphicidal activity.

In the track of new biopesticides, four genes namely cytA, cytB, cytC and cytD encoding proteins homologous to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cyt toxins have been identified in the plant pathogenic bacteria Dickeya dadantii genome. Here we show that three Cyt-like δ-endotoxins from D. dadantii (CytA, CytB and CytC) are toxic to the pathogen of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum in terms of both mortality and growth rate. The phylogenetic analysis of the comprehensive set of Cyt toxins available in genomic databases shows that the whole family is of limited taxonomic occurrence, though in quite diverse microbial taxa. From a structure-function perspective the 3D structure of CytC and its backbone dynamics in solution have been determined by NMR. CytC adopts a cytolysin fold, structurally classified as a Cyt2-like protein. Moreover, the identification of a putative lipid binding pocket in CytC structure, which has been probably maintained in most members of the Cyt-toxin family, could support the importance of this lipid binding cavity for the mechanism of action of the whole family. This integrative approach provided significant insights into the evolutionary and functional history of D. dadantii Cyt toxins, which appears to be interesting leads for biopesticides.

Bacillus thuringiensis toxins: an overview of their biocidal activity.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram positive, spore-forming bacterium that synthesizes parasporal crystalline inclusions containing Cry and Cyt proteins, some of which are toxic against a wide range of insect orders, nematodes and human-cancer cells. These toxins have been successfully used as bioinsecticides against caterpillars, beetles, and flies, including mosquitoes and blackflies. Bt also synthesizes insecticidal proteins during the vegetative growth phase, which are subsequently secreted into the growth medium. These proteins are commonly known as vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) and hold insecticidal activity against lepidopteran, coleopteran and some homopteran pests. A less well characterized secretory protein with no amino acid similarity to Vip proteins has shown insecticidal activity against coleopteran pests and is termed Sip (secreted insecticidal protein). Bin-like and ETX_MTX2-family proteins (Pfam PF03318), which share amino acid similarities with mosquitocidal binary (Bin) and Mtx2 toxins, respectively, from Lysinibacillus sphaericus, are also produced by some Bt strains. In addition, vast numbers of Bt isolates naturally present in the soil and the phylloplane also synthesize crystal proteins whose biological activity is still unknown. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the known active Bt toxins to date and discuss their activities.

Parasporin 1Ac2, a novel cytotoxic crystal protein isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis B0462 strain.

Two novel parasporin (PS) genes were cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis B0462 strain. One was 100 % identical even in nucleotide sequence level with that of parasporin-1Aa (PS1Aa1) from B. thuringiensis A1190 strain. The other (PS1Ac2) showed significant homology (99 % identity) to that of PS1Ac1 from B. thuringiensis 87-29 strain. The 15 kDa (S(113)-R(250)) and 60 kDa (I(251)-S(777)) fragments consisting of an active form of PS1Ac2 were expressed as His-tag fusion. Upon purification under denaturing condition and refolding, the recombinant polypeptides were applied to cancer cells to analyze their cytotoxicities. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazoyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay revealed that either of 15 or 60 kDa polypeptide exhibited no cytotoxicity to HeLa cells, but they became cytotoxic upon mixed together. Our results suggested that PS1Ac2 was responsible for the cytotoxicity of B. thuringiensis B0462 strain, and that the formation of hetero-dimer of 15 and 60 kDa polypeptide was required for their cytotoxicity.

Homology modeling of Cry10Aa toxin from B. thuringiensis israelensis and B. thuringiensis subsp. LDC-9.

A three dimensional model was developed for Cry10Aa protein sequence of B. thuringiensis LDC-9 and B. thuringiensis israelensis that has not been solved empirically by X-ray crystallography or NMR. Homology modeling was employed for the structure prediction using Cry2Aa as template protein, a high-resolution X-ray crystallography structure. The model predicted for the B. thuringiensis LDC-9 Cry10Aa protein reveals a partial N-terminal domain only due to its partial sequence of 104 amino acids. B. thuringiensis israelensis Cry10Aa model contains three domains such as domain I, a bundle of eight alpha helices with the central relatively hydrophobic helix surrounded by amphipathic helices while domain II and III contain mostly beta-sheets. Significant structural differences within domain II in this model among all Cry protein structures indicates that it is involved in recognition and binding to cell surfaces. Comparison of B. thuringiensis israelensis predicted structure with available experimentally determined Cry structures reveals identical folds. The distribution of electrostatic potential on the surface of the molecules in the model is non-uniform and identifies one side of the alpha-helical domain as negatively charged indicating orientation of toxic molecules toward the cell membrane during the initial binding with a cell surface receptor. The collective knowledge of Cry toxin structures will lead to a more critical understanding of the structural basis for receptor binding and pore formation, as well as allowing the scope of diversity to be better appreciated. This model will serve as a starting point for the design of mutagenesis experiments aimed to improve the toxicity and to provide a new tool for the elucidation of the mechanism of action of these mosquitocidal proteins.

Toxicity of seven Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins against Cylas puncticollis and Cylas brunneus (Coleoptera: Brentidae) using a novel artificial diet.

"Sweetpotato weevils" Cylas puncticollis (Boheman) and Cylas brunneus F. (Coleoptera: Brentidae) are the most important biological threat to sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam), productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Sweetpotato weevil control is difficult due to their cryptic feeding behavior. Expression of Cylas-active Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry proteins in sweetpotato could provide an effective control strategy. Unfortunately, Bt Cry proteins with relatively high toxicity against Cylas spp. have not been identified, partly because no published methodology for screening Bt Cry proteins against Cylas spp. in artificial diet exists. Therefore, the initial aim of this study was to develop an artificial diet for conducting bioassays with Cylas spp. and then to determine Bt Cry protein efficacy against C. puncticollis and C. brunneus by using this artificial diet. Five diets varying in their composition were evaluated. The highest survival rates for sweetpotato weevil larvae were observed for diet E that contained the highest amount of sweetpotato powder and supported weevil development from first instar to adulthood, similar to sweetpotato storage roots. Seven coleopteran-active Bt Cry proteins were incorporated into diet E and toxicity data were generated against neonate C. puncticollis and second-instar C. brunneus. All Bt Cry proteins tested had toxicity greater than the untreated control. Cry7Aa1, ET33/34, and Cry3Ca1 had LC50 values below 1 microg/g diet against both species. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using an artificial diet bioassay for screening Bt Cry proteins against sweetpotato weevil larvae and identifies candidate Bt Cry proteins for use in transforming sweetpotato varieties potentially conferring field resistance against these pests.

Frequency of alleles conferring resistance to the Bacillus thuringiensis toxins Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab in Australian populations of Helicoverpa punctigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from 2002 to 2006.

Helicoverpa punctigera and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are important pests of field and horticultural crops in Australia. The former is endemic to the continent, whereas the latter is also distributed in Africa and Asia. Although H. armigera rapidly developed resistance to virtually every group of insecticide used against it, there is only one report of resistance to an insecticide in H. punctigera. In 1996 the Australian cotton industry adopted Ingard, which expresses the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin gene cry1Ac. In 2004/2005, Bollgard II (which expresses Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab) replaced Ingard and has subsequently been grown on 80% of the area planted to cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. From 2002/2003 to 2006/2007, F2 screens were used to detect resistance to Cry1Ac or Cry2Ab. We detected no alleles conferring resistance to Cry1Ac; the frequency was < 0.0005 (n = 2,180 alleles), with a 95% credibility interval between 0 and 0.0014. However, during the same period, we detected alleles that confer resistance to Cry2Ab at a frequency of 0.0018 (n = 2,192 alleles), with a 95% credibility interval between 0.0005 and 0.0040. For both toxins, the experiment-wise detection probability was 94%, i.e., if there actually was a resistance allele in any tested lines, we would have detected it 94% of the time. The first isolation of Cry2Ab resistance in H. punctigera was before the widespread deployment of Bollgard II. This finding supports our published notion for H. armigera that alleles conferring resistance to Cry2Ab may be present at detectable frequencies in populations before selection by transgenic crops.

Current patents related to Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal proteins.

This work categorizes a number of patents related to Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal proteins. The patents are classified into groups according to the type of toxins appearing in the claims. The purpose of the summary is to promote the application of B. thuringiensis insecticidal crystal proteins and the development of patentable technologies.