Light microscope immunolocation of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki δ-endotoxin in the midgut and Malpighian tubules of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 86 - 90
• Main Authors: Ryerse, Jan S., Beck, John R., Lavrik, Paul B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.1990
• Subjects: Animals; BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS; Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki; Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Toxins; Cloaca - metabolism; ENDOTOXINAS; ENDOTOXINE; ENDOTOXINS; Endotoxins - metabolism; HELIOTHIS; Heliothis virescens; Hemolysin Proteins; IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE; immunolocation; Immunologic Techniques; INMUNOFLUORESCENCIA; insect; Insecticides - metabolism; INTESTIN; INTESTINES; Intestines - metabolism; INTESTINOS; LARVAE; LARVAS; LARVE; Lepidoptera - metabolism; Light microscopy; malpighian tubule; Malpighian Tubules - metabolism; MICROSCOPIA; MICROSCOPIE; MICROSCOPY; midgut; Moths - metabolism; SISTEMA UROGENITAL; SYSTEME URO-GENITAL; tobacco budworm; UROGENITAL SYSTEM; δ-endotoxin; malpighian tubule; Heliothis virescens; tobacco budworm; immunolocation; Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki; insect; midgut; Light microscopy; δ-endotoxin
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-2011(90)90148-Y

Light microscope immunofluorescence was used to localize the membrane binding of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki 63-kDa δ-endotoxin in Heliothis virescens midgut and Malpighian tubules. Staining was observed along all exposed mucosal (apical microvillar) plasma membranes. Interpretation of the serosal (basal) plasma membrane staining was complicated because the basal lamina also stained. The results suggest that the toxin binds to all exposed plasma membranes without apparent specificity for particular membrane domains.