Utility of Cry1Ja for Transgenic Insect Control

• Published in: Toxins Vol. 16; no. 9; p. 384
• Main Authors: Mathis, John P, Clark, Catherine, Sethi, Amit, Ortegon, Benchie, Rauscher, Gilda, Booth, Russ, Coder, Samuel, Nelson, Mark E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 04.09.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Adaptability; Agricultural production; Air quality management; Animals; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillus thuringiensis - genetics; Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins - metabolism; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Binding sites; Biological activity; Biological diversity conservation; Competition; competitive binding assay; Crop yield; Crop yields; Crops; CRY protein; Cry1J protein; Effectiveness; Endotoxins - genetics; Energy consumption; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Genes; Genetic engineering; Genetically modified crops; Helicoverpa zea; Hemolysin Proteins - genetics; Hemolysin Proteins - pharmacology; in planta assay; Insect control; Insect Control - methods; insecticidal protein bioassay; Insecticide resistance; Insecticides; Insecticides - pharmacology; Insects; Microvilli - drug effects; Microvilli - metabolism; Midgut; Mode of action; Pest control; Pest Control, Biological; Pesticide resistance; Pests; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Protection and preservation; Protein binding; Proteins; Spodoptera - drug effects; Missouri; United States > US; in planta assay; competitive binding assay; insecticidal protein bioassay; Helicoverpa zea; Bacillus thuringiensis; Chrysodeixis includens; Cry1J protein; Spodoptera frugiperda
• ISSN: 2072-6651; 2072-6651
• DOI: 10.3390/toxins16090384

Insect control traits are a key component of improving the efficacy of insect pest management and maximizing crop yields for growers. Insect traits based on proteins expressed by the bacteria (Bt) have proven to be very effective tools in achieving this goal. Unfortunately, the adaptability of insects has led to resistance to certain proteins in current commercial products. Therefore, new insecticidal traits representing a different mode of action (MoA) than those currently in use are needed. Cry1Ja has good insecticidal activity against various lepidopteran species, and it provides robust protection against insect feeding with in planta expression. For Bt proteins, different MoAs are determined by their binding sites in the insect midgut. In this study, competitive binding assays are performed using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) from , , and to evaluate the MoA of Cry1Ja relative to representatives of the various Bt proteins that are expressed in current commercial products for lepidopteran insect protection. This study highlights differences in the shared Cry protein binding sites in three insect species, Cry1Ja bioactivity against Cry1Fa resistant FAW, and in planta efficacy against target pests. These data illustrate the potential of Cry1Ja for new insect trait development.