Functional expression of lepidopteran-selective neurotoxin in baculovirus: Potential for effective pest management

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 1760; no. 2; pp. 158 - 163
• Main Authors: Rajendra, Wudayagiri, Hackett, Kevin J., Buckley, Ellen, Hammock, Bruce D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2006
• Subjects: Animals; Baculoviridae - metabolism; Baculovirus; Biological Assay; Genetic Engineering; Heliothis virescens; Integrated pest management; Lepidoptera - drug effects; Lepidopteran-selective toxin; Mesobuthus tamulus; Neurotoxins - biosynthesis; Neurotoxins - genetics; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Recombinant biopesticide; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - pharmacology; Scorpion venom; Scorpion Venoms - biosynthesis; Scorpion Venoms - genetics; Transfection; ST 50; Heliothis virescens; Scorpion venom; Buta-IT; GST; AcMNPV; Lepidopteran-selective toxin; Recombinant biopesticide; Baculovirus; LD 50; Mesobuthus tamulus; Integrated pest management
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 0006-3002; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2005.11.008

Recombinant baculovirus expressing insect-selective neurotoxins derived from venomous animals are considered as an attractive alternative to chemical insecticides for efficient insect control agents. Recently we identified and characterized a novel lepidopteran-selective toxin, Buthus tamulus insect-selective toxin (ButaIT), having 37 amino acids and eight half cysteine residues from the venom of the South Indian red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus. The synthetic toxin gene containing the ButaIT sequence in frame to the bombyxin signal sequence was engineered into a polyhedrin positive Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) genome under the control of the p10 promoter. Toxin expression in the haemolymph of infected larvae of Heliothis virescens and also in an insect cell culture system was confirmed by western blot analysis using antibody raised against the GST-ButaIT fusion protein. The recombinant NPV (ButaIT-NPV) showed enhanced insecticidal activity on the larvae of Heliothis virescens as evidenced by a significant reduction in median survival time (ST 50) and also a greater reduction in feeding damage as compared to the wild-type AcMNPV.