Evolution of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins insecticidal activity.

ABSTRACT: Insecticidal Cry proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis are use worldwide in transgenic crops for efficient pest control. Among the family of Cry toxins, the three domain Cry family is the better characterized regarding their natural evolution leading to a large number of Cry proteins with similar structure, mode of action but different insect specificity. Also, this group is the better characterized regarding the study of their mode of action and the molecular basis of insect specificity. In this review we discuss how Cry toxins have evolved insect specificity in nature and analyse several cases of improvement of Cry toxin action by genetic engineering, some of these examples are currently used in transgenic crops. We believe that the success in the improvement of insecticidal activi

SUBMITTER: Bravo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3815381 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature