Construction of Recombinant Xanthomonas campestris Strain Producing Insecticidal Protein of Bacillus thuringiensis

An insecticidal crystal protein gene, cryIA(c), from Bacillus thuringiensis HD-73 was integrated into the chromosome of a xanthan-producing bacterium, Xanthomonas campestris XP92. The cryIA(c) gene expression cassette was constructed that placed the gene between the trc promoter and rrnB transcriptional terminator. The $lacl^q$ gene was also included to prevent the expression of cryIA(c) gene in X campestris cells. Southem blot analysis confirmed the integration of the cryIA(c) gene expression cassette in chromosome of X campestris XP92 transconjugant. Expression of the insecticidal crystal protein was confirmed by Western blot analysis and bioassay against the larvae of Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera： Arctiidae) and Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera：Plutellidae).