• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2007

Similar to the other known structures of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry $\delta$-endotoxins, the crystal structure of the 65-kDa activated Cry4Ba toxin comprises three domains which are, from the N- to C-terminus, a bundle of $\alpha$-helices, a three-$\beta$-sheet domain, and a $\beta$-sandwich. To investigate the properties of the C-terminal domain III in isolation from the rest of the toxin, the cloned Cry4Ba-domain III was over-expressed as a 21-kDa soluble protein in Escherichia coli, which cross-reacted with anti-Cry4Ba domain III monoclonal antibody. A highly-purified domain III was obtained in a monomeric form by ion-exchange and size-exclusion FPLC. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the isolated domain III fragment distinctly exists as a $\beta$-sheet structure, corresponding to the domain III structure embodied in the Cry4Ba crystal structure. In vitro binding analysis via immuno-histochemical assay revealed that the Cry4Ba-domain III protein was able to bind to the apical microvilli of the susceptible Stegomyia aegypti larval midguts, albeit at lower-binding activity when compared with the full-length active toxin. These results demonstrate for the first time that the C-terminal domain III of the Cry4Ba mosquito-larvicidal protein, which can be isolated as a native folded monomer, conceivably participates in toxin-receptor recognition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.509-514
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• 2004

Six new serovarieties of B. thuringiensis carrying specific H-antigen have minor differences in biochemical characteristics and morphological characteristics of crystals, which are commonly resistant against four antibiotics. The B. thuringiensis serovar. coreanensis is nontoxic to silkworm larvae, but it is moderately toxic against the Culex pipiens larvae. The B. thuringiensis serovar. konkukian and leesis are nontoxic against mosquitos larvae, but are toxic against silkworm larvae. The B. thuringiensis serovar. seoulensis, sooncheon, and yosoo are highly toxic to B. mori larvae and moderately toxic to C. pipiens larvae. The six serovarieties harbor different plasmid DNA patterns. A 102-kDa protein is a major crystal protein in the four serovarieties and a 86-kDa protein is in one serovariety.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.304-313
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• 2004

Three-dimensional (3D) models for the 65-kDa activated Cry4A and Cry4B $\delta$-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis that are specifically toxic to mosquito-larvae were constructed by homology modeling, based on atomic coordinates of the Cry1Aa and Cry3Aa crystal structures. They were structurally similar to the known structures, both derived 3D models displayed a three-domain organization: the N-terminal domain (I) is a seven-helix bundle, while the middle and C-terminal domains are primarily comprise of anti-parallel $\beta$-sheets. Circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed the secondary structural contents of the two homology-based Cry4 structures. A structural analysis of both Cry4 models revealed the following: (a) Residues Arg-235 and Arg-203 are located in the interhelical 5/6 loop within the domain I of Cry4A and Cry4B, respectively. Both are solvent exposed. This suggests that they are susceptible to tryptic cleavage. (b) The unique disulphide bond, together with a proline-rich region within the long loop connecting ${\alpha}4$ and ${\alpha}5$ of Cry4A, were identified. This implies their functional significance for membrane insertion. (c) Significant structural differences between both models were found within domain II that may reflect their different activity spectra. Structural insights from this molecular modeling study would therefore increase our understanding of the mechanic aspects of these two closely related mosquito-larvicidal proteins.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to select prominent microorganisms with a good insecticidal activity among the ten species, which isolated from soil at the near of Chung-buk, Chung-nam, and Gang-won provinces and made protein crystal endotoxin. As a result, GB-413 strain was finally selected, which showed the high insecticidal activity against susceptible diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), beet army worm (Spodoptera exigua) and tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) as well as resistant diamondback moth strains. By modifying the cultivation process f.g. lowing the glucose concentration at early cultivation stage and adding the carbon after inducing the spores, the percentage of making spore as well as the number of active spore were increased and the time for cultivation and spore forming was reduced without a reduction of insecticidal activity. These results were not only applied successfully for the optimized cultivation process for a fermentation tank containing five tons capacity, but also improved the possibility of mass cultivation for commercial production.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 1992

Seven strains of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from soil in Korea and characterized. The isolates were named HL-8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 which produced parasporal crystals and endospores in their cells. The biochemical characteristics of the seven isolates were only minor different in specific chracteristics to the known serotypes of Bacillus thuringiensis. The number of the plasmid DNA elements from the isolates were studied. The computerized molecular weights of the six plasmid elements in the HL-8 and HL-lO strains were from 3.01 to 15.1 Md, four plasmid elements in the HL-12 were from 5.4 to 21.9 Md, four plasmid elements in HL-13 were from 5.1 to 20 Md, three plasmid elements in HL-15 were from 3.4 to 11.3 Md and three plasmid elements in the HL-16 were from 2.4 to 20.1 Md. The seven isolates showed resistances to ampicillin, bacitracin, cephalothin, methicillin and penicillin G. The strains of HL-8, HL-lO, HL12, HL-14, HL-15 and HL-16 showed lethalities against Culex pipiens 3rd instar larvae. The HL8 and 14 strains showed 100% lethality to the larvae within 48 hours. HL-13 strain did not have toxicity against the larvae.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2004

The over-expression in E. coli of the pHLN1-SO(＋) and pHLN2-80(－) plasmids cloned an insecticidal crystal protein (ICP) gene (crylAal type) from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD 1 was investigated through in part, the deletion of -80 bp promoter and an alternative change of cloning vector system. Two recombinant plasmids were constructed in an attempt to analyze the over-expression of the ICP in relations to its gene structure possessing only -14 bp ［Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of -80 bp promoter］. Also, anther two recombinant plasmids similarly cloned the icp gene in a different vector system. The amounts of ICP produced from the recombinants were measured by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blot analysis. One clone, pHLRBS1-14 clone in which only the SD sequence in the inverted orientation icp gene appeared, was more evident than the pHLRBS2-14 clone in which only the -14 bp SD sequence of the right orientated icp gene was shown to exist. The pHLN2-80(－) clone produced more ICP proteins than the pHLRBS1-14 clone. In the two clones, pHLNUC1-80 right-oriented icp gene and the pHLNUC2-80 clone inverted-orientation icp gene in a new different vector, the pHLNUC2-80 produced more ICP proteins in E. coli system. These results indicate that the P/ac promoter, the inverted icp gene insertion and -80 bp promoter (-66 bp part of the icp gene promoters), were concerned with the expression of the icp gene in the recombinant plasmids. In addition, the expression mechanism might result from the disruption of the transcription-suppressing regions in the promoter regions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.497-506
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• 1998

The expression in Escherichia coli of a cloned insecticidal protein (ICP) gene from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD1 in pHLN1-80 (+) and pHLN2-80(-) plasmids was investigated through deletions in promoters, transcription start point, and termination region. Six recombinant plasmids were constructed in an attempt to analyze the overexpression of the ICP in relations to its gene structure. The amounts of ICP produced from the recombinants were measured by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blot analysis. One clone was not overexpressed which having only -80 bp (contained BtI promoter) part of the ICP gene promoter (without Plac promoter), the right-oriented ICP gene and the termination region. Removal of 350 bp from upstream region of the Plac of the clone pHLN2-80 (-) resulted in overexpression of the ICP. One clone was not overexpressed in which the clone consisted of -72 bp part of the ICP promoter without the transcription start point and the transcriptional termination region, and having the right-oriented ICP gene sequence. One clone consisting of the inverted ICP gene sequence, the -72 bp ICP gene promoter, and without the termination region caused overexpression. One clone which consisted of the inverted ICP gene, the -72 bp ICP gene promoter and the termination sequence was overexpressed. These results indicated that the Plac promoter, transcription termination region, the inverted ICP gene insertion, and the -80 bp or -72 bp part of the ICP gene promoters were concerned in the overexpression of the ICP gene in the recombinant plasmid, and also the overexpression mechanism might result from the disruption of the transcription-suppressing regions in the promoter regions.