<i>BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS</i> USE IN AGRICULTURE: A MOLECULAR PERSPECTIVE

Cannon, R. J. C.

doi:10.1111/j.1469-185x.1996.tb01285.x

Cited by 48 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 554 publications

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“…The same process is required to obtain active parasporins from other noninsecticidal B. thuringiensis Cry proteins. Parasporin-1 and -3, derived from B. thuringiensis strains A1190 and A1462, respectively, are also produced as alkali-soluble inclusion bodies in the bacterium (4,21). After in vitro activation by trypsin or proteinase K, these proteins are readily able to target several human cell lines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The activated toxin then binds to a specific receptor on the membrane surface of epithelial gut cells, leading to permeable pore formation and finally the death of the insect (2,3). Because of their nonpathogenicity toward vertebrate organisms and species-specific toxicities toward insects, Cry proteins have been applied worldwide as biopesticides, and some Cry protein genes are now used in transgenic crops to control insect pests (4). On the other hand, these toxins are not only important tools for organic farming but have also made important contributions to the control of insect-mediated diseases, such as African river blindness.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Cytocidal Actions of Parasporin-2, an Anti-tumor Crystal Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Kitada

Abe

Shimada

et al. 2006

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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Parasporin-2, a new crystal protein derived from noninsecticidal and nonhemolytic Bacillus thuringiensis, recognizes and kills human liver and colon cancer cells as well as some classes of human cultured cells. Here we report that a potent proteinase K-resistant parasporin-2 toxin shows specific binding to and a variety of cytocidal effects against human hepatocyte cancer cells. Cleavage of the N-terminal region of parasporin-2 was essential for the toxin activity, whereas C-terminal digestion was required for rapid cell injury. Protease-activated parasporin-2 induced remarkable morphological alterations, cell blebbing, cytoskeletal alterations, and mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum fragmentation. The plasma membrane permeability was increased immediately after the toxin treatment and most of the cytoplasmic proteins leaked from the cells, whereas mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum proteins remained in the intoxicated cells. Parasporin-2 selectively bound to cancer cells in slices of liver tumor tissues and susceptible human cultured cells and became localized in the plasma membrane until the cells were damaged. Thus, parasporin-2 acts as a cytolysin that permeabilizes the plasma membrane with target cell specificity and subsequently induces cell decay.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytocidal Actions of Parasporin-2, an Anti-tumor Crystal Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Kitada

Abe

Shimada

et al. 2006

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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“…The inclusions often contain the ␦-endotoxin proteins that are highly and specifically toxic to agriculturally and medically important insect pests of several orders, including Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera (1). The strong and rapid insecticidal activity of inclusions makes B. thuringiensis an environmentally sound biological agent for pest control (3,13). Earlier studies, however, have reported that noninsecticidal B. thuringiensis strains are more widely distributed than insecticidal ones (7,16,17,(19)(20)(21)24).…”

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confidence: 99%

Parasporin, a Human Leukemic Cell-Recognizing Parasporal Protein of Bacillus thuringiensis

Mizuki

Park

Saitoh

et al. 2000

Clin Diagn Lab Immunol

131

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An unusual property, human leukemic cell-recognizing activity, associated with parasporal inclusions of a noninsecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis soil isolate was investigated, and a protein (named parasporin in this study) responsible for the activity was cloned. The parasporin, encoded by a gene 2,169 bp long, was a polypeptide of 723 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 81,045. The sequence of parasporin contained the five conserved blocks commonly found in B. thuringiensis Cry proteins; however, only very low homologies (<25%) between parasporin and the existing classes of Cry and Cyt proteins were detected. Parasporin exhibited cytocidal activity only when degraded by proteases into smaller molecules of 40 to 60 kDa. Trypsin and proteinase K activated parasporin, while chymotrypsin did not. The activated parasporin showed strong cytocidal activity against human leukemic T cells (MOLT-4) and human uterus cervix cancer cells (HeLa) but not against normal T cells.

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“…Crystal proteins expressed during sporulation of B. thuringiensis assemble into crystalline inclusions in the mother cell compartment that are often bipyramidal in shape (39). This assembling is also true of Cry5B produced in B. thuringiensis (40).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Bacillus subtilis Strain Engineered for Treatment of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Diseases

Miller

Derman

et al. 2013

Appl Environ Microbiol

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c Soil-transmitted helminths (hookworms, whipworms, and large roundworms) are agents of intestinal roundworm diseases of poverty that infect upwards of 2 billion people worldwide. A great challenge in treating these diseases is the development of anthelmintic therapeutics that are inexpensive, can be produced in great quantity, and are capable of delivery under varied and adverse environmental conditions. A potential solution to this challenge is the use of live bacteria that are acceptable for human consumption, e.g., Bacillus subtilis, and that can be engineered with therapeutic properties. In this study, we expressed the Bacillus thuringiensis anthelmintic protein Cry5B in a bacterial strain that has been used as a model for live bacterial therapy, Bacillus subtilis PY79. PY79 transformed with a Cry5B expression plasmid (PY79-Cry5B) is able to express Cry5B from the endogenous B. thuringiensis cry5B promoter. During sporulation of PY79-Cry5B, Cry5B is packaged as a crystal. Furthermore, Cry5B produced in PY79 is bioactive, with a 50% lethal concentration (LC 50 ) of 4.3 g/ml against the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. PY79-Cry5B was a significantly effective therapeutic in experimental Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworm infections of hamsters. A single 10-mg/kg (0.071 mol/kg of body weight) dose of Cry5B administered as a Cry5B-PY79 spore crystal lysate achieved a 93% reduction in hookworm burdens, which is superior on a molar level to reductions seen with clinically used anthelmintics. Given that a bacterial strain such as this one can be produced cheaply in massive quantities, our results demonstrate that the engineering and delivery of live bacterial strains have great potential to treat a significant contributor to poverty worldwide, namely, hookworm disease and other soil-transmitted helminthiasis.

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BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS USE IN AGRICULTURE: A MOLECULAR PERSPECTIVE

Cited by 48 publications

References 554 publications

Cytocidal Actions of Parasporin-2, an Anti-tumor Crystal Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Cytocidal Actions of Parasporin-2, an Anti-tumor Crystal Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Parasporin, a Human Leukemic Cell-Recognizing Parasporal Protein of Bacillus thuringiensis

Bacillus subtilis Strain Engineered for Treatment of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Diseases

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