1. Expression of Bacillus thuringiensis cytolytic toxin (Cyt2Ca1) in citrus roots to control Diaprepes abbreviatus larvae
- Author
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Sulley Ben Mahmoud, Ronald D. Cave, Dov Borovsky, Stephen L. Lapointe, John E. Ramos, Randall P. Niedz, David G. Hall, Pierre Rougé, Robert G. Shatters, University of Florida [Gainesville] (UF), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Pharmacochimie et Biologie pour le Développement (PHARMA-DEV), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut de Chimie de Toulouse (ICT-FR 2599), Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut de Chimie de Toulouse (ICT-FR 2599), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut de Chimie de Toulouse (ICT), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), and Université de Toulouse (UT)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Models, Molecular ,Citrus ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Bacterial Toxins ,Bacillus thuringiensis ,Genetically modified crops ,01 natural sciences ,Plant Roots ,Genetic transformation ,03 medical and health sciences ,Bacterial Proteins ,Botany ,Animals ,cyt2Ca1 ,Citrus rootstock ,Pest Control, Biological ,2. Zero hunger ,biology ,fungi ,food and beverages ,Diaprepes abbreviatus ,Transgenic citrus rootstock ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,Plants, Genetically Modified ,Citrange ,Larval control ,Plant Leaves ,010602 entomology ,Root resistance ,030104 developmental biology ,Insect toxin ,Larva ,Weevils ,Rootstock ,Agronomy and Crop Science ,Citrus × sinensis - Abstract
International audience; Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) is an important pest of citrus in the USA. Currently, no effective management strategies of D. abbreviatus exist in citriculture, and new methods of control are desperately sought. To protect citrus against D. abbreviatus a transgenic citrus rootstock expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cyt2Ca1, an insect toxin protein, was developed using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of 'Carrizo' citrange [Citrus sinensis (L) Osbeck Poncirus trifoliate (L) Raf]. The transgenic citrus root stock expressed the cytolytic toxin Cyt2Ca1 constitutively under the control of a 35S promoter in the transgenic Carrizo citrange trifoliate hybrid including the roots that are the food source of larval D. abbreviatus. The engineered citrus was screened by Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses for cyt2Ca1 and positive citrus identified. Citrus trees expressing different levels of cyt2Ca1 transcripts were identified (Groups A-C). High expression of the toxin in the leaves (109 transcripts/ng RNA), however, retarded plant growth. The transgenic plants were grown in pots and the roots exposed to 3week old D. abbreviatus larvae using no-choice plant bioassays. Three cyt2Ca1 transgenic plants were identified that sustained less root damage belonging to Group B and C. One plant caused death to 43% of the larvae that fed on its roots expressed 8×106cyt2Ca1 transcripts/ng RNA. These results show, for the first time, that Cyt2Ca1 expressed in moderate amounts by the roots of citrus does not retard citrus growth and can protect it from larval D. abbreviatus.
- Published
- 2017
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