Insecticidal effects of Buthus occitanus tunetanus BotIT6 toxin expressed in Escherichia coli and baculovirus/insect cells

Rahima Bel Haj Rhouma (1) , Martine Cerutti-Duonor (2) , Khadija Benkhadir (1) , Françoise Goudey-Perriere (3) , Mohamed El Ayeb (1) , M Lopez-Ferber (4) , Habib Karoui (1)

1 LR11IPT08 - Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques - Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules
2 Unité mixte de recherche de pathologie comparée
3 Laboratoire de Biologie animale, Insectes et Toxines
4 LGEI - Laboratoire de Génie de l'Environnement Industriel

BotIT6 is a neurotoxin polypeptide derived from the venom of the scorpion Buthus occitanus tunetames (Bot), Its mature form is composed of 62 amino acids. BotIT6 has been reported to be the most potent toxin from Bot venom that has a strict selectivity for insects. Such toxin may have potential as a potent animal-harmless tool against insects, Using, RT-PCR, we isolated and sequenced a cDNA encoding 62 amino acid residues corresponding to the known amino acid sequence Of BotIT6. We hake expressed it recombinant active form of BotIT6 in significantly high amounts in Escherichia coli. We have also engineered the cDNA into the Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (AcMNPV) genome and expressed the protein under control of the polyhedrin promoter. Supernatants of AcIT6-virus infected Sf9 insect cells exhibit a typical intoxication effect when injected to Spodoptera littoralis larvae. Moreover, injection or the recombinant virus showed enhanced insecticidal potency against S. littoralis larvae compared with wild type AcMNPV. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: recombinant baculovirus; insecticide; toxicity; scorpion; recombinant toxin

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Rahima Bel Haj Rhouma, Martine Cerutti-Duonor, Khadija Benkhadir, Françoise Goudey-Perriere, Mohamed El Ayeb, et al.. Insecticidal effects of Buthus occitanus tunetanus BotIT6 toxin expressed in Escherichia coli and baculovirus/insect cells. Journal of Insect Physiology, 2005, 51 (12), pp.1376-1383. ⟨10.1016/j.jinsphys.2005.08.008⟩. ⟨pasteur-01375272⟩