Characterization and expression of a novel holotype insecticidal crystal protein gene from nativeBacillus thuringiensisBM59-2

Abstract

We characterized a novel holotype cry gene (cry52Ba1) harbored in a Bacillus thuringiensis isolate BM59-2 native to China that expresses a spherical crystal protein of about 80 kDa. In this study, the full length of the cry52Ba1 gene was cloned from this strain. Sequence analysis of the gene was also performed. Furthermore, cry52Ba1 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE)pLysS, and the resulting insecticidal activity showed that the Cry52Ba1 protein exhibited high larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti (Diptera), with a lethal concentration 50 of 1.526 microg/mL (95% confidence: 0.740-3.499 microg/mL).