Question

Insecticidal property of cry proteins.

Answer 1

Insecticidal property of cry proteins

1. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a gram-positive bacterium, generally used as biological pesticide.
2. During sporulation many Bt strains produce endotoxins that are in crystal form, called as “cry proteins”.
3. Cry proteins are encoded by cry genes which are located on a plasmid.
4. If these crystal proteins been ingested by the larvae, they become soluble and cleaved to protease that is in gut. This produce the active toxin called delta-endotoxin.
5. This describes insecticidal and pesticidal property of Cry proteins.
6. By using these endotoxin genes of cry protein, genetically modified crops were created called as “Bt crops”. Examples: Bt cotton, Bt potato, Bt Soybean, Bt corn.