Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis CryIA delta-endotoxins laboratory-selected Heliothis virescens strain is related to receptor alteration

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology 1995-11, Vol.61 (11), p.3836-3842
• Main Authors: LEE, M. K, RAJAMOHAN, F, GOULD, F, DEAN, D. H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacteria; bacterial pesticides; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterial Proteins - toxicity; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Bacterial Toxins - toxicity; Bacteriology; binding proteins; Binding, Competitive; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; chemoreceptors; chimiorecepteur; Digestive System - metabolism; Drug Resistance; Endotoxins - metabolism; Endotoxins - toxicity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heliothis virescens; Hemolysin Proteins; insecticidas; insecticide; insecticides; intestin; intestines; intestinos; Lepidoptera; membrana mucosa; Microbiology; Microvilli - metabolism; Moths; mucous membrane; muqueuse; Noctuidae; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; pesticide bacterien; plaguicidas bacterianos; proteinas aglutinantes; proteine de liaison; Proteins; quimioreceptores; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; resistance aux produits chimiques; resistance to chemicals; resistencia a productos quimicos; toxicidad; toxicite; toxicity; toxinas; toxine; toxins
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.61.11.3836-3842.1995

The Bacillus thuringiensis toxin-binding properties of midgut epithelial cells from two strains of Heliothis virescens were compared. One H. virescens strain (YHD2) which was selected against CryIAc toxin had over 10,000-fold resistance to CryIAc toxin relative to the susceptible strain and was cross-resistant to CryIAa and CryIAb. The second H. virescens strain (YDK) was susceptible to these toxins in the order CryIAc > CryIAb > CryIAa. Receptor-binding properties of CryIAa, CryIAb, and CryIAc toxins were compared between the susceptible and resistant strains. Saturation and competition-binding experiments were performed with brush border membrane vesicles prepared from midguts of the susceptible and resistant insects and 125I-labeled toxins. In the susceptible strain, saturable, specific, and high-affinity binding of all three toxins was observed. The relative binding-site concentration was directly correlated with toxicity (CryIAc > CryIAb > CryIAa). In the resistant strains, the binding affinities of CryIAb and CryIAc were similar to that observed with the susceptible strain and only minor differences in binding-site concentration (B max) were observed. The major difference between the two strains was the total lack of binding of CryIAa toxin to the brush border membrane vesicles of the resistant strain. Heterologous competition-binding experiments and ligand blot analysis supported the hypothesis that there were multiple binding sites for the toxins. On the basis of results of the present study, we propose that alterations in binding proteins shared by all three toxins are a major factor in resistance. This suggests that not all receptors of CryIAc might be involved in toxic function.