Bt corn has been genetically modified to express the Cry1Ab protein of Bacillus thuringiensis to kill lepidopteran pests. Fluorescence microscopy and staining with toluidine blue indicated a higher content of lignin in the vascular bundle sheaths and in the sclerenchyma cells surrounding the vascular bundle in all ten Bt corn hybrids, representing three different transformation events, studied ...

The objective of this study is to determine the role of carbohydrates on the toxic effect of parasporal inclusion proteins isolated from Malaysian mosquitocidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains on erythrocytes (human and rat). Dose response analyses on the effect of these parasporal inclusions on human and rat erythrocytes suggest that toxin action is selective depending on bacterial strains...

Quantitative monitoring of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal crystal proteins in soil has been hampered by the lack of efficient extraction/detection methods. A novel approach for simple and effective Bt protein extraction was explored by evaluating extraction solutions from invertebrate gut fluids. Marine worm gut fluids were identified as promising for extracting Bt protein from soil. ...

Transgenic plants producing environmentally benign Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins are deployed increasingly for insect control, but their efficacy will be short-lived if pests adapt quickly. The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), a worldwide pest of vegetables, is the first insect to evolve resistance to Bt toxins in open-field populations. A recessive autosomal gene confers resistance...

Percentage survivorship, developmental time, adult body length, and sex ratio of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) reared on field-produced grain from sixteen cultivars of maize, Zea mays L., including several transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner hybrids and selected non-Bt isolines, were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Compared with isolines, development was delayed and survivor...

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been extensively used in biopesticidal formulations due to its safe environmental and human health records. The widespread use of Bt is often challenged by production as well as formulation costs which are in direct contact with downstream processing, i.e. the separation/purification step. Downstream separation/purification efficacy governs the marketabi...

We report a highly sensitive, rapid and reliable method for the detection of Bacillus Anthracis spores at 300/mL using a piezoelectric-excited millimeter-sized cantilever (PEMC) sensor. Antibody specific to Bacillus anthracis (BA, Sterne strain 7702) spores was immobilized on PEMC sensors, and exposed to spores (300 to 3x10 spores/mL). The resonant frequency decreased at a rate proportional to ...

Developing countries are already benefiting and should continue to benefit significantly from advances in plant biotechnology. Insect-protected cotton containing a natural insecticide protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt cotton) is providing millions of farmers with increased yields, reduced insecticide costs and fewer health risks. Many other useful plant biotechnology products that can ben...

Genetically modified (GM) soybeans expressing Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac (event MON 87701 × 89788 87751 87708) and Cry1Ac 89788) from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) are valuable technologies for managing key lepidopteran pests of soybean in South America, but do not provide stand-alone protection against Spodoptera species. Here, we evaluated the use these Bt their integration with insectic...

This year, 30 million acres of the corn, cotton, and potatoes planted in the United States will have been genetically engineered to produce an endotoxin normally found in the microbe Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a self-contained pesticide that will be toxic only to target insects. Transgenic pest-resistant crops are a cost-effective alternative to chemical pesticides, and may offer a way to hel...