Aedes aegypti cadherin serves as a putative receptor of the Cry11Aa toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis.

Cry11Aa of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis is the most active toxin to Aedes aegypti in this strain. We previously reported that, in addition to a 65 kDa GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol)-anchored ALP (alkaline phosphatase), the toxin also binds a 250 kDa membrane protein.

Cloning and epitope mapping of Cry11Aa-binding sites in the Cry11Aa-receptor alkaline phosphatase from Aedes aegypti.

Cry11Aa is the most active Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis toxin against Aedes aegypti larvae. Ae. aegypti alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was previously identified as a Cry11Aa receptor mediating toxicity.

Employing phage display to study the mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins.

Phage display is an in vitro method for selecting polypeptides with desired properties from a large collection of variants. The insecticidal Cry toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis are highly specific to different insects. Various proteins such as cadherin, aminopeptidase-N (APN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) have been characterized as potential Cry-receptors.

Mode of action of mosquitocidal Bacillus thuringiensis toxins.

Cry toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are used for insect control. Their primary action is to lyse midgut epithelial cells. In lepidopteran insects, Cry1A monomeric toxins interact with a first receptor and this interaction triggers toxin oligomerization.

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis Cyt1Aa synergizes Cry11Aa toxin by functioning as a membrane-bound receptor.

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis produces crystal proteins, Cry (4Aa, 4Ba, 10Aa, and 11Aa) and Cyt (1Aa and 2Ba) proteins, toxic to mosquito vectors of human diseases. Cyt1Aa overcomes insect resistance to Cry11Aa and Cry4 toxins and synergizes the toxicity of these toxins.

Cry11Aa toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis binds its receptor in Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae through loop alpha-8 of domain II.

Bacillus thuringiensis subs israelensis produces Cry toxins active against mosquitoes. Receptor binding is a key determinant for specificity of Cry toxins composed of three domains. We found that exposed loop alpha-8 of Cry11Aa toxin, located in domain II, is an important epitope involved in receptor interaction.