Abstract
Androctonus australis Hector insect toxin (AaIT), an insect-selective toxin, was identified in the venom of the scorpion Androctonus australis. The exclusive and specific target of the toxin is the voltage-gated sodium channels of the insect, resulting in fast excitatory paralysis and even death. Because of its strict toxic selectivity and high bioactivity, AaIT has been widely used in experiments exploring pest bio-control. Recombinant expression of AaIT in a baculovirus or a fungus can increase their virulence to insect pests and diseases vectors. Likewise, transgenic plants expressing AaIT have notable anti-insect activity. AaIT is an efficient toxin and has great potential to be used in the development of commercial insecticides.
Highlights
Insect pests cause serious damage in the agricultural field, which costs farmers billions of dollars annually [1]
We summarize the Tdaebvelelo1p.mPernitmoaf rtyheaumseinoof AacaiIdT sineqinuseenctcpeefsotrcoAnntrdorlo.ctonus australis Hector insect toxin (AaIT)
AaIT is toxic to many insect pests and disease vectors [22]
Summary
Insect pests cause serious damage in the agricultural field, which costs farmers billions of dollars annually [1]. McCutchen et al constructed a polyhedrin-positive Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV) expressing the AaIT protein [34] They demonstrated that the 2nd instar larvae of Heliothis virescens that was infected by the recombinant baculovirus had a significantly shorter lethal time compared with that which was infected by the wild-type AcNPV [34]. When B. thuringiensis crystal protein gene (cry1–5) and the AaIT gene were introduced into the AcNPV genome, the infectivity and speed of action of this recombinant virus against the larvae of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera exigua were dramatically improved compared with the wild-type virus [40,41]. To assess the effect of the recombinant virus on the non-target insects, two generalist predators, Chysoperla carnea Stephens and Orius insidiosus (Say) were fed on H. virescens larvae infected by AcNPV-AaIT, and the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., was injected with AcNPV-AaIT directly [52]. AaIT toxin expression in baculoviruses increases their virulence to target insects but has no adverse effects on non-target insects
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