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Abstract
BackgroundThe entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana has been widely used to kill mosquito larvae and adults in the laboratory and field. However, its slow action of killing has hampered its widespread application. In our study, the B. bassiana fungus was genetically modified to express the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cyt2Ba to improve its efficacy in killing mosquitoes.Methodology/Principal findingsThe efficacy of the wild type (WT) of B. bassiana and a transgenic strain expressing Cyt2Ba toxin (Bb-Cyt2Ba) was evaluated against larval and adult Aedes mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) using insect bioassays. The Bb-Cyt2Ba displayed increased virulence against larval and adult Aedes mosquitoes compared with the WT: for Ae. aegypti adults, the median lethal time (LT50) was decreased by 33% at the concentration of 1× 108 conidia/ml, 19% at 1× 107 conidia/ml and 47% at 1× 106 conidia/ml. The LT50 for Ae. albopictus adults was reduced by 20%, 23% and 29% at the same concentrations, respectively. The LT50 for Ae. aegypti larvae was decreased by 42% at 1× 107 conidia/ml and 25% at 1× 106 conidia/ml, and that for Ae. albopictus larvae was reduced by 33% and 31% at the same concentrations, respectively. In addition, infection with Bb-Cyt2Ba resulted in a dramatic reduction in the fecundity of Aedes mosquitoes.Conclusions/SignificanceIn conclusion, our study demonstrated that the virulence of B. bassiana against mosquitoes can be significantly improved by introducing the Bt toxin gene Cyt2Ba into the genome to express the exogenous toxin in the fungus. The transgenic strain Bb-Cyt2Ba significantly reduced the survival and fecundity of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus compared with the WT strain, which suggested that this recombinant B. bassiana has great potential for use in mosquito control.
Highlights
Mosquito vectors transmit many diseases to humans and animals, causing illness and death that result in considerable socio-economic burdens in endemic countries [1]
The B. bassiana fungus was genetically modified to express the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cyt2Ba to improve its efficacy in killing mosquitoes
The control of mosquitoes has almost exclusively relied on the use of chemical insecticides, which has recently led to the broad resistance of important mosquito vectors worldwide
Summary
Mosquito vectors transmit many diseases to humans and animals, causing illness and death that result in considerable socio-economic burdens in endemic countries [1]. Vector control via chemical insecticides is a major method for vector-borne disease control, but the extensive use of chemical insecticides poses toxicity risks to humans as well as the environment and creates intensive pressure for mosquitoes to develop resistance [4]. Biological control agents such as entomopathogenic fungi are important alternatives or complements to chemical insecticides [5]. Many studies have shown the potential of entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana, for the control of agricultural pests [6] and the vectors of human diseases, including mosquitoes [7]. The B. bassiana fungus was genetically modified to express the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cyt2Ba to improve its efficacy in killing mosquitoes
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