Production and characterization of N- and C-terminally truncated Mtx2: a mosquitocidal toxin from Bacillus sphaericus

Curr Microbiol. 2010 Dec;61(6):549-53. doi: 10.1007/s00284-010-9651-0. Epub 2010 Apr 22.

Abstract

Mosquitocidal toxin 2 (Mtx2) is a mosquito-larvicidal protein produced during vegetative stage of Bacillus sphaericus. The toxin consists of 292 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 31.8 kDa. To determine the active core region of the toxin, amino acids at N- and C-termini were sequentially removed. Deletion up to 23 amino acids from the N-terminus (Met1-Tyr23) did not significantly affect protein production and the toxin activity, whereas removal of 26 amino acids from the N-terminus (Met1-Lys26) completely abolished toxicity even though the protein production remained unchanged. Deletion of only 5 amino acids from the C-terminal end yielded the protein that could not be solubilized and rendered the toxin inactive. The results demonstrated that the C-terminal end of Mtx2 is required for proper folding and toxicity. Amino acids at the N-terminus up to Tyr23 did not play a significant role in protein production and toxicity whereas amino acids between Thr24 and Lys26 are required for full toxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacillus / genetics*
  • Bacillus / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / toxicity*
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Toxins / toxicity*
  • Culicidae / drug effects
  • Mutant Proteins / genetics
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutant Proteins / toxicity
  • Protein Folding
  • Sequence Deletion

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Mtx2 protein, Bacillus sphaericus
  • Mutant Proteins