Cyt2Ba of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis: Activation by putative endogenous protease

Marina Nisnevitch, Shmuel Cohen, Eitan Ben-Dov, Arieh Zaritsky, Yossef Sofer, Rivka Cahan

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28 Scopus citations

Abstract

The gene cyt2Ba of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis was cloned for expression, together with p20, in an acrystalliferous strain. The large hexagonal crystals formed were composed of Cyt2Ba, which facilitated its purification. Crystal solubilization in the presence of endogenous proteases (with spores and cell debris) enabled quick and simple procedure to obtain rather pure and active toxin species by cleavage between amino acid residues 34 and 35, most likely by a camelysin-like protease that was discovered in association with activated Cyt2Ba. The product of this cleavage displayed haemolytic activity comparable to that of exogenously activated Cyt2Ba. The sequence of this putative protease shares high homology with the cell envelope-bound metalloprotease (camelysin) of the closely related species Bacillus cereus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)99-105
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume344
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 May 2006

Keywords

  • Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis
  • Camelysin
  • Cyt2Ba

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