Research Information System
3rd International Congress of the Molecular Biology Association of Turkey, İzmir, Turkey, 10 September 2014, pp.211
Plodia interpunctella (Indian meal moth) larvae fed by spreading on their food environment and cause product damage. In addition, they impair the quality of the product through leaving impurities, remains of molting and the head capsule. Their primary damage is on stored products such as fig, raisin, chestnut, walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, peanut, almond, sesame, sunflower, oilseeds, cereals, cocoa, milk powder, spices, and locust. It is well known that chemicals used to control the pest brings serious negativities on human health and environment. Many alternative methods are developed and used to eliminate or reduce those harmfull effects. In an alternative way environmentally friendly Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cry genes can be cloned and expressed in a host for obtaining desired toxin for controlling a spesific insect species. By this way non taget organisms are saved and their environmental benefits are preserved. In the current study, Lepidopteran spesific Bt Cry1A protein is used to control the P. interpunctella larvae. For this purpose cry1A gene from native B. thuringiensis strain SY49.1 was cloned into E.coli BL21(DE3) host and on expressing the desired gene its opportunity for controlling P. interpunctella larvae was investigated. Results indicated that recombinant Cry1A protein exerted 40% mortality (LC50:1.320 mg/g) on P. interpunctella larvae at 1mg/g.