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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2005, p. 2558-2563, Vol. 71, No. 5
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.5.2558-2563.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

New Resistance Mechanism in Helicoverpa armigera Threatens Transgenic Crops Expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac Toxin

Robin V. Gunning,1* Ho T. Dang,2 Fred C. Kemp,3 Ian C. Nicholson,4 and Graham D. Moores5

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, RMB 944 Calala Lane, Tamworth, NSW, Australia 2340,1 New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 11, Windsor, NSW, Australia 2756,2 Reading University, Whiteknights, Reading, Berks, United Kingdom,3 Child Health Research Institute, King William Road, North Adelaide, SA, Australia 5006,4 Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom5

Received 27 August 2004/ Accepted 9 December 2004

In Australia, the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, has a long history of resistance to conventional insecticides. Transgenic cotton (expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac) has been grown for H. armigera control since 1996. It is demonstrated here that a population of Australian H. armigera has developed resistance to Cry1Ac toxin (275-fold). Some 70% of resistant H. armigera larvae were able to survive on Cry1Ac transgenic cotton (Ingard) The resistance phenotype is inherited as an autosomal semidominant trait. Resistance was associated with elevated esterase levels, which cosegregated with resistance. In vitro studies employing surface plasmon resonance technology and other biochemical techniques demonstrated that resistant strain esterase could bind to Cry1Ac protoxin and activated toxin. In vivo studies showed that Cry1Ac-resistant larvae fed Cy1Ac transgenic cotton or Cry1Ac-treated artificial diet had lower esterase activity than non-Cry1Ac-fed larvae. A resistance mechanism in which esterase sequesters Cry1Ac is proposed.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, 4 Marsden Park Road, Tamworth, NSW, Australia 2340. Phone: 61 2 6763 1128. Fax: 61 2 6763 1222. E-mail: robin.gunning{at}agric.nsw.gov.au.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2005, p. 2558-2563, Vol. 71, No. 5
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.5.2558-2563.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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