MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY OF BACILLUS-THURINGIENSIS

Major advances in our understanding of molecular biology have been ach ieved over the last 10 years since the first cloning and sequencing of a crystal protein gene in 1981. A family of five cry genes are now kn own which differ in their spectrum of activity. Other toxin genes are known but not yet cloned and sequenced. A wide range of alternative ho sts have been used to produce recombinant toxins including plants. Rec ent studies have related the structural components of the gene to part icular loci.