Expression of 135-kDa Insecticidal Protein Gene from Bacillus thuringiensis in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai produces 130-kDa and 135-kDa (CrylA(a)) insecticidal proteins. When Saccharomyces cerevisiae was transformed by the vector carrying a cryIA(a) gene, the gene expression could not be observed. When the 5′-upstream region from the initiation codon was removed using a synthetic oligonucleotide, the CryIA(a) protein was successfully synthesized in yeast. The yeast extract containing CryIA(a) protein had insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella larvae.