Producing Cry-Toxins Endophytic Bacteria as an Alternative to Transgenic Plants to Protect Potato Plants against Colorado Potato Beetle

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0443-7547A. V. Sorokana, * () and https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4441-3360V. Yu. Alekseeva ()

a Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa, 450054 Russia

Correspondence to: *e-mail: fourtyanns@googlemail.com

Received 3 September, 2021

Abstract—Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Ld) can develop resistance to chemical and biological insecticides. It is important to search for microbial symbionts of plants that increase their adaptive potential. It was shown that the endophytic cells of Bacillus thuringiensis B-5351 increases Ld larvae mortality and activates the transcription of genes of proteinase inhibitors and their protein products in potato plants after pest damage, in contrast to the “low endophytic” B. thuringiensis B-5659, which produces highly effective insectotoxins.

Keywords: Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Bacillus thuringiensis, proteinase inhibitors

DOI: 10.3103/S0891416822010050