Chlamydomonas Strains With Chloroplast-Expressed Cry Proteins For Biological Control Of Mosquitoes That Transmit Disease

摘要

The present invention relates to producing novel strains of green alga specifically engineered to produce an improved engineered compound over naturally occurring larvicide compound. In particular, genes were isolated and sequenced encoding naturally occurring larvicides produced by Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis), e.g. Cry proteins, were redesigned, synthesized, then introduced as heterologous transgenes into strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for producing motile larvicidal-green algae specifically lethal to larvae of mosquitoes and black flies in water systems. Thus green alga (i.e. eukaryote) as motile biocontrol agents are contemplated for use to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes that transmit disease, such as West Nile virus, dengue, encephalitis, and malaria, in addition to reducing the number of adult black flies, in a safe and sustainable manner.