scholarly journals Unraveling the Composition of Insecticidal Crystal Proteins in Bacillus thuringiensis: a Proteomics Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Caballero ◽  
Nerea Jiménez-Moreno ◽  
Irene Orera ◽  
Trevor Williams ◽  
Ana B. Fernández ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the most widely used active ingredient for biological insecticides. The composition of δ-endotoxins (Cry and Cyt proteins) in the parasporal crystal determines the toxicity profile of each Bt strain. However, a reliable method for their identification and quantification has not been available, due to the high sequence identity of the genes that encode the δ-endotoxins and the toxins themselves. Here, we have developed an accurate and reproducible mass spectrometry-based method (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-multiple reaction monitoring [LC-MS/MS-MRM]) using isotopically labeled proteotypic peptides for each protein in a particular mixture to determine the relative proportion of each δ-endotoxin within the crystal. To validate the method, artificial mixtures containing Cry1Aa, Cry2Aa, and Cry6Aa were analyzed. Determination of the relative abundance of proteins (in molarity) with our method was in good agreement with the expected values. This method was then applied to the most common commercial Bt-based products, DiPel DF, XenTari GD, VectoBac 12S, and Novodor, in which between three and six δ-endotoxins were identified and quantified in each product. This novel approach is of great value for the characterization of Bt-based products, not only providing information on host range, but also for monitoring industrial crystal production and quality control and product registration for Bt-based insecticides. IMPORTANCE Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based biological insecticides are used extensively to control insect pests and vectors of human diseases. Bt-based products provide greater specificity and biosafety than broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides. The biological activity of this bacterium resides in spores and crystals comprising complex mixtures of toxic proteins. We developed and validated a fast, accurate, and reproducible method for quantitative determination of the crystal components of Bt-based products. This method will find clear applications in the improvement of various aspects of the industrial production process of Bt. An important aspect of the production of Bt-based insecticides is its quality control. By specifically quantifying the relative proportion of each of the toxins that make up the crystal, our method represents the most consistent and repeatable evaluation procedure in the quality control of different batches produced in successive fermentations. This method can also contribute to the design of specific culture media and fermentation conditions that optimize Bt crystal composition across a range of Bt strains that target different pestiferous insects. Quantitative information on crystal composition should also prove valuable to phytosanitary product registration authorities that oversee the safety and efficacy of crop protection products.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh S. Patel ◽  
Naveen Sharma ◽  
Mukesh C. Patel ◽  
Bhavin N. Patel ◽  
Pranav S. Shrivastav ◽  
...  

A reliable, rapid, and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay has been proposed for the determination of rizatriptan in human plasma using sumatriptan as internal standard (IS). The analyte and IS were extracted from 300 μL human plasma via liquid-liquid extraction and the chromatography was achieved on Hypurity C18 (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column under isocratic conditions. Detection of rizatriptan and IS was done by tandem mass spectrometry, operating in positive ionization and multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantitation of the method were 0.04 and 0.20 ng/mL, respectively, with a linear dynamic range of 0.20–60.0 ng/mL. The intrabatch and interbatch precision (% CV) was ≤8.4% while the mean extraction recovery was >78% across quality control levels. Bench top stability, freeze and thaw stability, processed sample stability, and long-term stability in plasma were evaluated at two quality control levels. It was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study of 10 mg rizatriptan orally disintegrating tablet formulation in 40 and 32 healthy Indian male subjects under fasting and fed conditions, respectively. The reproducibility in the measurement of study data was demonstrated by reanalysis of 254 incurred samples.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56
Author(s):  
Shun Liu ◽  
Xun Wang ◽  
Kaiping Zou ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Cunyu Li ◽  
...  

Background: Zishen Tongguan (ZSTG) capsules were prepared at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and have been proven to be clinically effective for treating pyelonephritis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the quality standards are not ideal; a comprehensive study of the “quality markers” (Q-markers), the chemicals inherent in traditional Chinese medicine and its preparations, has not been carried out. Experimental Methods: In this paper, a sensitive and specific ultra-high-performance liquid chromatographictandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight potential Q-markers of ZSTG, including timosaponin A3, berberine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine, palmatine, mangiferin, neomangiferin, and timosaponin BII. A Kromasil 100-3.5 C18 column was used with a mobile phase of 0.2% formic acid with acetonitrile, and gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min was achieved in 13 minutes and used for separation. Detection was performed in positive/negative mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Results: The analytical method was validated in terms of the sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, repeatability, stability and recovery. The method established here was successfully applied to study the potential Q-markers in 8 batches of commercial samples, which demonstrated its use in improving the quality control of ZSTG. Conclusion: The developed method had high repeatability and accuracy and was suitable for the simultaneous analysis of multiple Q-markers, which may provide a new basis for the comprehensive assessment and overall quality control of ZSTG.


Author(s):  
Narottam Pal ◽  
Avanapu Srinivasa Rao ◽  
Pigilli Ravikumar

<p><strong>Objective</strong>:<strong> </strong>To develop a new method and validate the same for the determination of Febuxostat (FBS) in human plasma by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LCMS).</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>:<strong> </strong>The present method utilized reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectroscopy. Febuxostat D9 (FBS D9) was used as internal standard (IS). The analyte and internal standard were separated from human plasma by using solid phase extraction method. Zorbax Eclipse XDB, C<sub>8</sub>, 100 mm x 4.6 mm, 3.5 µm column was used and HPLC grade acetonitrile, 5 millimolar (mM) ammonium format (80: 20, v/v) as mobile phase, detected by mass spectrometry operating in positive ion and multiple reaction monitoring modes.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>:<strong> </strong>The parent and production transitions for FBS and internal standard were at m/z 317.1→261.0 and 326.1→262.0 respectively. The method was validated for system suitability, specificity, carryover effect, linearity, precision, accuracy, matrix effect, sensitivity and stability. The linearity range was from 20.131 ng/ml to10015. 534 ng/ml with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. Precision results (%CV) across six quality control samples were within the limit. The percentage recovery of FBS and internal standard from matrix samples was found to be 76.57% and 75.03% respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong>:<strong> </strong>Present study describes new LC-MS method for the quantification of FBS in a pharmaceutical formulation. According to validation results, it was found to be a simple, sensitive, accurate and precise method and also free from any kind of interference. Therefore the proposed analytical method can be used for routine analysis for the estimation of FBS in its formulation.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 863-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya KAMAO ◽  
Yoshihisa HIROTA ◽  
Yoshitomo SUHARA ◽  
Naoko TSUGAWA ◽  
Kimie NAKAGAWA ◽  
...  

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sloan Siegrist ◽  
Magnus Steigedal ◽  
Rushdy Ahmad ◽  
Alka Mehra ◽  
Marte S. Dragset ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The type VII secretion systems are conserved across mycobacterial species and in many Gram-positive bacteria. While the well-characterized Esx-1 pathway is required for the virulence of pathogenic mycobacteria and conjugation in the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis, Esx-3 contributes to mycobactin-mediated iron acquisition in these bacteria. Here we show that several Esx-3 components are individually required for function under low-iron conditions but that at least one, the membrane-bound protease MycP3 of M. smegmatis, is partially expendable. All of the esx-3 mutants tested, including the ΔmycP 3ms mutant, failed to export the native Esx-3 substrates EsxH ms and EsxG ms to quantifiable levels, as determined by targeted mass spectrometry. Although we were able to restore low-iron growth to the esx-3 mutants by genetic complementation, we found a wide range of complementation levels for protein export. Indeed, minute quantities of extracellular EsxH ms and EsxG ms were sufficient for iron acquisition under our experimental conditions. The apparent separation of Esx-3 function in iron acquisition from robust EsxG ms and EsxH ms secretion in the ΔmycP 3ms mutant and in some of the complemented esx-3 mutants compels reexamination of the structure-function relationships for type VII secretion systems. IMPORTANCE Mycobacteria have several paralogous type VII secretion systems, Esx-1 through Esx-5. Whereas Esx-1 is required for pathogenic mycobacteria to grow within an infected host, Esx-3 is essential for growth in vitro. We and others have shown that Esx-3 is required for siderophore-mediated iron acquisition. In this work, we identify individual Esx-3 components that contribute to this process. As in the Esx-1 system, most mutations that abolish Esx-3 protein export also disrupt its function. Unexpectedly, however, ultrasensitive quantitation of Esx-3 secretion by multiple-reaction-monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) revealed that very low levels of export were sufficient for iron acquisition under similar conditions. Although protein export clearly contributes to type VII function, the relationship is not absolute.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document