005 Microbes, the little guys_Bacillus thuringiensis and its role in agricultural biotechnology

Microbes, the little guys.

With the Earth's population continuing to increase there is an increasing demand for food. But how can food production become more efficient? One answer to that question is transgenic crops. Transgenic crops are crops that contain DNA from two different organisms. Usually the genome of the target organism is supplemented with a gene or multiple genes from another organism. One transgenic crop that has been developed to reduce crop losses due the pest such as the European Corn Borer and the Cotton Bollworm is Bt crops. Bt crops such as Bt Corn and Bt Cotton, contain the cry gene/s from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. This gene codes for a Crystal protein that once ingested by insects, breaks down in their hindgut and lyses the cells lining their gut. This cellular breakdown of the digestive system of the insect by the Bt toxin kills the insect and therefore reduces crop losses due to the action of pest species. As with all things genetically modified there are both ethical and scientific issues to contend with. Ethical issues aside, the real problem of Bt crops is natural resistance in the pest population and the potential effects on non-target organsism. Join us as we explore the world of Bt crops, which continues to help increase crop yields by controlling pest population.