A novel cry52Ca1 gene from an Indian Bacillus thuringiensis isolate is toxic to Helicoverpa armigera (cotton boll worm).

The novel cry52Ca1 gene from an Indian Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate was cloned in an expression vector (pET301/CT-DEST, 6xHis). The gene expressed as a ∼77.2 kDa protein in E. coli BL21-CodonPlus (DE3)-RIPL cells upon induction with isopropyl-thio-galactoside (IPTG) for 18 h at 28 °C. Cry52Ca1 protein was toxic to Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm) neonate larvae (LC50 36.66 µg per ml and MIC50 3.051 µg per ml) in diet-based laboratory assays. This gene has potential for deployment in insect-resistant transgenic crops.