A novel binary pesticidal protein from Chryseobacterium arthrosphaerae controls western corn rootworm by a different mode of action to existing commercial pesticidal proteins

Authors: JABEUR, RANIA - Limagrain Europe; GUYON, VIRGINIE - Vilmorin & Cie; TOTH, SZABOLCS - Centre For Agriculture & Biosciences International (CABI); PEREIRA, ADRIANO - University Of Missouri; HUYNH, MAN - University Of Missouri; SELMANI, ZAKIA - Université Des Sciences Et De La Technologie Houari Boumediène; BOLAND, ERIN - Genective; BOSIO, MICKAEL - Limagrain Europe; BEUF, LAURENT - Limagrain Europe; CLARK, PETE - Genective; VALLENET, DAVID - Genoscope; ACHOUAK, WAFA - Aix-Marseille University; AUDIFFRIN, CARINE - Protéus; TORNEY, FRANÇOIS - Genective; PAUL, WYATT - Limagrain Europe; HEULIN, THIERRY - Aix-Marseille University; Hibbard, Bruce; TOEPFER, STEFAN - Centre For Agriculture & Biosciences International (CABI); SALLAUD, CHRISTOPHER - Limagrain Europe

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2022
Publication Date: 2/17/2023
Citation: Jabeur, R., Guyon, V., Toth, S., Pereira, A.E., Huynh, M.P., Selmani, Z., Boland, E., Bosio, M., Beuf, L., Clark, P., Vallenet, D., Achouak, W., Audiffrin, C., Torney, F., Paul, W., Heulin, T., Hibbard, B.E., Toepfer, S., Sallaud, C. 2023. A novel binary pesticidal protein from Chryseobacterium arthrosphaerae controls western corn rootworm by a different mode of action to existing commercial pesticidal proteins. PLOS ONE. 18(2). Article e0267220. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267220.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267220

Interpretive Summary: Corn rootworms are a major threat to corn growers in the U.S. Corn Belt. Rootworms have developed resistance to nearly all management strategies including transgenic corn expressing toxins from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Thus new corn management tactics are needed to manage rootworms. In this study, we report the discovery of a new family of binary pesticidal proteins isolated active against WCR larvae. In diet bioassays, these proteins caused drastic weight loss in WCR larvae. Those effects were found in WCR colonies susceptible as well as colonies resistant to Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 (reassigned Gpp34Ab1/Tpp35Ab1) which suggests that the new binary insecticidal proteins may not share the same binding sites as those commercially deployed proteins and therefore present a new mode of action. This paves the way for the development of novel pest management approaches urgently needed against rootworms.

Technical Abstract: The western corn rootworm (WCR) Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) remains one of the economically most important pests of maize (Zea mays) due to its adaptive capabilities to pest management options. This includes the ability to develop resistance to some of the commercial pesticidal proteins originating from different strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. Although urgently needed, the discovery of new, environmentally safe agents with new modes of action is a challenge. In this study we report the discovery of a new family of binary pesticidal proteins isolated from several Chryseobacterium species. These novel binary proteins, referred to as GDI0005A and GDI0006A, produced as recombinant proteins, prevent growth and increase mortality of WCR larvae, as does the bacteria. These effects were found both in susceptible and resistant WCR colonies to Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 (reassigned Gpp34Ab1/Tpp35Ab1). This suggests GDI0005A and GDI0006A may not share the same binding sites as those commercially deployed proteins and thereby possess a new mode of action. This paves the way towards the development of novel biological or biotechnological management solutions urgently needed against rootworms.