Chejanovsky, N., Institute of Plant Protection, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
Zilberberg, N., Department of Botany, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
Rivkin, H., Institute of Plant Protection, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
Zlotkin, E., Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
Gurevitz, M., Department of Botany, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

The Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus alpha anti-insect toxin (LqhαIT) cDNA was engineered into the Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (AcNPV) genome. Insect cells infected with the recombinant virus secreted a functional LqhαIT polypeptide. Spodoptera littoralis and Heliothis armigera larvae injected with recombinant budded virus, showed typical intoxication symptoms. This recombinant virus showed enhanced insecticidal potency against H. armigera larvae compared with wild type AcNPV. The present expression system will facilitate: (1) the future elucidation of structural elements involved in its prominent anti-insect toxicity; and (2) the future design of genetically modified alpha toxins with improved anti-insect selectivity. © 1995.