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Expression and Secretion of a Functional Scorpion Insecticidal Toxin in Cultured Mouse Cells

Bio/Technology volume 8, pages 339–342 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

We have expressed a synthetic gene encoding the insecticidal neurotoxin of scorpion Androctonus australis (AaIT) in NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells under the transcriptional control of a murine retro-viral long terminal repeat. The secretion of the toxin into the culture medium was directed by the signal peptide of human interleukin-2. The recombinant AaIT produced was selectively toxic to yellow-fever mosquito larvae and harmless to mice.

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Author notes

  1. Mei-Huei T. Lai: Corresponding author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN, 46285

    Albert Dee, Rama M. Belagaje, Karen Ward & Mei-Huei T. Lai

  2. Department of Plant Science, Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN, 46285

    Eddie Chio

Authors
  1. Albert Dee
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  2. Rama M. Belagaje
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  3. Karen Ward
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  4. Eddie Chio
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  5. Mei-Huei T. Lai
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Dee, A., Belagaje, R., Ward, K. et al. Expression and Secretion of a Functional Scorpion Insecticidal Toxin in Cultured Mouse Cells. Nat Biotechnol 8, 339–342 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0490-339

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