Arieh Zaritsky, Eitan Ben-Dov, Dov Borovsky, Sammy Boussiba, Monica Einav, Galina Gindin, A. Rami Horowitz, Mikhail Kolot, Olga Melnikov, Zvi Mendel and Ezra Yagil

Arieh Zaritsky

Corresponding author: ariehz@bgu.ac.il
Ben-Gurion Universiy of the Negev

Eitan Ben-Dov

Departments of Life Sciences, and Biotechnology Engineering Ben-Gurion Universiy of the Negev at Be'er-Sheva, 84105, Israel

Dov Borovsky

University of Florida at Vero Beach, USA

Sammy Boussiba

Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, Ben-Gurion Universiy of the Negev at Be'er-Sheva and S'de-Boker, 84105, Israel

Monica Einav

Departments of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion Universiy of the Negev at Be'er-Sheva and S'de-Boker, 84105, Israel

Galina Gindin

Dept. Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250 Israel

A. Rami Horowitz

Dept. Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250 Israel

Mikhail Kolot

Department of Biochemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel

Olga Melnikov

Departments of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion Universiy of the Negev at Be'er-Sheva, 84105, Israel

Zvi Mendel

Dept. Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250 Israel

Ezra Yagil

Department of Biochemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel

Various subspecies (spp.) of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are considered the best agents known so far to control insects, being highly specific and safe, easily mass produced and with long shelf life¹. The para-crystalline body that is produced during sporulation in the exosporium includes polypeptides named d-endotoxins, each killing a specific set of insects. The different entomopathogenic toxins of various Bt ssp. can be manipulated genetically in an educated way to construct more efficient transgenic bacteria or plants that express combinations of toxin genes to control pests². Joint research projects in our respective laboratories during the last decade demonstrate what can be done by implementing certain ideas using molecular biology with Bt ssp. israelensis (Bti) as a model system. Here, we describe our progress achieved with Gram-negative bacterial species, including cyanobacteria, and some preliminary experiments to form transgenic plants, mainly to control mosquitoes (Diptera), but also a particular Lepidopteran and Coleopteran pest species. In addition, a system is described by which environment-damaging genes can be removed from the recombinants thus alleviating procedures for obtaining permits to release them in nature.