HORTICULTURE

Detailed explanation-1: -Crystal (Cry) proteins made by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are pore-forming toxins that specifically target invertebrates (insects and nematodes) and are generally innocuous to mammals. They are widely used as insecticides in agriculture and to control parasitic nematodes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram positive, spore-forming bacterium that synthesizes parasporal crystalline inclusions containing Cry and Cyt proteins, some of which are toxic against a wide range of insect orders, nematodes and human-cancer cells.

Detailed explanation-3: -Bt crystals, sometimes referred to as insecticidal crystal proteins (ICP), are protein crystals formed during sporulation in some Bt strains. Bt produces proteins that aggregate to form a crystal.

Detailed explanation-4: -Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal proteins are pore-forming toxins used as insecticides around the world. Previously, the extent to which these proteins might also target the invertebrate phylum Nematoda has been mostly ignored.