1.

(a) Why are certain cotton plants called Bt cotton plants ? (b) Explain how Bt cotton ts resistant to pests.

Answer»

(a) Certain cotton plants are called Bt cotton because specific Bt toxin genes were isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis and incorporated into these cotton plants.

The proteins encoded by the genes cryIAc and cryIIAc control the cotton bollworms, and that for cryIAb control corn borer.

(b) Specific Bt toxin genes were isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis and incorporated into several crop plants such as cotton. The choice of genes depends upon the crop and the targeted pest, as most Bt toxin insect-group specific. The toxin is coded by a gene named cry. There are a number of them, for example, the proteins encoded by the genes crylAc and cryAb control the cotton boll worms, that of crylAb controls corn borer.



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