1. Tardigrade
  2. Question
  3. Biology
  4. The Bt toxin protein exist as inactive pro-toxins but once an insect ingest the inactive toxin, it is converted into an active form. From the following identify the correct cause of activating the toxin.

Question Error Report

Thank you for reporting, we will resolve it shortly

Back to Question

Q. The Bt toxin protein exist as inactive pro-toxins but once an insect ingest the inactive toxin, it is converted into an active form. From the following identify the correct cause of activating the toxin.

NTA AbhyasNTA Abhyas 2022

Solution:

Bacillus thuringiensis produces proteins that kill certain insects such as lepidopterans (tobacco budworm, armyworm), coleopterans (beetles), and dipterans (flies, mosquitoes). B. thuringiensis forms protein crystals that contain a toxic insecticidal protein. The Bt toxin protein on ingestion is converted into an active form due to the alkaline pH of the gut of insects which solubilize the crystals.