Dr. Neil Crickmore visited Wuhan Institute of Virology
Invited by Prof. YUAN Zhiming, Dr. Neil Crickmore and his PhD student Zenas George, from the School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, UK, visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences on May 10th. Dr. Neil Crickmore, who wrote the article about novel nomenclature system for Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins in 1998, is one of chief members of B. thuringiensis Nomenclature Committee. During his visit, Dr. Neil Crickmore gave a lecture titled “Bacillus thuringiensis —— more than just toxins”.
At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Neil Crickmore briefly introduces the current situation on classification and nomenclature of insecticidal toxins and their encoding genes from microorganisms including B.t., and the dynamic status of identification and nomenclature of new toxins and new genes. Then, he describes the problems of resistance from insects to B.t. toxins so as to submit the conclusion that B.t. is bona fide pathogen to insects basing on the specific ecological niche analysis of the insect gut habitats. Next, he emphasizes the specificity of B.t. by “omics” analysis and the best reproduction environment for B.t. in insect cadaver. The lecture attracts so great interests from the audience that problems are issued on the understandings to, the evolution and the applications of B.t.. After the warm discussion with Dr. Neil Crickmore, Neil presents souvenir of London 2012 Olympic Games to Prof. Yuan Zhiming.
The visit of Dr. Neil Crickmore inspires the pondering the status and prospects of, and the insights of the importance and necessity of B.t., by the scholars of WIV.
(Written by ZHENG, Dasheng, pictured by QIAO, Yongchao, Group of Arbovirus and its Vector Control)
