Recent advances of the research on synergistic effect of a mixed baculovirus
infection demonstrated the presence of viral molecules enhancing the early event
of infection. The enhancins from the Trichoplusia ni was identified to have
such a function, i.e., disrupting the structural integrity of peritrophic membrane
of midgut of T. ni larva. The enhancin gene was ligated downstream of the
CaMV 355 promoter of a binary vector pBI121. With a drug resistant gene, the gene
was introduced to a piece of tobacco leaf, from Nicotiana tobacum cv. Havana
SR1. We screened 11 regenerated plants out of 37 by feeding tobacco powder mixed
in artificial diet, to 3rd instar Pseudaletia separata larvae. The larval
stage was usually delayed from 1 to 3 days in comparison of that of control larvae.
The larvae did not pupate normally. The larvae showed irregular morphology of half
larva and half pupae, suggesting a hormonal disturbance caused by the transgenic
tobacco. The introduction of an enhancin gene into plants is an effective method
of protecting them from insects due to the disruption of their normal life cycle.