Nanoparticle-loaded microcapsules providing effective UV protection for Cry1Ac

Abstract

Aim

To prepare several novel microcapsules using chitosan (Cs) and Alginate (Alg) as coating materials, and nano-ZnO, nano-SiO₂, nano-TiO₂ as UV protective agents for improving UV resistance of Cry1Ac.

Methods

Microcapsules were prepared by the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique and electrostatic adsorption. The morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the stability under UV radiation was studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and bioassay.

Results

SEM showed that nano-ZnO and nano-TiO₂ could be adsorbed on the negatively charged MC with the outermost layer being Alg, while nano-SiO₂ could be adsorbed on the positively charged MC with Cs as the outermost layer. SDS-PAGE and bioassay showed that nano-ZnO and nano-SiO₂ could provide effective UV protection after 8 h UV irradiation (p > 0.05), and nano-TiO₂ could provide effective UV protection after 4 h UV irradiation (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The microcapsules loaded with nanoparticles provided excellent UV resistance for Cry1Ac.

Keywords:

• Bacillus thuringiensis
• microcapsule
• nanoparticles
• UV resistance
• insecticidal activity

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2017YFD0201207).