MON88702 produces a modified Cry51Aa2 insecticidal crystal (Cry) protein (Cry51Aa2.834-16) derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that protects against feeding damage caused by targeted hemipteran and thysanopteran insect pests including two species of tarnished plant bugs (Lygus hesperus, and Lygus lineolaris), cotton fleahopper (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus), and thrips (Frankliniella spp.).
MON88702 was developed through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of cotton using a two transfer DNA (T-DNA) transformation plasmid vector.
The first T-DNA, designated as T-DNA I, contains the Cry51Aa2.834-16 expression cassette, which expresses the modified Cry51Aa2 protein.
The second T-DNA, designated as T-DNA II, contains the aadA expression cassette (selectable marker).
During transformation, both T-DNAs were inserted into the cotton genome. Subsequently, traditional breeding, segregation, selection, and screening were used to isolate those plants that contained the Cry51Aa2.834-16 expression cassette (T-DNA I) and did not contain the aadA expression cassette (T-DNA II).
NGS analysis shows that a single T-DNA I insert and no vector backbone or T-DNA II elements are present in MON88702.