Bacillus thuringiensis. This organism, also known as BT, is famous for the production of an insecticidal toxin. The bacterium was initially discovered as a pathogen of various insects and was first used as an insecticidal agent in the early part of this century. This organism, like many other Bacilli, is found in the soil, where it leads
More...a saprophytic existence, but becomes an opportunistic pathogen of insects when ingested. The specific activity of the toxin towards insects and its lack of toxicity to animals has made this organism a useful biocontrol agent. The delta-endotoxin, which is produced during the sporulation part of the life cycle, causes midgut paralysis and disruption of feeding by the infected insect host. The presence of a parasporal crystal, which is outside the exosporium of the endospore, is indicative of production of the toxin, and serves as a marker for this species.Activation of the toxin typically requires a high pH environment such as the alkaline environments in insect midguts followed by proteolysis. Binding of the toxin to a receptor on intestinal epithelial cells serves to position the toxin to insert itself into the apical membrane where it forms a pore. The flux of water and ions into the cytoplasm results in eventual lysis leading to tissue damage. Various toxin genes specific for a variety of insects have been studied, and many are now being used in genetically modified plants which have been engineered to produce the toxin themselves, eliminating the need to produce sufficient amounts of B. thuringiensis spores. Less...- Seedling microbiota engineering using bacterial synthetic community inoculation on seeds. Arnault G, et al. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024 Mar 12
- Elucidating the genomic history of commercially used Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis strain NB176. Schäfer L, et al. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023
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- The Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain ATCC 13367 Features a cry-Containing Chromosome. Shwed PS, et al. Microbiol Resour Announc 2022 Apr 21
- Isolation and molecular characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki toxic to lepidopteran pests Spodoptera spp. and Plutella xylostella. Park MG, et al. Pest Manag Sci 2022 Jul
- Draft Genome Sequences of 18 Streptococcus Strains Isolated from Live Dietary Supplements and Cultured Food Products. Barnaba TJ, et al. Microbiol Resour Announc 2022 Jun 16
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- Long inverted repeats around the chromosome replication terminus in the model strain Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis BGSC 4Q7. Bolotin A, et al. Microb Genom 2020 Dec
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- Draft Genome Sequences of Five Environmental Bacterial Isolates That Degrade Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastic. León-Zayas R, et al. Microbiol Resour Announc 2019 Jun 20
- FDA-ARGOS is a database with public quality-controlled reference genomes for diagnostic use and regulatory science. Sichtig H, et al. Nat Commun 2019 Jul 25
- A Strain of Bacillus thuringiensis Containing a Novel cry7Aa2 Gene that Is Toxic to Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Domínguez-Arrizabalaga M, et al. Insects 2019 Aug 21
- Cry64Ba and Cry64Ca, Two ETX/MTX2-Type Bacillus thuringiensis Insecticidal Proteins Active against Hemipteran Pests. Liu Y, et al. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018 Feb 1
- Lineage-specific plasmid acquisition and the evolution of specialized pathogens in Bacillus thuringiensis and the Bacillus cereus group. Méric G, et al. Mol Ecol 2018 Apr
- Genome sequence analysis of a novel Bacillus thuringiensis strain BLB406 active against Aedes aegypti larvae, a novel potential bioinsecticide. Zribi Zghal R, et al. Int J Biol Macromol 2018 Sep
- Cry78Aa, a novel Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein with activity against Laodelphax striatellus and Nilaparvata lugens. Wang Y, et al. J Invertebr Pathol 2018 Oct
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Reference genome:  
Bacillus thuringiensis serovar berliner ATCC 10792Submitter: Naval Medical Research Center Morphology: Gram:Positive, Shape:Bacilli, Motility:Yes Environment: OxygenReq:Aerobic, TemperatureRange:Mesophilic, Habitat:Multiple Phenotype: Disease:Sotto disease
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