土壤来源苏云金芽孢杆菌的形态、δ-内毒蛋白质及其毒力特性

在透射和扫描电镜下观察了土壤来源的94株苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)的菌体、鞭毛、芽孢及伴孢晶体的形态。以快速SDS—PAGE法分析了全部菌株δ-内毒素的蛋白质成分。用鳞翅目、鞘翅且及双翅目的9种昆虫进行了毒力试验。筛选出了数株杀鞘翅目和杀夜蛾科害虫的高效菌。发现了一些新型伴孢晶体,其形态和蛋白质成分均未报道过。     

杀鞘翅目苏云金芽孢杆菌新菌株及其杀虫剂的研究

从中国土壤中分离出2株杀鞘翅目昆虫的苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis) YM03及SHQ11-10。YM03的血清型为H8a8b,SHQ1110的H血清型未知。二菌株皆产近菱形的薄扁伴孢晶体,分别含68～70kD和65kD的晶体蛋白质。毒力生物测定证明对柳蓝叶甲(Plagiodera versicolora)及马铃薯甲虫(Leptinotarsa decemlineata)有高毒效。发酵性能良好。YM03粉剂田间防治马铃薯甲虫有高效。稀释400倍喷雾,防治效果达94.6%。     

苏芸金芽孢杆菌的一个新亚种

由北京近郊温泉地区油松林间土壤中,分离到一株产生伴孢内含物的芽孢杆菌TW 20。该菌株具有苏芸金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)的典型特征,但无鞭毛抗原(H),伴孢内含物与孢子常常不分开,位于孢子囊一端由数个不同形状的晶体组成．其生化反应特性及酯酶型与已知23个血清型30个亚种的标准菌株均不相同。对油松毛虫(Dendrolimus tabulaef-ormis)、午毒蛾(Lymautria dispar)、黄褐天幕毛虫(Malacosoma neustria testcea)、光肩星天牛(Anoplophora glabripennis)幼虫没有明显的致病性。根据上述特性,菌株TW20属于一个新的酯酶型亚种,定名为苏芸金芽孢杆菌温泉亚种——Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Wequanen-sis。     

苏芸金杆菌的一个新血清型

从土壤中分离出一株产生伴孢晶体的芽孢杆菌。该菌株具有苏芸金杆菌的典型特征,严生不规则型晶体,鞭毛抗原及生化反应与已知的苏芸金杆菌21个血清型不㈤,不产生β-外毒素。对棉铃虫、粘虫、大蜡螟及尖音库蚊幼虫均无毒性,是一个新血清型(H22),定名为苏芸金杆菌山东变种(Bacillus thuringiensis serovar shandongiensis, H22)。     

土壤来源的五个苏云金芽孢杆菌新亚种的鉴定

从中国土壤中分离的大量苏云金芽孢杆菌菌株中鉴定出H42、H43、H56、H60及H62等5种新H血清型,并进行了形态、培养特征、生化反应、晶体蛋白质成分及毒力特性等项检测鉴定,鉴定了5个苏云金芽孢杆菌新亚种： Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jinghongiensis (H42), B.thuringiensis subsp. guiyangiensis (H43),B.thuringiensis subsp. rongseni(H56),B.thuringiensis subsp. pingluonsis(H60)及B.thuringiensis subsp. zhaodongensis(H62) 。毒力生物测定证明5个新亚种的代表菌株对棉铃虫(Heliothis armigera)\,小菜蛾(Plutella xylostella)\,柳蓝叶甲(Plagiodera versicolora)幼虫均无毒力。H42、H43、H56、H60对埃及伊蚊(Aedes aegypti)\,斑须按蚊(Anopheles stephensi)及尖音库蚊(Culex pipiens)亦均无毒;H62对埃及伊蚊无毒,但对尖音库蚊与斑须按蚊有低毒。     

苏芸金杆菌伴孢晶体和芽孢孢衣的蛋白质组分及其与毒力的关系

研究了苏芸金杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)3个变种6个菌株的提纯伴孢晶体和芽孢对大蜡螟(Galleria mellonella)和大菜粉蝶(Pieris brassicae)的毒力、晶体的蛋白质和多肽成分及芽孢衣中的类晶体蛋白质成分.生物测定表明,晶体毒力高于芽孢,在总数量相同的情况下,晶体和芽孢近1:1的混合物的毒力高于单独的晶体或芽孢.芽孢衣中存在一种类似晶体蛋白质的成分,无晶体突变株及无效野生株的芽孢则无此种蛋白质且对两种昆虫无毒.变种wuhanensis和变种galleriae的晶体含MW138000的主要蛋白质和63000的次要蛋白质,经碱性缓冲液溶解后,上清液含MW138000的蛋白质,沉淀中含MW63000的蛋白质;变种aizawai的晶体中仅含138000的蛋白质.对大蜡螟无毒的HD-11(var.aizawai)晶体的蛋白质成分有别于上述晶体,其胰蛋白酶消化物的SDS凝胶电泳图型显示少2条多肽带,但对大菜粉蝶仍有效.结果表明,苏芸金杆菌的芽孢在昆虫病理中有重要作用,伴孢晶体的蛋白质和多肽成分与它们对昆虫的毒力特性之间有密切关系.     

几种苏芸金杆菌晶体的毒力及形态结构

研究了苏芸金杆菌(Bacillus thurin&itntis)6个变种的7个菌株的提纯晶体对家蚕(Bombyx mori)和棉铃虫(Heliothis armigera)的毒力及其在电镜下的形态与结构。证明7种晶体对两种昆虫的毒力大小有不同的顺序。方形晶体和具镶嵌形的菱形晶体对两种昆虫皆有较高毒力,细小菱形晶体的毒力皆很低,不规则的颗粒状晶体和六角彤晶体不显示毒性或仅具很低毒件。不同晶体的表面结构亦有差异。并证明方形晶体和两种具镶嵌型构造的菱形晶体易受超声波破坏,小菱形及其它两种非菱形晶体对超声波有较大抗性。认为苏芸金杆菌晶体的形态结构及其对超声波的抗性与它们对鳞翅目昆虫的毒力之间有一定关系。     

苏芸金杆菌的一个新血清型

苏芸金杆菌云南变种(Bacillus thurtngtensts subsp. Yunnanensis)113菌株的H-抗原和 H-抗血清均与已知苏芸金杆菌H一血清型l到19的所有参考标准菌株的H一抗血清和H一抗原不发生交叉凝集反应。113菌株的生化反应结果与所有参考标准菌株也不相同。此外,113菌株对致倦库蚊(Culex pipiens var. quinquefaseiatces)(双翅目)(Bombyx mori) (鳞翅目)幼虫均无毒性。 因此,113菌株是一个新血清型20,即苏芸金杆菌云南变种,血清型20(Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Yunnanensis H20)。     

几种苏芸金杆菌晶体的超微结构

观察了苏芸金杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)7个菌株晶体的超薄切片,不同来源的晶体内部超微结构有明显差异。 6种晶体具有晶格构造,但1897菌株的晶体内部具有非均一构造。无鞭毛菌株H0的晶体具有极易碎裂的特点。HD-1的晶体的镶嵌型构造进一步被证实。血清8型006菌株的晶体不具有任何蛋白质晶格结构。讨论了苏芸金杆菌晶体的超微结构与其对昆虫毒力的关系。     

苏芸金杆菌天门变种——“7216”菌的研究

1972年从棉花红铃虫(Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders)中分离出一株能形成伴孢晶体的芽孢杆菌“7216”。该菌具有苏芸金杆菌(Bacillus tkuriniientis)的典型特征[1]。血清型属Hsasb,但培养特征、生化特性有别于H,中的阿莱变种和戈尔斯德变种,认为是苏芸金杆离的一个新变种,定名为苏芸金杆菌天门变种Bacillua thuriniensit var．Tianmentig(7216)。     

Characterization and pathogenic evaluation of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus sphaericus isolates from Argentinean soils

Eighty soil samples of different origin (from urban, agricultural, forested and horticultural areas) which had not previously been treated with bioinsecticides, were collected and examined to investigate the presence of Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus. From a total of 1473 bacterial isolates examined by differential staining techniques and growth on nutrient agar with the addition of penicillin and streptomycin, 31 (2.1%) strains of Bacillus sphaericus and 25 (1.6%) strains of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated. These strains were tested for their pathogenicity against Diptera (Culex quinquefasciatus) and Lepidoptera (Anticarsia gemmatalis and Spodoptera frugiperda). Seven strains of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki were found to be pathogenic to Spodoptera frugiperda and twenty-two strains showed a pathological effect against Anticarsia gemmatalis. None of the strains of Bacillus thuringiensis nor the Bacillus sphaericus investigated, showed pathogenic activity against Culex quinquefasciatus. The strains of Bacillus thuringiensis were characterized serologically as belonging to six serotypes (darmstadiensis, entomocidus, kurstaki, muju, sotto and xianguangiensis). One strain seemed to be a new serotype. The electrophoretic profiles of the strains of Bacillus thruringiensis showed bands of 130 kDa similar to those found in strains pathogenic against Lepidoptera. Some physicochemical characteristics were also studied in the soil samples, in order to relate them to the presence or absence of these Bacillus species.     

Identification of quorum-quenching N-acyl homoserine lactonases from Bacillus species

A range of gram-negative bacterial species use N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules as quorum-sensing signals to regulate different biological functions, including production of virulence factors. AHL is also known as an autoinducer. An autoinducer inactivation gene, aiiA, coding for an AHL lactonase, was cloned from a bacterial isolate, Bacillus sp. strain 240B1. Here we report identification of more than 20 bacterial isolates capable of enzymatic inactivation of AHLs from different sources. Eight isolates showing strong AHL-inactivating enzyme activity were selected for a preliminary taxonomic analysis. Morphological phenotypes and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis indicated that these isolates probably belong to the species Bacillus thuringiensis. Enzymatic analysis with known Bacillus strains confirmed that all of the strains of B. thuringiensis and the closely related species B. cereus and B. mycoides tested produced AHL-inactivating enzymes but B. fusiformis and B. sphaericus strains did not. Nine genes coding for AHL inactivation were cloned either by functional cloning or by a PCR procedure from selected bacterial isolates and strains. Sequence comparison of the gene products and motif analysis showed that the gene products belong to the same family of AHL lactonases.     

Cloning and expression of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis delta-endotoxin DNA in B. sphaericus

Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis delta-endotoxin genes were cloned into Bacillus sphaericus 2362, producing stable transformants reacting with antibody to the 28- and 65-kDa B. thuringiensis israelensis crystal proteins and approximately 10 times more toxic to Aedes mosquito larvae than the original host strain. The LC50 after 48 hr of exposure of Aedes larvae to the most active transformed clone was 0.19 microgram/ml, compared with an LC50 of 1.9 microgram/ml for B. sphaericus 2362 and less than 0.1 microgram/ml for B. thuringiensis israelensis. The cloning vector, plasmid pPL603E, was also effective in transforming B. subtilis 1E20 with B. thuringiensis israelensis DNA, producing highly toxic clones with less stable gene expression than the clones of B. sphaericus.     

Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis isolates

DNA from over 300 Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus anthracis isolates was analyzed by fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). B. thuringiensis and B. cereus isolates were from diverse sources and locations, including soil, clinical isolates and food products causing diarrheal and emetic outbreaks, and type strains from the American Type Culture Collection, and over 200 B. thuringiensis isolates representing 36 serovars or subspecies were from the U.S. Department of Agriculture collection. Twenty-four diverse B. anthracis isolates were also included. Phylogenetic analysis of AFLP data revealed extensive diversity within B. thuringiensis and B. cereus compared to the monomorphic nature of B. anthracis. All of the B. anthracis strains were more closely related to each other than to any other Bacillus isolate, while B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains populated the entire tree. Ten distinct branches were defined, with many branches containing both B. cereus and B. thuringiensis isolates. A single branch contained all the B. anthracis isolates plus an unusual B. thuringiensis isolate that is pathogenic in mice. In contrast, B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (ATCC 33679) and other isolates used to prepare insecticides mapped distal to the B. anthracis isolates. The interspersion of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis isolates within the phylogenetic tree suggests that phenotypic traits used to distinguish between these two species do not reflect the genomic content of the different isolates and that horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in establishing the phenotype of each of these microbes. B. thuringiensis isolates of a particular subspecies tended to cluster together.     

Transfer of the toxin protein genes of Bacillus sphaericus into Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and their expression

The genes encoding the toxic determinants of Bacillus sphaericus have been expressed in a nontoxic and a toxic strain of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. In both cases, the B. sphaericus toxin proteins were produced at a high level during sporulation of B. thuringiensis and accumulated as crystalline structures. B. thuringiensis transformants expressing B. sphaericus and B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis toxins did not show a significant enhancement of toxicity against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex pipiens larvae.     

Transfer of the toxin protein genes of Bacillus sphaericus into Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and their expression.

The genes encoding the toxic determinants of Bacillus sphaericus have been expressed in a nontoxic and a toxic strain of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. In both cases, the B. sphaericus toxin proteins were produced at a high level during sporulation of B. thuringiensis and accumulated as crystalline structures. B. thuringiensis transformants expressing B. sphaericus and B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis toxins did not show a significant enhancement of toxicity against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex pipiens larvae.     

Improvement of Bacillus sphaericus toxicity against dipteran larvae by integration, via homologous recombination, of the Cry11A toxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis.

Integrative plasmids were constructed to enable integration of foreign DNA into the chromosome of Bacillus sphaericus 2297 by in vivo recombination. Integration of the aphA3 kanamycin resistance gene by a two-step procedure demonstrated that this strategy was applicable with antibiotic resistance selection. Hybridization experiments evidenced two copies of the operon encoding the binary toxin from B. sphaericus in the recipient strain. The Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis cry11Aal gene (referred to as cry11A), encoding a delta-endotoxin with toxicity against Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles larvae, was integrated either by a single crossover event [strain 2297 (::pHT5601), harboring the entire recombinant plasmid] or by two successive crossover events [strain 2297 (::cry11A)]. The level of the Cry11A production in B. sphaericus was high; two crystalline inclusions were produced in strain 2297 (::pHT5601). Synthesis of the Cry11A toxin conferred toxicity to the recombinant strains against Aedes aegypti larvae, for which the parental strain was not toxic. Interestingly, the level of larvicidal activity of strain 2297 (::pHT5601) against Anopheles stephensi was as high as that of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and suggested synergy between the B. thuringiensis and B. sphaericus toxins. The toxicities of parental and recombinant B. sphaericus strains against Culex quinquefasciatus were similar, but the recombinant strains killed the larvae more rapidly. The production of the Cry11A toxin in B. sphaericus also partially restored toxicity for C. quinquefasciatus larvae from a population resistant to B. sphaericus 1593. In vivo recombination therefore appears to be a promising approach to the creation of new B. sphaericus strains for vector control.     

Occurrence of natural Bacillus thuringiensis contaminants and residues of Bacillus thuringiensis-based insecticides on fresh fruits and vegetables

A total of 128 Bacillus cereus-like strains isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables for sale in retail shops in Denmark were characterized. Of these strains, 39% (50/128) were classified as Bacillus thuringiensis on the basis of their content of cry genes determined by PCR or crystal proteins visualized by microscopy. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and plasmid profiling indicated that 23 of the 50 B. thuringiensis strains were of the same subtype as B. thuringiensis strains used as commercial bioinsecticides. Fourteen isolates were indistinguishable from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 present in the products Dipel, Biobit, and Foray, and nine isolates grouped with B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai present in Turex. The commercial strains were primarily isolated from samples of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. A multiplex PCR method was developed to simultaneously detect all three genes in the enterotoxin hemolysin BL (HBL) and the nonhemolytic enterotoxin (NHE), respectively. This revealed that the frequency of these enterotoxin genes was higher among the strains indistinguishable from the commercial strains than among the other B. thuringiensis and B. cereus-like strains isolated from fruits and vegetables. The same was seen for a third enterotoxin, CytK. In conclusion, the present study strongly indicates that residues of B. thuringiensis-based insecticides can be found on fresh fruits and vegetables and that these are potentially enterotoxigenic.     

Identification of entomopathogenic Bacillus isolated from Simulium (Diptera, Simuliidae) larvae and adults.

Entomopathogenic bacteria isolated from Simulium larvae and adults from breeding sites in the states of S?o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were identified as 18 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and one of B. sphaericus. Most of these strains were serotyped according to their flagellar antigens. However, nine of the B. thuringiensis samples, could not be serotyped and were designated as "autoagglutinating"; they were also shown to be toxic in preliminary tests against Aedes aegypti larvae. Additionally, B. sphaericus was also shown to be toxic towards Culex quinquefasciatus larvae.     

Updating the H-antigen classification of Bacillus thuringiensis

The classification of Bacillus thuringiensis strains has been revised and updated based on flagellar antigens which have been in use for many years. Sixty-nine serotypes and 13 sub-antigenic groups have now been identified, giving 82 serovars among the 3500 B. thuringiensis isolates of the IEBC Collection. The number of serovars has gradually increased with the total number of strains. The biochemical characters used have also been investigated and their value assessed for identification of B. thuringiensis at the subspecies level. A crystal analysis was carried out in terms of morphology, delta-endotoxin profiles and larvicidal activity for the newly identified serovars. It was found that atypical crystals, some with novel components, are becoming more common. No insect susceptible to these serovars has been discovered among known target species. The number of cross-reacting H-antigens among B. cereus strains is increasing and may be of biological significance.