Isolation and characterization of entomopathogenic bacteria from soil samples from the western region of Cuba

The use of insect pathogens is a viable alternative for insect control because of their relative specificity and lower environmental impact. The search for wild strains against dipterans could have an impact on mosquito control programs. We have made an extensive screening of soil in western Cuba to find bacteria with larvicidal activity against mosquitoes. A total of 150 soil samples were collected and isolates were identifying using the API 50 CHB gallery. Phenotypic characteristics were analyzed by hierarchical ascending classification. Quantitative bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions following the World Health Organization protocol in order to ascertain the toxicity and efficacy of isolates. The protein profiles of the crystal components were determined by SDS‐PAGE. Eight hundred and eighty‐one bacterial isolates were obtained, and 13 isolates with entomopathogenic activity were isolated from nine samples. Nine isolates displayed higher entomopathogenic activity against both Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti compared with the reference strain 266/2. All toxic isolates showed higher biological potency than the 266/2 strain. These isolates with high entomopathogenic activity displayed a protein pattern similar to the B. thuringiensis var. israelensis IPS‐82 and 266/2 strains. These results are a valuable tool for the control of Diptera of medical importance.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lysinibacillus sphaericus</Emphasis> S-layer protein toxicity against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Culex quinquefasciatus</Emphasis>

The main toxicity mechanism of Lysinibacillus sphaericus, which is used in the control of mosquitoes, is its binary toxin produced during sporulation; additionally the Mtx1, Mtx2 and Mtx 3 toxins are expressed in vegetative cells. Mosquito larvicidal potency of the S-layer protein that is expressed in vegetative cells has been determined. The protein is similar to other S-layer proteins of mosquitocidal L. sphaericus strains. The LC50 values of the S-layer protein of the L. sphaericus OT4b25, OT4b26, and III(3)7 strains against third-instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus were 8.7, 24 and 0.68 μg/ml, respectively. To our knowledge this is the first study showing the mosquito larvicidal potency of the S-layer protein from Lysinibacillus sphaericus.     

Growth,sporulation and larvicidal activity of Bacillus sphaericus

Summary A new medium (MBS) for optimal sporulation of Bacillus sphaericus was defined. With the two main mosquito pathogenic strains grown in this medium, 1593-4 and 2297, highest cell and spore yields were obtained, concomitantly with an highest larvicidal activity against Culex pipiens. Study of both strains asporulated mutants showed a decrease in larvicidal power. After plasmid curing treatments, toxicity of strain 1593-4 did not decrease, neither toxic parasporal inclusion bodies of strain 2297 disappear.     

Enhanced expression of a second mosquito larvicidal gene fromB.sphaericus 1593M inE.coli

Summary Enhanced expression of a second mosquito larvicidal gene fromB.sphaericus 1593M inE.coli has been achieved by the recloning of the DNA fragment encoding for larvicidal activity previously reported by us, in a pMal vector system. The potency of this recombinant strain was only 10 fold lower than the parentalB.sphaericus 1593M strain. The protein encoded was different from the previously reported larvicidal gene products ofB.sphaericus. Neverthelesss, this protein is recognized by the antiserum raised against crystal proteins. This result has indicated the presence of multiple mosquito larvicidal genes inB.sphaericus, a situation similar to that encountered withB.thuringiensis toxins.     

Growth,sporulation and toxin production byBacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis andB. sphaericus in media based on mustard-seed meal

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis andB. sphaericus strains 2362 and 1593 were grown in media based on defatted mustard-seed meal (MSM). The meal contains 40% (w/w) protein, with glutamic acid and arginine as the major amino acids. The toxic potencies of the final bacterial powders towardsCulex pipens quinquefasciatus Say, compared with those of the respective international reference standards, were 46% forB. thuringiensis subsp.israelensis, 62% forB. sphaericus 2362 and 88% forB. sphaericus 1593 when 2% (w/v) MSM was used for growth. With 4% (w/v) MSM,B. thuringiensis subsp.israelensis grew better but had undetectable larvicidal activity, whereas theB. sphaericus strains not only grew better but gave a higher degree of sporulation and toxicity. The potencies ofB. sphaericus in medium with 4% MSM were comparable with those of international reference standards.The authors are with the Department of Life Sciences, University of Bombay, Bombay 400 098, India.     

The cry1Ac gene of Bacillus thuringiensis ZQ-89 encodes a toxin against long-horned beetle adult

Aims: Bacillus thuringiensis is toxic to many insects including Coleopteran pests. However, there is no report that B. thuringiensis is toxic to the adults of long‐horned beetle, Batocera horsfieldi, a pest of poplar trees. This work aims to select a B. thuringiensis strain toxic towards the adults of Asian long‐horned beetle. Methods and Results: A total of 504 B. thuringiensis strains were tested for the insecticidal activity to B. horsfieldi adults by artificial feeding. A strain of ZQ‐89 was found with a high toxicity to B. horsfieldi adults. The rectified lethal rate of ZQ‐89 to beetle was 55·33%. Additionally, the body weight and egg‐hatching rate of beetle, respectively, decreased by 2·22 and 19·62% after being fed with ZQ‐89. Further investigation found that the pure parasporal crystal had high toxicity to beetle adults. The ZQ‐89 crystal protein was purified and analysed by peptide‐mapping fingerprint and found it was highly homologous to Cry1Ac protein. The crystal protein gene was cloned and named cry1Ac89. The cry1Ac89 gene and its promoter were inserted into the plasmid pHT304 and then transformed into B. thuringiensis acrystalliferous strain BMB171. SDS‐PAGE analysis showed the BMB171‐Cry1Ac89 recombinant strain successfully expresses a 133‐kDa recombinant crystal protein with highly lethal activity to B. horsfieldi adults. Conclusions: The strain of ZQ‐89 is highly toxic to the adults of long‐horned beetle, and the crystal protein mainly contributes to the antipest role of this strain. The cry1Ac89 gene is a good candidate to be used for making transgenic trees or develop environment‐friendly bioinsecticides against long‐horned beetles such as B. horsfieldi in the future. Significance and Impact of the Study: It is the first report of a B. thuringiensis strain toxic to the adults of Asian long‐horned beetle, and the Cry1Ac protein is also firstly reported to be toxic to Coleopteran pests.     

Effects of four Bacillus spp. of soil origin on the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)

Four species of Bacillus were isolated from soil in an effort to find safe, effective and alternative biological control agents against plant pests. These bacteria were identified as Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus on the basis of fatty acid methyl ester analysis and carbon utilization profiles by using Microbial Identification and Biolog Microplate Systems. Laboratory experiments carried out to determine the insecticidal activities of these isolates showed that B. pumilus caused 95.7 and 26.7% mortality and B. sphaericus caused 74.5 and 23.3% mortality of Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae and adults, respectively. B. cereus and B. megaterium showed 51.1 and 29.7%, respectively, of L. decemlineata larvae. This study presents at least two Turkish isolates from the genus Bacillus showing high insecticidal activity against L. decemlineata.     

Analysis of Expression of the Binary Toxin Genes from Bacillus sphaericus in Anabaena and the Potential in Mosquito Control

Anabaena strains expressing the binary toxin genes of Bacillus sphaericus produce high larvicidal activity with living cells. Western blot analysis showed that the 51-kDa and 42-kDa toxin proteins were stable in Anabaena. When a DNA fragment upstream of the 51-kDa protein gene was deleted, the toxicity was reduced by over a hundred-fold, whereas deletions at the coding regions showed that the cooperation of the two proteins expressed in Anabaena is essential for the larvicidal activity. Outdoor tests showed that the genetically altered Anabaena could keep containers with natural water from being inhabited by Culex larvae for over 2 months. Received: 8 May 2000 / Accepted: 13 June 2000     

Properties and applied use of the mosquitocidal bacterium,Bacillus sphaericus

Strains of Bacillus sphaericus exhibit varying levels of virulence against mosquito larvae. The most potent strain, B. sphaericus 2362, which is the active ingredient in the commercial product VectoLex^®, together with another well-known larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, is used to control vector and nuisance mosquito larvae in many regions of the world. Although not all strains of B. sphaericus are mosquitocidal, lethal strains produce one or two combinations of three different types of toxins. These are (1) the binary toxin (Bin) composed of two proteins of 42 kDa (BinA) and 51 kDa (BinB), which are synthesized during sporulation and co-crystallize, (2) the soluble mosquitocidal toxins (Mtx1, Mtx2 and Mtx3) produced during vegetative growth, and (3) the two-component crystal toxin (Cry48Aa1/Cry49Aa1). Non-mosquitocidal toxins are also produced by certain strains of B. sphaericus, for example sphaericolysin, a novel insecticidal protein toxic to cockroaches. Larvicides based on B. sphaericus-based have the advantage of longer persistence in treated habitats compared to B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. However, resistance is a much greater threat, and has already emerged at significant levels in field populations in China and Thailand treated with B. sphaericus. This likely occurred because toxicity depends principally on Bin rather than various combinations of crystal (Cry) and cytolytic (Cyt) toxins present in B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Here we review both the general characteristics of B. sphaericus, particularly as they relate to larvicidal isolates, and strategies or considerations for engineering more potent strains of this bacterium that contain built-in mechanisms that delay or overcome resistance to Bin in natural mosquito populations.     

Bacillus sphaericus for the control of mosquitoes

From 1972 to 1977 a large laboratory effort was devoted to determining data on efficacy, safety, environmental impact (on nontarget organisms), and some preliminary field work using several isolates of Bacillus sphaericus. The B. sphaericus strains were found to be specific in their mosquito larvicidal activity, not causing mammalian toxicity nor apparent perturbation of the environment. During this period several fermentation and industrialization problems were investigated so that by 1978, using new strains and cultures, it was possible to have prepared kilogram amounts of an active dry stable powder, of strain 1593, for field evaluation. These field evolution. These field evaluations are presently still in progress. Control has been seen particularly against Culex, Anopheles, and Psorophora species, with some what less control aganst Aedes species. Unlike the agriculturally oriented Bacillus thuringiensis candidates, B. sphaericus bacterial cell, which is digested in the larval midgut (within a peritrophic membrane), releasing a toxin as early as 15 min after ingestion. Subsequent death of the larva ensues. Recent evidence suggests that applied B. sphaericus powder will survive in aquatic situations (ditches, ponds, and tree holes) for at least nine month. Comparisons of the B. sphaeicus strains with recently isolated strains of B. thuringiensis (var. israelensis), the latter being particularly active against Aedes species, indicates that they may be useful complements of each other in overall mosquito control strategies. The recent isolation of several new strains of B. thuringiensis, from WHO-CCBC accessions from Roumania, indicate that although the B. thuringiensis isolate is a rare event when compared to the occurrence of B. sphaericus isolates (they usually occur together in accessions from which B. thuringiensis is isolated), several new useful strains of B. thuringiensis should be anticipated. The longevity of the B. thuringiensis strains in the wild has not yet been investigated.     

Optimization of mosquitocidal toxin synthesis from Bacillus sphaericus using gene fusions

-Galactosidase gene fusions have been used to monitor the progress of mosquito-larvicidal-toxin gene expression in Bacillus sphaericus strain 2362. -Galactosidase estimation in cells from late-growth-phase batch cultures was compared with larvicidal toxicity after incubation for 48 h. Conditions which promoted efficient sporulation, such as plentiful trace elements and relatively crude protein sources (soybean or cottonseed flours), enhanced reporter gene expression and provided high toxicity. However, acetate, which repressed sporulation, similarly repressed binary toxin yield. Gene fusions to the binary and 100-kDa toxin genes of B. sphaericus could be useful for the rapid screening of fermentation conditions for the local production of this larvicidal bacterium but, in view of the poor correlation with toxicity at high toxicity levels, such experiments should be confirmed with bioassays.     

New mosquitocidal strains from Ghana belonging to serotypes H3, H6 and H48 of Bacillus sphaericus

Summary Seven bacterial isolates from Ghana, IAB 763, IAB 769-1, IAB 769-2, IAB 774, IAB 871, IAB 872, IAB 881, are characterized as Bacillus sphaericus strains highly toxic to mosquito larvae. Most of them belong to serotype H6, except for IAB 881 and IAB 872, which belong pesrespectively to serotypes H3 and H48. Phenotypic characters of all these strains are identical to those of strains 2362 (serotype H5) and IAB 59 (serotype H6), used for comparison. Five strains out of seven produce final whole cultures and alkali-solubilized toxins, which have very high potency against Culex pipiens larvae. Their larvicidal power is similar to that of strains 2362 and IAB 59. By using polyclonal antibodies raised against 42- and 56-kDa toxic polypeptides of strain 2362, Western-blot of the alkali-solubilized toxins of these new five strains showed homologies. It is the first time that strains belonging to serotypes H3 and H48 have been found pathogenic to mosquito larvae, thus increasing to eight the number of toxic serotypes of B. sphaericus. Correspondence to: I. Thiery     

Diazotrophic bacilli isolated from the sunflower rhizosphere and the potential of Bacillus mycoides B38V as biofertiliser

The nitrogen fixation by strains belonging to the Bacillus genus remains poorly explored. In this work, the diversity of endospore‐forming bacilli isolated from the rhizosphere of sunflower was evaluated. A total of 101 strains were identified based on the V1‐V2 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Strains belonging to the genera Bacillus and Paenibacillus represented 41.6% and 58.4%, respectively, of total isolates. The production of indolic compounds was a common trait among the isolates, and approximately 75% of them exhibited positive nitrogenase activity; but only 9.2% displayed activities higher than 1 nmol C₂H₄ mg protein h^?1. Within the genus Bacillus, the isolates related to the B. cereus group displayed the highest nitrogenase activity and were the second most frequent group of Bacillus sp. isolated. Plants inoculated with the isolate B38V showed the highest N content, and their shoot dry weights were significantly increased compared with positive control. Our results indicated that B38V, which belongs to the B. mycoides species, has the potential to promote sunflower growth. The data obtained in this study provide additional information concerning the diversity of Gram‐positive diazotrophic within the genera Bacillus and Paenibacillus and their potential for the biofertilisation of sunflower crops.     

Evolution of resistance to the Bacillus sphaericus Bin toxin is phenotypically masked by combination with the mosquitocidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis

Two insecticidal bacteria are used as larvicides to control larvae of nuisance and vector mosquitoes in many countries, Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis and B. sphaericus. Field studies show both are effective, but serious resistance, as high as 50 000‐fold, has evolved where B. sphaericus is used against Culex mosquitoes. To improve efficacy and deal with even greater potential problems of resistance, we previously developed several recombinant larvicidal bacteria that combine the best mosquitocidal proteins of these bacteria. In the present study, we report laboratory selection studies using our best recombinant strain against larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus. This recombinant, Bti/BsBin, is a strain of B. thuringiensis ssp. israelensis engineered to produce a large amount of the B. sphaericus binary (Bin) toxin, which makes it more than 10‐fold as mosquitocidal as the its parental strains. Here we show that larvae exposed to Bti/BsBin failed to develop significant resistance after 30 successive generations of heavy selection pressure. The highest level of resistance obtained at the LC₉₅ level was 5.2‐fold, but declined to less than two‐fold at the 35th generation. Testing the selected populations against B. sphaericus alone showed resistance to Bin evolved, but was masked by combination with B. thuringiensis ssp. israelensis. These results suggest that recombinant bacterial strains have improved mosquito and vector management properties compared with the wild‐type strains used in current commercial formulations, and should prove useful in controlling important human diseases such as malaria and filariasis on a long‐term basis, even when used intensively under field conditions.     

Instability of mosquito larvicidal activity ofBacillus sphaericus (ISPC-6=WHO-2377)

Rapid loss of mosquito larvicidal potency ofBacillus sphaericus (ISPC-6) during subculturing is correlated to the appearance of non toxic variants. Simultaneous loss of streptomycin resistance, urease and exoprotease is also observed in majority of the non toxic variants. The loss is however reversible because of the reappearance of toxic phenotype resembling wild type in the non toxic variants.     

Cloning and Characterization of a Mosquito Larvicidal Toxin Produced During Vegetative Stage of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus sphaericus</Emphasis> 2297

The mosquitocidal toxin 1 (mtx1) gene from genomic DNA of B. sphaericus strain 2297 was cloned and expressed in E. coli. DNA sequencing analysis of the cloned gene revealed a single open reading frame encoding an 870-amino acid polypeptide. Expression level of the full-length gene in E. coli was very low even though strong promoter was used or the gene was expressed as a fusion protein. Expression level was highly improved after the putative leader sequence was deleted, and the truncated gene was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST-tMtx1). E. coli cells expressing GST-tMtx1 was highly toxic to Culex quinquefasciatus larvae and showed lower toxicity against Anopheles dirus and Aedes aegypti larvae. Enterobacter amnigenus An11, a mosquito larval gut colonizable bacteria, transformed with the cloned gene exhibited mosquito larvicidal activity. Result suggested that there is a potential to develop this protein to be used as an alternative mosquito control agent.     

Selection of the most potent Bacillus sphaericus strains based on activity ratios determined on three mosquito species

Summary The larvicidal power of more than 180 Bacillus sphaericus strains belonging to six H serotypes has been assayed on Culex pipiens, Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti under standardized conditions. The most potent strains are distributed into serotype H5a5b, generally toxic to the three mosquito species, and serotypes H6 and H25, toxic to C. pipiens and A. stephensi. Strains of serotypes 26a26b and H2a2b are much less toxic and most often only on C. pipiens. The relative potency of each strain can be expressed by specific titres on the different mosquito species and by activity ratios derived from such titres.     

Expression of Binary Toxin Genes in the Mosquito-Colonizable Bacteria, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus cereus</Emphasis>, Leads to High Toxicity Against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Culex quinquefasciatus</Emphasis> Larvae

Two B. cereus strains, Ae10 and Cx5, isolated from mosquito larval guts, were transformed with a recombinant plasmid, pBS373, harboring binary toxin genes from Bacillus sphaericus 2297. Immunoblotting analysis clearly revealed the production and presence of the 51-kDa toxin protein in both strains. Two recombinant B. cereus strains Ae10 and Cx5 showed very high toxicity against C. quinquefasciatus larvae. Since both strains have a close relationship with the mosquito larvae in the native environment and are capable of recolonizing in the guts of mosquito larvae, these strains can be considered promising new hosts for an effective delivery of mosquito-larvicidal toxins.     

The Introduction into Bacillus sphaericus of the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin cyt1Ab1 Gene Results in Higher Susceptibility of Resistant Mosquito Larva Populations to B. sphaericus

The fragment containing the gene encoding the cytolytic Cyt1Ab1 protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin and its flanking sequences (I. Thiery, A. Delécluse, M. C. Tamayo, and S. Orduz, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:468–473, 1997) was introduced into Bacillus sphaericus toxic strains 2362, 2297, and Iab872 by electroporation with the shuttle vector pMK3. Only small amounts of the protein were produced in recombinant strains 2362 and Iab872. The protein was detected in these strains only by Western blotting and immunodetection with antibody raised against Cyt1Ab1 protein. Large amounts of Cyt1Ab1 protein were produced in B. sphaericus recombinant strain 2297, and there was an additional crystal, other than that of the binary toxin, within the exosporium. The production of the Cyt1Ab1 protein in addition to the binary toxin did not increase the larvicidal activity of the B. sphaericus recombinant strain against susceptible mosquito populations of Culex pipiens or Aedes aegypti. However, it partially restored (10 to 20 times) susceptibility of the resistant mosquito populations of C. pipiens (SPHAE) and Culex quinquefasciatus (GeoR) to the binary toxin. The Cyt1Ab1 protein produced in recombinant B. thuringiensis SPL407(pcyt1Ab1) was synthesized in two types of crystal—one round and with various dense areas, surrounded by an envelope, and the other a regular cuboid crystal, very similar to that found in the B. sphaericus recombinant strain.     

Characterization of chitinase‐producing Serratia and Bacillus strains isolated from insects

Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are enzymes that hydrolyze chitin by cleaving β‐1,4 N‐glycosidic bonds. These enzymes have been used for multiple applications in biotechnology, especially for controlling insect pests and phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, we isolated two chitinase‐producing bacteria strains from insects (strain SCH‐1 from Moechotypa diphysis and strain SCH‐2 from Sphedanolestes impressicollis). Serratia sp. SCH‐1 was a short, rod‐shaped facultative anaerobe, while Bacillus strain SCH‐2 was a rod‐shaped endospore‐forming anaerobe. Strains SCH‐1 and SCH‐2 were identified as Serratia sp. and Bacillus sp., respectively based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strain SCH‐1 shared maximum homology (99.44%) with Serratia nematodiphila DZ0503SBS1 and Serratia marcescens subsp. sakuensis KRED. Strain SCH‐2 had a maximum homology of 99.24% with Bacillus thuringiensis ATCC 10792 and Bacillus toyonensis BCT‐7112. Serratia sp. SCH‐1 contained greater levels of saturated fatty acids, but the concentration of branched acids, especially iso‐C_15:0, was highest in Bacillus sp. SCH‐2. Serratia sp. SCH‐1 possessed chitinase activity of 1.59 unit/mg protein after 5 days of incubation in culture medium. In contrast, Bacillus sp. SCH‐2 had a maximum activity of 0.84 unit/mg protein after 4 days of incubation. Chitinase isozymes produced by Serratia sp. SCH‐1 appeared as five bands with sizes of 20, 26, 36, 45 and 54 kDa. Bacillus sp. SCH‐2 showed a chitinase isozyme profile with three bands having sizes of 36, 45 and 50 kDa on SDS‐PAGE gels.