Inhibition of RNA polymerase from Bacillus thuringiensis and Escherichia coli by beta-exotoxin.

The characteristics of exotoxin inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) dependent ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase isolated from Escherichia coli and Bacillus thuringiensis were investigated. RNA polymerase isolated from a variety of growth stages was partially purified and assayed using several different native and synthetic DNA templates, and exotoxin inhibition patterns were recorded for each. Although 8 to 20-h RNA polymerase extracts of E. coli retained normal sensitivity to exotoxin (50% inhibition at a concentration of 7.5 X 10(-6) M exotoxin), RNA polymerase isolated from late exponential and ensuing stationary-phase cultures of B. thuringiensis were nearly 50% less sensitive than exponential RNA polymerase activity. Inhibition patterns relating culture age at the time of RNA polymerase extraction to exotoxin inhibition suggested a direct correlation between diminishing exotoxin sensitivity and sporulation. Escherichia coli RNA polymerase could be made to mimic the B. thuringiensis exotoxin inhibition pattern by removal of sigma from the holoenzyme. After passage through phosphocellulose, exotoxin inhibition of the core polymerase was 30% less than the corresponding inhibition of E. coli holoenzyme. Heterologous enzyme reconstruction and assay were not possible due to loss of activity from the B. thuringiensis preparation during phosphocellulose chromatography, apparently from the removal of magnesium. In enzyme velocity studies, inhibition with exotoxin was noncompetitive with respect to the DNA template in the RNA polymerase reaction.     

Inhibition of hepatic deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerases by the exotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis in comparison with the effects of α-amanitin and cordycepin

The action of Bacillus thuringiensis exotoxin, a structural analogue of ATP, on mouse liver DNA-dependent RNA polymerases was studied and its effects were compared with those of alpha-amanitin and cordycepin. (1) Administration of exotoxin in vivo caused a marked decrease in RNA polymerase activity of isolated nuclei at various concentrations of Mg(2+), Mn(2+) and (NH(4))(2)SO(4). A similar action was recorded after addition of exotoxin to isolated nuclei from control or exotoxin-treated mice. (2) Chromatographic separation of nuclear RNA polymerases from mice treated in vivo with exotoxin showed a drastic decrease of the peak of nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase, whereas the peak of nucleolar RNA polymerase remained unaltered. The same effect was observed after administration of alpha-amanitin in vivo, but cordycepin did not alter the relative amounts of the two main RNA polymerase peaks. (3) Administration of exotoxin in vivo did not alter the template activity of isolated DNA or chromatin tested with different fractions of RNA polymerase from control or exotoxin-treated mice. (4) Addition of exotoxin to isolated liver RNA polymerases inhibited both enzyme fractions. However, the alpha-amanitin-sensitive RNA polymerase was also 50-100-fold more sensitive to exotoxin inhibition than was the alpha-amanitin-insensitive RNA polymerase. Kinetic analysis indicated the exotoxin produces a competitive inhibition with ATP on the nucleolar enzyme, but a mixed type of inhibition with nucleoplasmic enzyme. The results obtained indicate that the B. thuringiensis exotoxin inhibits liver RNA synthesis by affecting nuclear RNA polymerases, showing a preferential inhibition of the nucleoplasmic alpha-amanitin-sensitive RNA polymerase.     

Correlation between serovars of Bacillus thuringiensis and type I beta-exotoxin production

beta-Exotoxin is a thermostable metabolite produced by some strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. Because of vertebrate toxicity, most commercial preparations of B. thuringiensis are prepared from isolates that do not produce beta-exotoxin. The aim of the present study was to find out the possible relationship between serovars of B. thuringiensis and beta-exotoxin production. A specific HPLC assay for type I beta-exotoxin has been used to detect this exotoxin in supernatants from final whole cultures of 100 strains belonging to four serovars of B. thuringiensis: thuringiensis, kurstaki, aizawai, and morrisoni. For each serovar, 25 strains randomly chosen from two Spanish collections were analyzed. Frequency of beta-exotoxin production was higher in B. thuringiensis serovar thuringiensis, whereas only two strains from serovar kurstaki showed beta-exotoxin production. None of the 25 strains belonging to serovars aizawai and morrisoni was found to produce this compound. Along with data from other studies, serovars can be classified as "common," "seldom," or "rare" beta-exotoxin producers. The serovar-dependent beta-exotoxin production is discussed in relation to the evolutionary process of serovar differentiation, the plasmid compatibility and limited plasmid exchange between serovars, and with the serovar-dependent regulation of plasmid-encoded genes.     

Screening of the insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis strains against Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) nymphal population

Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an economically important insect pest controlled primarily by chemical pesticides. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner is a gram-positive bacterium that has been developed for the control of some insect pests in the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. In this study, whole culture extracts of 94 B. thuringiensis strains from 83 serovars were added to an artificial diet and assayed against L. hesperus first and second instars. A total of five B. thuringiensis strains, B. thuringiensis variety thuringiensis, thuringiensis exotoxin +, morrisoni, tolworthi, and darmstadiensis generated > 98% mortality after 7 d of incubation. The screening was repeated with 117 alkali-solubilized trypsin-digested B. thuringiensis cultures and the same five B. thuringiensis strains showed nearly identical results. All five strains produce beta-exotoxin, which exhibits a wide host spectrum activity. No beta-exotoxin-minus B. thuringiensis strains showed significant toxicity against L. hesperus nymphs. The present work is one of the first thorough screenings of the wide diversity of the B. thuringiensis varieties for the control of L. hesperus nymphal populations.     

Differential inhibition of mammalian ribonucleic acid polymerases by an exotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis. The direct observation of nucleoplasmic ribonucleic acid polymerase activity in intact nuclei

The effects of the exotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis on DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from rat liver were examined. The exotoxin inhibits all RNA polymerase activity at both low and high ionic strength in intact nuclei, and soluble enzymes are similarly affected. This inhibition is relieved by ATP. Dephosphorylated exotoxin did not inhibit the soluble enzymes. Nucleolar and nucleoplasmic RNA polymerases respond to different concentration ranges of exotoxin, and the compound can be used in intact nuclei to isolate the nucleoplasmic activity.     

Effect of an exotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis on Deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerase in nuclei from adult Sarcophaga bullata. Unusual behaviour of eukaryotic polymerases to inhibitors

The DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activities in nuclei isolated from adult Sarcophaga bullata are unusual in their responses to metal ions, ionic strength and inhibitors. There is an activity that is sensitive both to rifamycin and to alpha-amanitin. The activity is less sensitive to Bacillus thuringiensis exotoxin than is larval polymerase, and low concentration of exotoxin provoke a slight stimulation.     

Identification of beta-exotoxin production, plasmids encoding beta-exotoxin, and a new exotoxin in Bacillus thuringiensis by using high-performance liquid chromatography.

An improved high-performance liquid chromatography separation was developed to detect and quantify beta-exotoxin production in Bacillus thuringiensis culture supernatants. Exotoxin production was assigned to a plasmid in five strains, from three subspecies (B. thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis serotype 1, B. thuringiensis subsp. tolworthi serotype 9, and B. thuringiensis subsp. darmstadiensis serotype 10). A new exotoxin, called type II beta-exotoxin in this report, was discovered in B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni serotype 8ab, purified, and partially characterized. This material is more specific than type I beta-exotoxin and is very active against the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata.     

Relative sensitivity of various cell cultures to the thermostable exotoxin of B. thuringiensis]

The "thermostable" B. thuringiensis exotoxin is active on cell cultures of Mammals "in vitro", except on the KB strain from a human tumor. The primary cultures are the most sensitive: first, with monkey kidney cells, the growth is inhibited by 0.1 mg of toxin per ml; next, the young rabbit kidney cells react to 0.25 mg of toxin per ml. The established lines of cells come last: human diploid cells (Lyon 4) and heteroploid cells (BHK21C13), with the same active dose of 1 mg of toxin per ml. No protection is obtained by adding ATP to monkey kidney cells at the same time as the exotoxin.     

Effect of mineral salts on exotoxin formation and productivity of a Bacillus thuringiensis culture

The effect of ten mineral salts on the productivity and toxin synthesis was studied in Bacillus thuringiensis IPM-1140. Exotoxin synthesis was stimulated by Zn2+, Mn2+ and NH4+ ions as well as by potassium phosphates. The direct correlation between the number of viable spores and the exotoxin accumulation was disordered at extreme salt concentrations. Optimal salt concentrations in the yeast-polysaccharide medium were found using the method of a fractional factor experiment, which made it possible to increase the productivity of the culture to 5 X 10(9) spores/ml and the yield of the exotoxin to 730 micrograms/ml. The thermoresistance and the entomopathogenic activity of crystals increased when B. thuringiensis IPM-1140 was grown in this medium.     

Involvement of denaturation-like changes in Pseudomonas exotoxin a hydrophobicity and membrane penetration determined by characterization of pH and thermal transitions. Roles of two distinct conformationally altered states

Previous investigators have shown that exotoxin A undergoes a conformational switch to a hydrophobic state at low pH. This change appears to play a role in exotoxin A entry into cells by facilitating its penetration of the membranes of acidic organelles. We have examined the effects of pH, temperature, and denaturants in order to define the role of conformational changes in membrane penetration by the exotoxin. We find that two distinct low pH conformations exist. An intermediate low pH state (LI) dominates at pH 3.7-5.4 and is distinguished by blue-shifted fluorescence and weak or no hydrophobicity. The second low pH state (LII) is dominant below pH 3.7 and is characterized by red shifted fluorescence and strong hydrophobicity. LI is a folded state as judged by its spectroscopic properties and the observation that it undergoes distinct and cooperative thermal and denaturant induced unfolding transitions. LII appears to be more like a denatured state, as it shows no cooperative thermal or denaturant induced transitions and has spectroscopic properties very similar to exotoxin A that has been thermally denatured at pH 7. Exotoxin A in the LII state strongly binds detergent micelles and binds and inserts into model membranes. Therefore, denaturation-like conformational changes appear to play an important role in membrane insertion. The pH of the transition to a membrane-inserting state is influenced by the composition of the model membranes and is close to pH 5 in the presence of vesicles containing a phosphatidylglycerol/phosphatidylcholine mixture. These vesicles probably promote formation of the LII state via mass action effects. The implication of these results for membrane penetration and translocation of proteins without apparent hydrophobic regions, such as exotoxin A, is discussed.     

Photoprotection of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki from ultraviolet irradiation

Irradiation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD1 at 300-350 nm for up to 12 hr using a photochemical reactor results in a rapid loss of its toxicity to larvae of Heliothis armigera. Photoprotection of the toxic component was obtained by adsorption of cationic chromophores such as acriflavin (AF), methyl green, and rhodamine B to B. thuringiensis. AF gave the best photoprotection and a level of 0.42 mmol/g dye absorbed per gram of B. thuringiensis was highly toxic even after 12 hr of ultraviolet (uv) irradiation as compared to the control (77.5 and 5% of insect mortality, respectively). Ultraviolet and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic studies indicate molecular interactions between B. thuringiensis and AF. The nature of these interactions and energy or charge transfer as possible mechanisms of photoprotection are discussed. It is speculated that tryptophan residues are essential for the toxic effect of B. thuringiensis. It is suggested that photoprotection is attained as energy is transferred from the excited tryptophan moieties to the chromophore molecules.     

ATP formation from deoxyadenosine in human erythrocytes: Evidence for a hitherto unidentified route involving adenine and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase

A novel route of ATP formation has been identified using erythrocytes from patients deficient in four different enzymes associated with ATP formation. It entails prior adenine production from deoxyadenosine (or adenosine) in a reaction involving S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. The postulated route has been demonstrated in human erythrocytes which, unlike other human cells, cannot form ATP from IMP. It is based on studies by others using purified S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase preparationsin vitro. The results provide the first confirmation that this reaction occurs in intact human cellsin vitro and thus most probablyin vivo. This adenine production is normally masked in intact cells by further metabolism to ATP. Clinical significance for such a route is suggested by the fact that some adenosine analogues with potent oncostatic and antiviral properties also release adenine (or analogues)in vitro.     

Sample preparation for beta-exotoxin determination in Bacillus thuringiensis cultures by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Beta-exotoxin is a nucleotide analogue produced by the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. We have defined two new HPLC procedures for quantification of this exotoxin in culture supernatants of B. thuringiensis grown in poor or rich medium. The sample is prepared either by precipitation in solvent or by solid-phase extraction. Solvent precipitation is achieved treating the sample with acetone and acetonitrile. Solid-phase extraction is performed with a C18 and an anion-exchange cartridge. Reversed-phase HPLC with gradient elution of the prepared samples gives a limit of quantitation of 2 microg/ml for samples prepared by solvent precipitation and of 0.3 microg/ml for samples prepared by solid-phase extraction.     

Comparison between the molecular characteristics and the potential activity of X and Y nucleolar organizers from various Drosophila melanogaster laboratory lines

The molecular characteristics of nucleolar organizers from X and Y chromosomes of different Drosophila melanogaster lines have previously been studied (17). By analysis of appropriate genetic crosses we show in the present study that the X and Y chromosomes of these lines can confer different degrees of resistance on an inhibitor of ribosomal RNA synthesis (beta exotoxin or thuringiensin) present in the thermostable supernatant of Bacillus thuringiensis cultures. None of the lines studied gives rise to any particular phenotype under normal culture conditions; variations in the degree of supernatant resistance of these lines provide a relative measure of what can be called the potential activity of the nucleolar organizers of the different X and/or Y chromosomes. The potential activity of the Y nucleolar organizers is found to be generally higher than that of the X organizers. This result can be correlated with the fact that the number of uninterrupted ribosomal units is much greater on the Y chromosomes than on the Xs. Significant variations in potential activity have been shown to occur among the X as also among the Y nucleolar organizers. Comparison between the molecular characteristics of the nucleolar organizers and their level of activity shows that among the different ribosomal units, only those devoid of insertion interfere with the level of activity. However, some of our results could also indicate that not all the uninterrupted units have the same level of activity; this level could be related to the size of the nontranscribed spacer of the ribosomal units.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Features of the kinetics of accumulating entomocidal exotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis during fermentation stage of bitoxibacillin production

Accumulation of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. thuringiensis beta-exotoxin (BET) in the course of industrial fermentation (a stage in the production of the entomocidal biopreparation bitoxibacillin) has been studied. It has been demonstrated in model experiments that the decrease in the content of BET in the culture fluid is accounted for by the toxin interaction with an attendant product, the exogenous metabolite (EM). EM has been isolated from the culture fluid and characterized. EM causes alkalization of the medium, exerts entomocidal effects (in Musca domestica) and fails to form salts on treatment with BaCl2. The absorption spectrum of EM is similar to that of BET, showing a maximum at lambda = 259 nm. The light-absorbing chromophore is a pyrimidine or purine base. A method for quantitative determination of both exotoxins (BET and EM) in bacterial preparations has been developed.     

Structural and functional analysis of a cloned delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis berliner 1715

A plasmid-encoded crystal protein gene (bt2) has been cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis berliner 1715. In Escherichia coli, it directs the synthesis of the 130-kDa protein (Bt2) which is toxic to larvae of Pieris brassicae and Manduca sexta. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of this Bt2 protein with the B. thuringiensis kurstaki HD1 Dipel, B. thuringiensis kurstaki HD73 and B. thuringiensis sotto crystal protein sequences suggests that homologous recombination between the different genes has occurred during evolution. Treatment of the Bt2 protein with trypsin or chymotrypsin yields a 60-kDa protease-resistant and fully toxic polypeptide. The minimal portion of the Bt2 protein required for toxicity has been determined by analysing the polypeptides produced by deletion derivatives of the bt2 gene. It coincides with the 60-kDa protease-resistant Bt2 fragment and it starts between amino acids 29 and 35 at the N-terminus and terminates between positions 599 and 607 at the C-terminus.     

Pathogenicity of intrathoracically administrated Bacillus thuringiensis spores in Blatta orientalis

The ability of Bacillus thuringiensis to produce septicaemia in Periplaneta americana and Blatta orientalis has been investigated. Spores and crystals from several wild-type strains as well as spores of a B. thuringiensis crystal-deficient mutant, were first orally administrated at high doses, and no significant mortality was recorded. Intrathoracic injection of spore suspensions in P. americana revealed that this species is not very susceptible to B. thuringiensis spores. B. orientalis, by contrast, was found to be very susceptible to B. thuringiensis, with a LD(50) of about 35,000 spores, that is similar to that reported on Lepidoptera challenged with parenterally injected B. thuringiensis.     

Kinetics and mechanism of protection of adenine from sulphate radical anion by caffeic acid under anoxic conditions

The rates of photo-oxidation of adenine in the presence of peroxydisulphate (PDS) have been determined by measuring the absorbance of adenine at 260.5 nm spectrophotometrically. The rates and the quantum yields (phi) of oxidation of adenine by sulphate radical anion (SO4(-)) have been determined in the presence of different concentrations of caffeic acid. Increase in the concentration of caffeic acid is found to decrease the rate of oxidation of adenine suggesting that caffeic acid acts as an efficient scavenger of SO4(-) and protects adenine from it; SO4(-) competes for adenine as well as for caffeic acid. From competition kinetics, the rate constant of SO4(-) with caffeic acid has been calculated to be 1.24 +/- 0.2 x 10(10) mol(-1)dm(3)s(-1). The quantum yields of photo-oxidation of adenine have been calculated from the rates of oxidation of adenine and the light intensity absorbed by PDS at 254 nm, the wavelength at which PDS is activated to SO4' -. The results of experimentally determined quantum yields (phi exptl) and the quantum yields calculated (phi cl) by assuming that caffeic acid acts only as a scavenger of SO4(-) radicals show that phi exptl values are lower than phi cl values. The phi prime values, which are experimentally found quantum yield values at each caffeic acid concentration and corrected for SO4(-) scavenging by caffeic acid, are also found to be greater than phi exptI values. These observations suggest that the adenine radicals are repaired by caffeic acid, in addition to scavenging of sulphate radical anions.     

The solubility of inclusion proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis is dependent upon protoxin composition and is a factor in toxicity to insects.

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai HD133 is one of several strains particularly effective against Plodia interpunctella selected for resistance to B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 (Dipel). B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai HD133 produces inclusions containing three protoxins, CryIA(b), CryIC, and CryID, and the CryIC protoxin has been shown to be active on resistant P. interpunctella as well as on Spodoptera larvae. The CryIA(b) protoxin is very similar to the major one in B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1, and as expected, this protoxin was inactive on resistant P. interpunctella. A derivative of B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai HD133 which had been cured of a 68-kb plasmid containing the cryIA(b) gene produced inclusions comprising only the CryIC and CryID protoxins. Surprisingly, these inclusions were much less toxic for resistant P. interpunctella and two other Lepidoptera than those produced by the parental strain, whereas the soluble protoxins from these strains were equally effective. In contrast, inclusions from the two strains were about as active as soluble protoxins for Spodoptera frugiperda larvae, so toxicity differences between inclusions may be due to the solubilizing conditions within particular larval guts. Consistent with this hypothesis, it was found that a higher pH was required to solubilize protoxins from inclusions from the plasmid-cured strain than from B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai HD133, a difference which is probably attributable to the absence of the CryIA(b) protoxin in the former. The interactions of structurally related protoxins within an inclusion are probably important for solubility and are thus another factor in the effectiveness of B. thuringiensis isolates for particular insect larvae.