Ultra-violet-resistant mutants of Bacillus thuringiensis |
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| Authors: | D.R. Jones V. Karunakaran H.D. Burges A.J. Hacking |
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| Affiliation: | School of Biological &Health Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Science, The Polytechnic of Central London;Institute of Horticultural Research, Littlehampton, the University, Reading, UK;Dextra Laboratories Limited, The University, Reading, UK |
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| Abstract: | One of the main disadvantages of using Bacillus thuringiensis as an insecticide is that the spore and crystal preparations applied to foliage are readily washed away by rain and are inactivated by sunlight. Spores from some strains of B. thuringiensis have been shown to be highly sensitive to u.v. light. This study has demonstrated how mutants with increased resistance to u.v., isolated by successive rounds of u.v. irradiation, and additionally with increased specific pathogenicity can be isolated. These techniques should be applied to strains that are frequently used in the industrial production of B. thuringiensis toxin. |
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