Abstract: | In comparison with other entomopathogenic Bacillus species, the genome of Brevibacillus laterosporus is poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to examine genetic variability in B. laterosporus by using a range of typing methodologies. Strains of B. laterosporus were examined for variation in 13 chromosomal genes encoding enzymes by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Optimal conditions of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA were established that allowed analysis of the genome of B. laterosporus. None of these techniques allowed the identification of a convenient molecular marker for entomopathogenic strains, although one specific primer amplified only DNA from almost all mosquitocidal strains. |