Lee, D. H.;Shisa, N.;Wasano, N.;Ohgushi, A.;Ohba, M.
Characterization of flagellar antigens and insecticidal activities of Bacillus thuringiensis populations in animal feces
Current Microbiology
2003
Journal Article
46
4
287-290
0343-8651
parasporal inclusion proteins natural occurrence lectin activity japan phylloplanes diversity toxicity isolate region cells Tapir Bibliography
In total, 287 Bacillus thuringiensis isolates, recovered from feces of 28 zoo-maintained animal species, were examined for flagellar (H) antigenicity and insecticidal activity. Serologically, 209 isolates (72.8%) were allocated to the 8 H serogroups, 4 were untypable, and 74 were untestable. Among the 8 H serotypes detected, H3abc (serovar kurstaki) predominated at a high frequency of 88.0%, followed by H6 (serovar entomocidus) with a frequency of 7.7%. Insecticidal activity was associated with 67.2% of the fecal populations: 188 isolates were toxic to both Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), 2 isolates were specific for B. mori, and 3 isolates were toxic to A. aegypti only. Of the isolates with dual toxicity, 97.9% belonged to the serovar kurstaki, producing bipyramidal parasporal inclusions. All of the H7 (serovar aizawai) isolates were toxic to both insects.