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Plasmid stability ofBacillus thuringiensis var.kurstaki (HD-1) during continuous phased cultivation

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Summary

Bacillus thuringiensis var.kurstaki (HD-1)_was grown as a continuous phased culture in a cyclone fermentor. During the time course of the continuous phased cultivation (CPC), the culture was sampled to determine the efficiency of sporulation and parasporal crystal formation. Concurrently, plasmid DNA was extracted and resolved on agarose gels. The plasmid profile remained constant throughout 328 h of cultivation. However, during the same time period, asporogenous, acrystalliferous variants increased from<1% to>90% of the cells harvested. Our data suggests that the disappearance of parasporal crystals inB. thuringiensis var.kurstaki (HD-1) during CPC occurs independent of plasmid copy but may be due to defective sporulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science, University of Saskatchewan, S7N0W0, Saskatoon, Canada

    B. P. Roy, L. B. Selinger & G. G. Khachatourians

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  1. B. P. Roy
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  2. L. B. Selinger
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  3. G. G. Khachatourians
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Roy, B.P., Selinger, L.B. & Khachatourians, G.G. Plasmid stability ofBacillus thuringiensis var.kurstaki (HD-1) during continuous phased cultivation. Biotechnol Lett 9, 483–488 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01027457

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