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Germinant Generation from δ-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain 1.1

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Abstract

The novel finding of this study is that the δ-endotoxin present in the spore coat of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1 (Bt1.1), plays a central role in spore germination by generation of germinant via its β-glucosidase activity and is based on the following: (i) the crystals of Bt1.1 consist of the 140 kDa δ-endotoxin which exhibits β-glucosidase enzymatic activity. Besides crystals, δ-endotoxin is also located in the spore coat and at this site displays β-glucosidase activity, resulting in glucose production; (ii) glucose is an efficient germinant of both Bt1.1 and acrystalliferous Bt4.1 strain; (iii) substrates of β-glucosidase can activate the germination of Bt1.1 spores, but not those of the acrystalliferous Bt4.1 sister strain that do not contain the 140 kDa δ-endotoxin; (iv) Reduction or enhancement of enzymatic activity of δ-endotoxin, results in retardation or acceleration of germination and outgrowth, respectively. Bt1.1 cells secrete a 60 kDa polypeptide which displays β-glucosidase activity as indicated by zymogram analysis and which is immunologically related to the 140 kDa δ-endotoxin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Anastasia Papalazaridou & Afroditi Sivropoulou

  2. Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Ειrini Kanata

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  1. Anastasia Papalazaridou
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  2. Ειrini Kanata
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  3. Afroditi Sivropoulou
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Correspondence to Afroditi Sivropoulou.

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Papalazaridou, A., Kanata, Ε. & Sivropoulou, A. Germinant Generation from δ-endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain 1.1. Curr Microbiol 62, 1431–1437 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-011-9878-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-011-9878-4

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