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Genetic Diversity of Bacillus cereus/B. thuringiensis Isolates from Natural Sources

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Abstract.

The genetic diversity and relationships among 154 Bacillus cereus/B. thuringiensis isolates recovered from soil samples from five geographic areas in Norway were investigated with multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE). Cluster analysis revealed two major groups (designated cluster I and cluster II) separated at genetic distance greater than 0.55. Cluster I included 62 electrophoretic types (ETs) originating from all five locations, whereas, in cluster II, all but one isolate were from the same location. The isolates were also serotyped with B. thuringiensis flagellar antisera, and 28 distinct serotypes were identified. In general, serotyping did not show correlation to the genetic diversity of the isolates. The presence of IS231- and IS240-like transposable elements was detected in 14% of the strains of cluster II only. Parasporal crystals were observed in three strains; ten other strains were toxic to Trichoplusia ni. We conclude that B. cereus/B. thuringiensis from soil exhibit a high degree of recombination.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Centre of Oslo and Institute of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, PB1125, 0316 Oslo 3, Norway , , , , , , NO

    Erlendur Helgason, Ida Hegna, Kirsti Kvaløy & Anne-Brit Kolstø

  2. Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Public Health, N-0403 Oslo, Norway , , , , , , NO

    Dominique A. Caugant

  3. Bactéries Entomopathogénes, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France , , , , , , FR

    Marguerite-M. Lecadet

  4. Laboratoire de Génétique Microbienne, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium , , , , , , BE

    Yahua Chen & Jacques Mahillon

  5. Department of Microbiology, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden , , , , , , SE

    Ann Lövgren

Authors
  1. Erlendur Helgason
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  2. Dominique A. Caugant
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  3. Marguerite-M. Lecadet
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  4. Yahua Chen
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  5. Jacques Mahillon
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  6. Ann Lövgren
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  7. Ida Hegna
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  8. Kirsti Kvaløy
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  9. Anne-Brit Kolstø
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Received: 15 December 1997 / Accepted: 26 January 1998

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Helgason, E., Caugant, D., Lecadet, MM. et al. Genetic Diversity of Bacillus cereus/B. thuringiensis Isolates from Natural Sources. Curr Microbiol 37, 80–87 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002849900343

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002849900343

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