How Does Bacillus thuringiensis Crystallize Such a Large Diversity of Toxins?

ABSTRACT: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a natural crystal-making bacterium. Bt diversified into many subspecies that have evolved to produce crystals of hundreds of pesticidal proteins with radically different structures. Their crystalline form ensures stability and controlled release of these major virulence factors. They are responsible for the toxicity and host specificity of Bt, explaining its worldwide use as a biological insecticide. Most research has been devoted to understanding the mechanisms of toxicity of these toxins while the features driving their crystallization have long remained elusive, essentially due to technical limitations. The evolution of methods in structural biology, pushing back the limits of the resolution attainable, now allows access to be gained to structural informat

SUBMITTER: Tetreau G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8309854 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature