The Bacillus thuringiensis cyt genes for hemolytic endotoxins constitute a gene family.

ABSTRACT: In the same way that cry genes, coding for larvicidal delta endotoxins, constitute a large and diverse gene family, the cyt genes for hemolytic toxins seem to compose another set of highly related genes in Bacillus thuringiensis. Although the occurrence of Cyt hemolytic factors in B. thuringiensis has been typically associated with mosquitocidal strains, we have recently shown that cyt genes are also present in strains with different pathotypes; this is the case for the morrisoni subspecies, which includes strains biologically active against dipteran, lepidopteran, and coleopteran larvae. In addition, while one Cyt type of protein has been described in all of the mosquitocidal strains studied so far, the present study confirms that at least two Cyt toxins coexist in the more toxic antidipt

SUBMITTER: Guerchicoff A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC92699 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature