Author
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MARTIN, PHYLLIS |
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Submitted to: American Society for Microbiology
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: With the introduction of many new Bacillus thuringiensis strains there is a need to differentiate strains. The Biolog system of substrate utilization was used to identify known B. thuringiensis strains to species. We modified the Biolog procedure by examining the cultures for the presence of polyhydroxybutyric acid crystals, a pre-sporulation storage compound, which, if present, gave a false positive or purple background. Cells which had not reached this stage of development gave readable patterns at four hrs. At 24 hrs, the species identification was B. thuringiensis/cereus. From this substrate utilization pattern, a typical or average B. thuringiensis profile was generated. B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai, B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, and B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni, fit the typical substrate utilization profile. However, the most widely used strains of the subspecies kurstaki were not typical. Characterization to strain was supplemented with additional biochemical tests: amylase production, urease production, phospholipase C production, and hemolysis. We are currently examining the use of MT microtiter plates with additional substrates to be able to differentiate B. thuringiensis strains using a single microtiter plate. |
