title: A UV tolerant mutant of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki producing melanin.
abstract: A UV-resistant mutant (Bt-m) of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, producing a dark brown pigment, identified as melanin, was studied. Bt-m had higher larvicidity against Heliothis armigera than its parent. Survival of Bt-m spores and their insecticidal activity to irradiation at 254 nm and 366 nm were higher than those of the parent. The only toxic polypeptide produced by Bt-m was Cry1Ac (130 kDa); it lost cry1Aa, cry2Aa, and cry2Ab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Be'er-Sheva 84105, Israel. ds100@nyu.edu
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: Eitan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Dov
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manasherob
authors.forename: Ze'ev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: Sammy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boussiba
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaritsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009154:Mutation; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000254:growth & development*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D008543:Melanins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis