title: Bacillus cereus produces several nonproteinaceous insecticidal exotoxins.
abstract: Bacillus cereus is mainly known as a human food-borne opportunistic pathogen. Here, we used biological assays and HPLC to investigate the ability of B. cereus to produce insecticidal exotoxins during the stationary growth phase. None of the 575 B. cereus strains screened produced detectable levels of beta-exotoxin I, a small, heat-stable insecticidal nucleotide analogue. However, six out of a subset of 270 B. cereus strains produced several small, nonproteinaceous insecticidal exotoxins different from beta-exotoxin I. Thus, B. cereus can secrete a large array of proteinaceous and nonproteinaceous toxins acting on insects and mammals.
authors.affiliation: INRA, Génétique Microbienne et Environnement, La Minière, 78285 Guyancourt, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perchat
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buisson
authors.forename: Josette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chaufaux
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanchis
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lereclus
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gohar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000187:drug effects; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000187:drug effects; D048889:Weevils / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005098:Exotoxins; D007306:Insecticides