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. 1990 Jun;56(6):1608–1614. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.6.1608-1614.1990

Plasmid transfer between strains of Bacillus thuringiensis infecting Galleria mellonella and Spodoptera littoralis.

P Jarrett 1, M Stephenson 1
PMCID: PMC184480  PMID: 2383006

Abstract

To determine the possibility of plasmid transfer occurring between strains of Bacillus thuringiensis in infected lepidopterous larvae, Galleria mellonella and Spodoptera littoralis were infected with two or more strains of B. thuringiensis and the resulting bacteria from the dead insects were examined for plasmid transfer. Transfer rates of plasmids coding for crystal production and tetracycline resistance were high, reaching levels similar to those obtained in laboratory broth cultures. Transfer was higher in G. mellonella than S. littoralis, probably due to the greater ability of B. thuringiensis to colonize the larvae. In broth cultures, B. thuringiensis was also able to transfer plasmids into sporeforming bacteria present in soil samples. The results suggest that plasmid transfer between strains of B. thuringiensis occurs in nature, resulting in the production of new combinations of delta-endotoxins within populations of the bacteria.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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