Abstract
A hallmark of Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria is the formation of one or more parasporal crystal (Cry) proteins during sporulation. The toxicity of these proteins is highly specific to insect larvae, exerting lethal effects in different insect species but not in humans or other mammals. The aim of this review is to summarize previous findings on Bacillus thuringiensis, including the characteristics of the bacterium, its subsequent contribution to biotechnology as a bioinsecticide due to the presence of Cry proteins, and its potential application as an adjuvant. In several studies, Cry proteins have been administered together with specific antigens to immunize experimental animal models. The results have shown that these proteins can enhance immunogenicity by generating an adequate immune response capable of protecting the model against an experimental infectious challenge, whereas protection is decreased when the specific antigen is administered without the Cry protein. Therefore, based on previous results and the structural homology between Cry proteins, these molecules have arisen as potential adjuvants in the development of vaccines for both animals and humans. Finally, a model of the interaction of Cry proteins with different components of the immune response is proposed.
Highlights
General information is presented about Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium that can form spores and produce Cry proteins, which are natural bioinsecticides
B. thuringiensis was isolated for the first time in 1902 by the Japanese scientist Ishiwata, who was studying the cause of mortality in silkworm larvae; this disease was called Soto disease
Crystal proteins have been widely used in genetically modified cultures; these transgenic cultures can produce Bt crystals, making them insect resistant
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. B. thuringiensis was isolated for the first time in 1902 by the Japanese scientist Ishiwata, who was studying the cause of mortality in silkworm larvae; this disease was called Soto disease. Ishiwata initially named this bacterium Bacillus sotto [6]. A few years later, in 1911, a German scientist, Ernst Berliner, isolated a bacterial strain in dead moth larvae in Mediterranean flour, located in a flour mill in the German state of Thuringia For this reason, Ernst named this Bacillus B. thuringiensis (Bt) [7].
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