Abstract
The mutagenicity of B. thuringiensis preparations was tested in different mammalian systems. Human blood cultures were used for studying cytological effects on the cells after in vitro treatment with autoclaved supernatant on B. thuringiensis serotype 1 (producer of exotoxin), serotype 3 (non-producer) and purified exotoxin. Bone-marrow cells and cultured blood cells of rats were studied after long-term feeding with varying concentrations of supernatant of serotype 1. Cytological effects of acute exposure to lethal concentrations of exotoxin were studied in the same cell systems. In human blood cultures toxic concentrations of exotoxin induced a significant increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations. Also the treatment with supernatant of serotype 3 revealed a slight clastogenic effect, although no mitotic arrest could be observed. In in vivo experiments with rats no clastogenic effects could be demonstrated in bone-marrow cells. Low concentrations of serotype 1 supernatant did not affect blood metaphases of the treated animals either. Clastogenic effects appeared when the drinking water was substituted by 50 or 100% of the agent during three months. Similarly, clastogenic effects were observed in blood cells of rats given lethal doses of serotype 1 supernatant.
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