Abstract

Bacillus thuringiensis differs from the closely related Bacillus cereus group species by its ability to produce crystalline inclusions. The production of these crystals mainly results from the expression of the cry genes, from the stability of their transcripts and from the synthesis, accumulation and crystallization of large amounts of insecticidal Cry proteins. This process normally coincides with sporulation and is regulated by various factors operating at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, metabolic and post-translational levels.

Highlights

  • Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a spore-forming bacterium, which is genetically very closely related toB. anthracis, the agent of anthrax, and to B. cereus, an opportunistic human pathogen that causes food-borne gastroenteritis [1]

  • Many findings relevant to the regulation of cry gene expression have been reported over the last 20 years. They indicate that the regulation of Bt cry gene expression is more complex than formerly thought: some sporulation-dependent cry genes are under the control of the transition-phase sigma factor SigH during the transition phase; some non-sigma factors contribute to the regulation of cry gene expression; metabolic pathways may influence Cry protein production; and the description of a unique Bt strain, LM1212, has changed our view of Bt cry gene transcriptional regulation and expression patterns

  • The effect of P20 on Cyt1A expression was addressed by a series of studies in E. coli by Whiteley’s group decades ago: the P20 protein does not affect transcription or mRNA stability [63], nor regulate translational initiation of cyt1A [64]; there is a protein-protein interaction between P20 and Cyt1A, and this occurs only with the nascent Cyt1A

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Summary

Introduction

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a spore-forming bacterium, which is genetically very closely related to. Many findings relevant to the regulation of cry gene expression have been reported over the last 20 years. They indicate that the regulation of Bt cry gene expression is more complex than formerly thought: some sporulation-dependent cry genes are under the control of the transition-phase sigma factor SigH during the transition phase; some non-sigma factors contribute to the regulation of cry gene expression; metabolic pathways may influence Cry protein production; and the description of a unique Bt strain, LM1212, has changed our view of Bt cry gene transcriptional regulation and expression patterns.

Transcriptional Regulation
Sporulation-Dependent cry Genes
Sporulation-Independent cry Genes
The Transcriptional Regulator Spo0A
Regulation by Two Negative Factors
Metabolic Regulation of Cry Protein Production
Regulation by the Sigma 54 Factor
Catabolic Repression by Glucose
Crystallization of the Cry Proteins
Patterns of Crystal Production
Concluding Remarks
Findings
Conflicts of Interest

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