Bacillus thuringiensis as a Specific, Safe, and Effective Tool for Insect Pest Control

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 547 - 559
• Main Authors: Roh, J.Y. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Choi, J.Y. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Li, M.S. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Jin, B.R. (Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea), Je, Y.H. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), E-mail: btrus@snu.ac.kr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Korean Society for Applied Microbiology 01.04.2007; 한국미생물·생명공학회
• Subjects: Animals; BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS; Bacillus thuringiensis - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - biosynthesis; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - pharmacology; Bacterial Toxins - biosynthesis; Bacterial Toxins - genetics; Bacterial Toxins - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; BIOPESTICIDE; BIOPESTICIDES; BIOPLAGUICIDAS; Biotechnology; Crops, Agricultural; cry gene; Cry protein; Endotoxins - biosynthesis; Endotoxins - genetics; Endotoxins - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hemolysin Proteins - biosynthesis; Hemolysin Proteins - genetics; Hemolysin Proteins - pharmacology; Insecticides - pharmacology; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plasmids; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; 생물학; cry gene; Bacillus thuringiensis; Insecta; Bacillaceae; Protein; Cry protein; Bacillales; Gene; Pest management; Arthropoda; Bacteria; Invertebrata; Biopesticide
• ISSN: 1017-7825

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was first described by Berliner [10] when he isolated a Bacillus species from the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella, and named it after the province Thuringia in Germany where the infected moth was found. Although this was the first description under the name B. thuringiensis, it was not the first isolation. In 1901, a Japanese biologist, Ishiwata Shigetane, discovered a previously undescribed bacterium as the causative agent of a disease afflicting silkworms. Bt was originally considered a risk for silkworm rearing but it has become the heart of microbial insect control.