Open AccessDiversity of thermal ecotypes and potential pathotypes of B acillus thuringiensis soil isolates
Author(s) -
Swiecicka Izabela,
Bartoszewicz Marek,
KasulyteCreasey Daiva,
Drewnowska Justyna M.,
Murawska Emilia,
Yernazarova Aliya,
Lukaszuk Edyta,
Mahillon Jacques
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6941.12116
Subject(s) - biology , bacillus thuringiensis , phylogenetic tree , ecotype , phylogenetic diversity , bacilli , phylogenetics , genetics , bacillus anthracis , bacillaceae , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , bacteria , bacillus subtilis
Ecological diversification of B acillus thuringiensis soil isolates was examined to determine whether bacteria adapted to grow at low temperature and/or potentially pathogenic correspond to genetically distinct lineages. Altogether, nine phylogenetic lineages were found among bacilli originating from N orth‐ E astern P oland ( n = 24) and Lithuania ( n = 25) using multi‐locus sequence typing. This clustering was chiefly confirmed by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis. One third of the bacilli were found to be psychrotolerant, which strongly supports the hypothesis of the existence of thermal ecotypes among B. thuringiensis . PCR screening was also performed to detect potential enterotoxin genes and B acillus anthracis pXO 1‐ and pXO 2‐like replicons. The cytK ‐positive isolates (22%) were significantly associated with two phylogenetic lineages (potential CytK pathotypes), whereas there was no correlation between phylogenetic grouping and the presence of the potential tripartite enterotoxin pathotypes (86% of strains). A statistically significant association between phylogenetic lineages and ecologic properties was found with regard to the cry1 ‐positive Lithuanian isolates, while the cry genes in P olish isolates and the pXO 1‐ and pXO 2 replicon‐like elements showed scattered distribution across phylogenetic lineages. Our results support the hypothesis that B . thuringiensis comprises strains belonging to different phylogenetic lineages, which exhibit specific ecological properties.