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Ubiquity of parasporin-1 producers in Bacillus thuringiensis natural populations of Japan

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Abstract

Parasporin, a Bacillus thuringiensis parasporal protein, is unique in having a strong cytocidal activity preferential for human cancer cells. In this study, we characterized parasporin activities associated with three novel geographical isolates of B. thuringiensis. Parasporal inclusion proteins of the three isolates were highly toxic to human uterus cervix cancer cells (HeLa), but not to non-cancer uterine smooth muscle cells (UtSMC). Inclusions of the isolates lacked insect toxicity and hemolytic activity against sheep erythrocytes. Ouchterlony immunodiffusion tests revealed that the proteins of the three isolates are immunologically closely related to parasporin-1 (Cry31A), but dissimilar to the three other existing parasporin groups. Our results provide evidence that the parasporin-1-producing organism is a common member in B. thuringiensis populations occurring in natural environments of Japan.

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Acknowledgements

We thank K. Miyamoto for providing the silkworm, Bombyx mori. We also thank S. Kitada for advices on experimental techniques of in vitro cytotoxicity tests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

    Akiko Uemori, Koichi Yasutake, Akira Ohgushi, Kumiko Kagoshima & Michio Ohba

  2. Kurume Research Laboratory, Kyushu Medical Co., Fukuoka, 839-0864, Japan

    Minoru Maeda

  3. Biotechnology and Food Research Institute, Fukuoka Industrial Technology Center, Fukuoka, 839-0861, Japan

    Eiichi Mizuki

Authors
  1. Akiko Uemori
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  2. Minoru Maeda
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  3. Koichi Yasutake
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  4. Akira Ohgushi
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  5. Kumiko Kagoshima
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  6. Eiichi Mizuki
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  7. Michio Ohba
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michio Ohba.

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Uemori, A., Maeda, M., Yasutake, K. et al. Ubiquity of parasporin-1 producers in Bacillus thuringiensis natural populations of Japan. Naturwissenschaften 94, 34–38 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0153-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0153-7

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