Characterization of a Bacillus thuringiensis strain which is toxic to the housefly Musca domestica.

A Bacillus thuringiensis isolate has been discovered which is toxic to the common housefly (Musca domestica) as well as other Diptera and Lepidoptera. Crystal delta-endotoxins purified from this isolate killed 50% of Musca larvae at a concentration of 10.2 micrograms/ml, and beta-exotoxin was not detected. Sodium dodecyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified crystals revealed three protein species which were related to CryIA(b), CryIB and CryIIA toxins on the basis of immunoreactivity and amino-terminal sequence determination. Southern blot and DNA restriction analyses suggested that the strain has sequences related to one cryIA(b), one cryIIA, and two cryIIB genes.