Survival of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus spore inocula in soil: Effects of pH, moisture, nutrient availability and indigenous microorganisms

West, A.W.; Burges, H. D.; Dixon, Tom; Wyborn, C. H. E.

doi:10.1016/0038-0717(85)90043-4

Cited by 79 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The composition analysis of the soil utilized in our experiments indicated a pH of 5.2. This lower pH could provide a possible explanation for the shorter survival time in our study, as Bacillus species displayed diminished growth in soil with a pH of 5.2 when compared to pH 7.3 (West et al 1985). Without information on the soil composition used in the Welshimer and Botzler experiments, it is difficult to explain the differences seen in the length of time L. monocytogenes can survive in soil.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Factors affecting survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in soil samples

et al. 2011

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We investigated the ability of several strains of L. monocytogenes and Listeria innocua strains to survive in local soil samples in vitro. Survival of three L. monocytogenes strains, EGDe, CD83, and CD1038, and three L. innocua strains, CLIP, FH2117, FH2152, was monitored in soil samples by direct enumeration of colony-forming units on selective agar. The study did not demonstrate any species-specific difference in soil survival, and all Listeria strains exhibited a marked decline in numbers over time. Bioluminescence imaging approaches to detect lux-tagged strains in soil proved largely ineffective, most likely due to the reduced metabolic activity of strains in this environment. We investigated the influence of specific factors including the presence of a background microbiota, growth temperature, moisture and strain motility upon persistence in this environment. A sequenced L. monocytogenes strain, EGDe, was capable of active growth in sterile soil yet exhibited a decline in the presence of the normal soil microbiota. Furthermore, greater survival was seen at lower incubation temperatures in normal soil. Finally, we demonstrated a direct correlation between motility and survival of L. monocytogenes in soil with highly motile L. monocytogenes strains exhibiting greater soil survival than non-motile mutants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Factors affecting survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in soil samples

et al. 2011

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“…Our results are in line with the findings of De Respinis et al (15) Our findings do not discriminate whether a fraction of the spores detected in soil samples resulted from on-site multiplication or whether they had been all introduced with treatments and have persisted in soil without germination and multiplication. According to the literature, Bt spores grow and sporulate in soils supplemented with additional nutrients or in previously sterilized soil (34,41). Other authors demonstrated that Bt spores were not able to germinate in the soil under natural conditions (2,31).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis in Soil of a Swiss Wetland Reserve after 22 Years of Mosquito Control

Guidi

Patocchi

Lüthy

et al. 2011

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Recurrent treatments with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis are required to control the floodwater mosquito Aedes vexans that breeds in large numbers in the wetlands of the Bolle di Magadino Reserve in Canton Ticino, Switzerland. Interventions have been carried out since 1988. In the present study, the spatial distribution of resting B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis spores in the soil was measured. The B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis concentration was determined in soil samples collected along six transects covering different elevations within the periodically flooded zones. A total of 258 samples were processed and analyzed by quantitative PCR that targeted an identical fragment of 159 bp for the B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis cry4Aa and cry4Ba genes. B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis spores were found to persist in soils of the wetland reserve at concentrations of up to 6.8 log per gram of soil. Continuous accumulation due to regular treatments could be excluded, as the decrease in spores amounted to 95.8% (95% confidence interval, 93.9 to 97.7%). The distribution of spores was correlated to the number of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis treatments, the elevation of the sampling point, and the duration of the flooding periods. The number of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis treatments was the major factor influencing the distribution of spores in the different topographic zones (P < 0.0001). These findings indicated that B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis spores are rather immobile after their introduction into the environment.

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“…Essentially no unexpected toxicities from Bt sprays have been recorded [29], probably because Bt does not survive or grow well in soil [36][37][38][39][40][41][42], and its spores are rapidly inactivated by UV radiation [43,44]. Consequently, there is probably little production of toxins in soil [45], and the persistence of introduced toxins is a function primarily of the: (1) amount added; (2) rate of consumption and inactivation by insect larvae; (3) rate of degradation by microorganisms; and (4) rate of abiotic inactivation.…”

Section: Persistence Of Toxins and Cells Of B Thuringiensis In Soilmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fate and Effects in Soil of Cry Proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis: Influence of Physicochemical and Biological Characteristics of Soil

Saxena¹,

Pushalkar

Stotzky³

2013

TOTNJ

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Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a useful alternative or supplement to synthetic chemical pesticides in agriculture, forest management, and control of mosquitoes and some other biting insects. When modified Bt cry genes are inserted into a plant species (e.g., corn, cotton, potato, canola, rice), the plant expresses active larvicidal proteins in its tissues. The toxins continue to be synthesized during growth of the plants, making the plant toxic to various insect pests throughout their life or as biomass incorporated into soil. If production exceeds consumption, inactivation, and degradation, the toxins could accumulate to concentrations that may enhance the control of target pests or constitute a hazard to nontarget organisms, such as the soil microbiota, beneficial insects (e.g., pollinators, predators and parasites of insect pests), and other animal classes. The accumulation and persistence of the toxins could also result in the selection and enrichment of toxin-resistant target insects. Persistence is enhanced when the toxins are bound on surface-active particles in the environment (e.g., clays and humic substances) and, thereby, rendered more resistant to biodegradation while retaining toxic activity. Moreover, major problem we face today is of "Molecular pharming" that utilizes transgenic plants and animals for production of pharmaceuticals and chemicals for their use in human beings and industries respectively. Their release to the environment, especially to soil and potentially to waters of the pharmaceutical and industrial products of transgenic plant and animal "pharms" could pose a hazard to the environment. In contrast to the products of most transgenic plants currently available commercially (e.g., the insecticidal proteins from subspecies of Bt) that primarily target insects and other pests. These "pharms" are being genetically engineered to express products for use primarily in human beings. Consequently, these products constitute a class of compounds that is seldom found in natural habitats and that primarily target "higher level" eukaryotes. Hence, they are xenobiotics with respect to the environment, and their persistence in and effects on the environment have not been adequately studied and sober risk assessments on a case-bycase basis must be made before major releases of such transgenic organisms.

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Survival of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus spore inocula in soil: Effects of pH, moisture, nutrient availability and indigenous microorganisms

Cited by 79 publications

References 26 publications

Factors affecting survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in soil samples

Factors affecting survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua in soil samples

Distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis in Soil of a Swiss Wetland Reserve after 22 Years of Mosquito Control

Fate and Effects in Soil of Cry Proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis: Influence of Physicochemical and Biological Characteristics of Soil

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