In:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 66, No. 6 ( 2000-06), p. 2627-2630
Abstract:
Bacillus anthracis , Bacillus cereus , and Bacillus thuringiensis are members of the Bacillus cereus group of bacteria, demonstrating widely different phenotypes and pathological effects. B. anthracis causes the acute fatal disease anthrax and is a potential biological weapon due to its high toxicity. B. thuringiensis produces intracellular protein crystals toxic to a wide number of insect larvae and is the most commonly used biological pesticide worldwide. B. cereus is a probably ubiquitous soil bacterium and an opportunistic pathogen that is a common cause of food poisoning. In contrast to the differences in phenotypes, we show by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and by sequence analysis of nine chromosomal genes that B. anthracis should be considered a lineage of B. cereus . This determination is not only a formal matter of taxonomy but may also have consequences with respect to virulence and the potential of horizontal gene transfer within the B. cereus group.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0099-2240
,
1098-5336
DOI:
10.1128/AEM.66.6.2627-2630.2000
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Microbiology
Publication Date:
2000
detail.hit.zdb_id:
223011-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1478346-0
SSG:
12
