Biotech Studies 2020, Vol 29, Num, 2     (Pages: 55-61)

Isolation, identification and characterization of three new strains of Bacillus sphaericus as mosquito pathogen

Münevver Müge Çağal 1 ,Ali Umman Doğan 2 ,Fatih Çakar 3 ,Fikrettin Şahin 2

1 Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Bursa Technical University, 16310 Yıldırım, Bursa, Turkey
2 Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Yeditepe University, 34755 Kayısdagi, Istanbul, Turkey
3 Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, 61801 Urbana, Illinois, USA
DOI : 10.38042/biost.2020.29.02.01 - In the present study, three entomopathogenic strains of Bacillus sphaericus (MBI5, MBI6, and MBI7) were isolated from greenhouse pest and larval habitat of Istanbul, Turkey. All of the MBI groups tested in laboratory bioassays were able to kill larvae, but not pupae and adults of Culex spp. in water. The most efficient larvicidal activity of the strains was found in the presence of two toxin genes, binA and binB for MBI5, MBI6, and MBI7 strains. Each B. sphaericus strains identified in this study were characterized as unique and novel in terms of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles and 16S rRNA sequencing data. The results of this study suggest that the three strains of B. sphaericus may be new sources of potential biocontrol agent of mosquito. Keywords : Bacillus sphaericus, Mosquito, Biocontrol