What is Bacillus thuringiensis? Kaley Graves Kayla John

What is it? Soil-dwelling, rod-shaped bacterium Used as Insecticide (since 1930s) -kills butterfly and moth caterpillars, mosquitos, and some fly larvae Gets rid of harmful threats to a plants’ health

Microbiology The bacteria is a pesticide because of a protein endotoxin. Its actually a so-called protoxin. The molecule must be processed to some other form before the toxic activity is present. The protoxin molecules form a crystal that doesn’t dissolve easily inside the bacterium.

How it kills The endotoxin produces a lining on the wall of the insects’ gut. It makes holes in the cells, destroying the function of the gut. The toxins creates massive cell death. The larva is unable to eat. Death.