sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from a Chesapeake Bay marsh.

Two isolates of Gram-reaction-negative, motile, violet-pigmented bacteria were isolated from a small pool in marshland near the mouth of the Nanticoke River in Maryland, USA. The isolates IIBBL 257-1 and IIBBL 257-2 had identical 16S rRNA gene sequences as determined by PCR, and highly similar fatty acid and biochemical profiles. The 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated the isolates belonged to the genus .

sp. nov., isolated from estuarine marshes.

Thirteen isolates of Gram-stain-negative, motile, violet-pigmented bacteria were isolated from marshes along tidal portions of the Potomac and James rivers in Maryland and Virginia, USA, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequences and fatty acid analysis revealed a high degree of relatedness among the isolates, and genomic sequencing of two isolates, IIBBL 112-1 and IIBBL 274-1 (from the Potomac and James rivers, respectively), revealed highly similar genomic sequences, with a blast-based average nucleotide identity (ANIb) of ca. 98.

Chromobacterium sphagni sp. nov., an insecticidal bacterium isolated from Sphagnum bogs.

Sixteen isolates of Gram-reaction-negative, motile, violet-pigmented bacteria were isolated from Sphagnum bogs in West Virginia and Maine, USA. 16S rRNA gene sequences and fatty acid analysis revealed a high degree of relatedness among the isolates, and genome sequencing of two isolates, IIBBL 14B-1T and IIBBL 37-2 (from West Virginia and Maine, respectively), revealed highly similar genomic sequences. The average nucleotide identity (gANI) calculated for these two isolates was found to be in excess of 99 %, but did not exceed 88 % when comparing either isolate with genomic sequences of Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472T, C.

Crystalliferous Bacillus cereus group bacteria from a Maryland hardwood forest are dominated by psychrotolerant strains.

Crystal-forming bacteria of the Bacillus cereus group were isolated from soil samples collected at different elevations within a mixed hardwood forest in central Maryland, and their phylogenetic relationships determined by multilocus sequence analysis. The vast majority of isolates obtained were associated with two phylogenetic groups known to be psychrotolerant, with very few isolates representing phylogenetic groups more typically associated with Bacillus thuringiensis. Isolates from the psychrotolerant groups were found to grow on solid media at 7 °C.

Herbivory responsive C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor protein StZFP2 from potato.

While C2H2 zinc finger transcription factors (TF) are often regulated by abiotic stress, their role during insect infestation has been overlooked. This study demonstrates that the transcripts of the zinc finger transcription factors StZFP1 and StZFP2 are induced in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) upon infestation by either the generalist tobacco hornworm (THW, Manduca sexta L.

Phylogenetic distribution of phenotypic traits in Bacillus thuringiensis determined by multilocus sequence analysis.

Diverse isolates from a world-wide collection of Bacillus thuringiensis were classified based on phenotypic profiles resulting from six biochemical tests; production of amylase (T), lecithinase (L), urease (U), acid from sucrose (S) and salicin (A), and the hydrolysis of esculin (E). Eighty two isolates representing the 15 most common phenotypic profiles were subjected to phylogenetic analysis by multilocus sequence typing; these were found to be distributed among 19 sequence types, 8 of which were novel. Approximately 70% of the isolates belonged to sequence types corresponding to the classical B.

The occurrence of photorhabdus-like toxin complexes in Bacillus thuringiensis.

Recently, genomic sequencing of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate from our collection revealed the presence of an apparent operon encoding an insecticidal toxin complex (Tca) similar to that first described from the entomopathogen Photorhabdus luminescens. To determine whether these genes are widespread among Bt strains, we screened isolates from the collection for the presence of tccC, one of the genes needed for the expression of fully functional toxin complexes. Among 81 isolates chosen to represent commonly encountered biochemical phenotypes, 17 were found to possess a tccC.

Genetic and biological variation among nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates from the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

A PCR-based method was used to identify and distinguish among 40 uncharacterized nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) isolates from larvae of the moth Spodoptera frugiperda that were part of an insect virus collection. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out with sequences amplified from two strongly conserved loci (polh and lef-8) from the 40 isolates in the collection and from eight previously studied S. frugiperda NPV (SfMNPV) isolates.

Tea, coffee, and cocoa as ultraviolet radiation protectants for the beet armyworm nucleopolyhedrovirus.

The addition of 1% (wt:vol) aqueous extracts of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) (Malvales: Malvaceae), coffee (Coffea arabica L.) (Gentianales: Rubiaceae), and green and black tea (Camellia sinensis L.

Supplemental control of lepidopterous pests on Bt transgenic sweet corn with biologically-based spray treatments.

Biologically-based spray treatments, including nucleopolyhedroviruses, neem, and spinosad, were evaluated as supplemental controls for the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on transgenic sweet corn, Zea mays (L.

Effects of virus concentration and ultraviolet irradiation on the activity of corn earworm and beet armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) nucleopolyhedroviruses.

Laboratory studies were initiated to determine the relationship between virus concentration and radiation-caused inactivation of NPVs from Helicoverpa zea (HzSNPV) and Spodoptera exigua (SeMNPV). In the laboratory, a UV-B/UV-A system was used for inactivation studies. For both viruses inactivation was dependent upon both length of UV exposure and virus concentration.