What is Bt?
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a common soil bacterium that produces crystals containing proteins that are toxic to certain insects. Discovered in Japan in 1901 from dead silkwormlarvae and first used commercially in the United States in 1958, this bacterium withinsecticidal properties captured 95 percent of the biopesticide market as of 1989. At least34 subspecies and 800 different strains of this bacterium are used today in a variety of spays and dusts to control both beetle larvae and moth and butterfly caterpillars whichfeed on fruits, vegetables, and other cash crops including corn, potatoes, and cotton. Bt isalso effective against mosquito and blackfly larvae, mites, flatworms, and nematodes(Swadener, 1994).
How Does Bt work?
After Bt is ingested by the larvae of certain insect species, digestive enzymes specific tothose insects dissolve the Bt protein crystal and activate the bacterium’s toxic component,called delta-endotoxin. This endotoxin binds to certain receptors on the intestinal liningsof these insects, which causes pores to form in the membrane of the intestine. Bydisrupting the ion balance of the intestine, this proliferation of pores in the insect’sintestinal membrane causes the insect larvae to stop feeding and eventually starve(Levidow, 1999). Although highly toxic to certain insects, Bt is relatively harmless tohumans because the human body lacks the digestive enzymes needed to dissolve Bt protein crystals into their active form (Swadener, 1994).
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