Abstract:
The growth, sporulation and crystal formation of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-73 in shake flask and fermenter cultures with yeast extract media (YE) and various amounts of glucose were followed. Effects of glucose addition and/or acetic acid addition, oxygen limitation, omission of ammonium sulfate, and supplementation of cysteine and EDTA on spore and crystal formation were investigated. In addition, stability of crystals in a yeast extract medium at different pH-values with and without protease inhibitors was studied. A glucose:yeast extract ratio of 2 was optimal for growth, sporulation and crystal formation. In 2% glucose, 1% yeast extract medium, spore count was
2.63±0.63x109 spores/ml and crystal protein was 1.2 mg/ml. At glucose:yeast extract ratio less than 2, addition of acetic acid as an energy source after cessation of vegetative growth increased crystal protein. However, cell growth and sporulation was not improved by the presence of acetic acid and too much acetic acid led to a decrease in the amount of cells and spores. Addition of glucose after cessation of growth in yeast extract-containing media caused re-growth of some early stage sporeforming cells and then crystals mainly formed. The crystal protein was increased 2-3 times (up to ca. 2 mg/ml) but toxicity toward insect larvae was low as compared with the control and the case of acetic acid addition. The importance of endogenous storage carbon and energy sources e.g. fatty acids for spore and crystal formation should be further investigated. Oxygen limitation decreased amount of vegetative cells and
spores but crystal protein was not decreased. Omission of ammonium sulfate in 2% glucose, 1% yeast extract medium did not affect vegetative cell growth but it had a negative effect on sporulation (40% reduction of spore count) and crystal formation (20% reduction of crystal protein). Presence of cysteine (0.04% w/v) at early sporulation gave ca. 10-times lower spore count but only 2-times lower crystal protein. EDTA (2 mM) in 1% YE, 2% glucose medium could provide almost normal cell-growth with very low production of free spores and crystals while the addition of EDTA after sporulation started (at 10 h) hardly affected spore and crystal formation. Finally, stability of free crystals was mainly influenced by activity of alkaline serine proteases at pH ≥ 8.