Elucidating the genomic history of commercially used Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis strain NB176

Whole genome sequencing and evolutionary significance of a novel mosquitocidal bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis VCRC-B650 reported from Union Territory of Puducherry, India highly useful for mosquito control

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant global health challenge, highlighting the need for innovative biocontrol agents. In this study, a novel mosquitocidal bacterium was isolated from clay soil and subjected to Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis to understand its genetic composition and potential applications. WGS revealed that the bacterium a circular genome of size 6,622,317 bp comprising 6930 genes, 115 tRNA and 17 rRNA. The (G + C)s content was found to be 34.83% at the contig level and 34.83% at the scaffold level. Bioinformatics tools, including KmerFinder, Bacterial and Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center and JSpecies, identified the strain as Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis (Bti VCRC-B650). Additionally, eight plasmids were identified in its genome. Notably, the genome analysis confirmed the presence of Cry4Ba, Cry10Aa, Cry15Aa, Cry4Aa, Cry11Aa, Cyt1Aa, Cyt2Ba, Cry2Aa, and Cyt2Ba1 toxins which were considered to be the principal factor of evolutionary significance for mosquitocidal activity. Further analysis identified four different types of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats sequences, 16 Biosynthetic Gene Clusters, and 312 antibiotic resistance genes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed a total of 556 core genes in Bti VCRC-B650 strain. This study highlights the potential of WGS in characterizing microbial strains with biocontrol properties. The findings suggest that the newly identified Bti VCRC-B650 strain could serve as a promising biological control agent against mosquito larvae and may also have applications in antibiotic and antifungal compound development.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based biopesticide: Navigating success, challenges, and future horizons in sustainable pest control

The global demand for food production is escalating, necessitating innovative approaches to mitigate pest-related crop losses. Conventional pest management using synthetic pesticides has several drawbacks, promoting the search for eco-friendly alternatives such as biopesticides. Among these, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based biopesticides have emerged as a promising option due to their specificity, sustainability, and safety. This article reviews the success and application of Bt as a biopesticide, analysing its environmental impacts, formulation strategies, marketing trends and associated challenges. The environment impact of Bt is multifaceted, influencing soil ecosystems, plant-associated habitats, and non-target organisms. It interacts dynamically with soil invertebrates and affects both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, demonstrating a complex ecological footprint. The market for Bt-based biopesticide is expanding, driven by their proven efficacy and eco-friendliness with projections indicating continued growth. Despite the promising market trends, regulatory hurdles and formulation complexities remain significant obstacles. Addressing these challenges require collaborative efforts to streamline processes and enhance market acceptance. Nonetheless, the future of Bt-based biopesticide appears promising. Ongoing research is focused on advanced formulations, expanding the range of targeted pests and fostering regulatory cooperation, underscoring the pivotal role of Bt-based biopesticide in sustainable agriculture.

Proactive resistance management for sustaining the efficacy of RNA interference for pest control

Biopesticides based on RNA interference (RNAi) took a major step forward with the first registration of a sprayable RNAi product, which targets the world's most damaging potato pest. Proactive resistance management is needed to delay the evolution of resistance by pests and sustain the efficacy of RNAi biopesticides.

A practical guide and Galaxy workflow to avoid inter-plasmidic repeat collapse and false gene loss in Unicycler's hybrid assemblies

Generating complete, high-quality genome assemblies is key for any downstream analysis, such as comparative genomics. For bacterial genome assembly, various algorithms and fully automated pipelines exist, which are free-of-charge and easily accessible. However, these assembly tools often cannot unambiguously resolve a bacterial genome, for example due to the presence of sequence repeat structures on the chromosome or on plasmids. Then, a more sophisticated approach and/or manual curation is needed. Such modifications can be challenging, especially for non-bioinformaticians, because they are generally not considered as a straightforward process. In this study, we propose a standardized approach for manual genome completion focusing on the popular hybrid assembly pipeline Unicycler. The provided Galaxy workflow addresses two weaknesses in Unicycler's hybrid assemblies: (i) collapse of inter-plasmidic repeats and (ii) false loss of single-copy sequences. To demonstrate and validate how to detect and resolve these assembly errors, we use two genomes from the Bacillus cereus group. By applying the proposed pipeline following an automated assembly, the genome sequence quality can be significantly improved.