Photoprotection of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki from ultraviolet irradiation

Irradiation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD1 at 300-350 nm for up to 12 hr using a photochemical reactor results in a rapid loss of its toxicity to larvae of Heliothis armigera. Photoprotection of the toxic component was obtained by adsorption of cationic chromophores such as acriflavin (AF), methyl green, and rhodamine B to B. thuringiensis. AF gave the best photoprotection and a level of 0.42 mmol/g dye absorbed per gram of B. thuringiensis was highly toxic even after 12 hr of ultraviolet (uv) irradiation as compared to the control (77.5 and 5% of insect mortality, respectively). Ultraviolet and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic studies indicate molecular interactions between B. thuringiensis and AF. The nature of these interactions and energy or charge transfer as possible mechanisms of photoprotection are discussed. It is speculated that tryptophan residues are essential for the toxic effect of B. thuringiensis. It is suggested that photoprotection is attained as energy is transferred from the excited tryptophan moieties to the chromophore molecules.