Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Jocelyn Louise Milner

Jo E Handelsman

Eric V Stabb

Sandra J Stewart

Elizabeth A Stohl

Elizabeth Anne Blackson

Biocontrol strains of the bacterial species Bacillus cereus have been previously identified as having use in aiding the growth of crop plants, but have suffered from inconsistent performance on alfalfa. It has been found that biocontrol B. cereus strains are inhibited by canavanine, an analogue of arginine exuded by alfalfa seeds. It has also been found that canavanine resistant mutant strains of B. cereus biocontrol strains can readily be made in culture which exhibit the ability to grow in the presence of alfalfa seed and inhibit Pythium pathogenesis.

Canavanine resistant strains of bacillus cereus

A new gene from Bacillus cereus has been characterized which codes for a protein conferring resistance to the antibiotic zwittermicin A produced by some strains of the bacteria. The resistance gene, designated zmaR, is found to be present in almost all strains of the bacteria which are known to natively have the ability to synthesize zwittermicin A, and thus allows tests for the presence of the gene to serve as a test to be used with new strains to assay for zwittermicin A production. The gene also has use in increasing production of the antibiotic by producing strains.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Jocelyn Louise Milner