Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Sandra J Stewart

Jo E Handelsman

Eric V Stabb

Jocelyn Louise Milner

Elizabeth A Stohl

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated W35 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. W35 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain W35 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to phage P7, antibiotic resistance, and colony morphology.

Bacillus cereus strain W35

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated Z8 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. Z8 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain Z8 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to phage P7, antibiotic resistance, and colony morphology.

Bacillus cereus strain Z8

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated SOY130 ATCC 202076 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. SOY130 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain SOY130 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to streptomycin and neomycin.

Disease suppression by novel Bacillus cereus strain soy130

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

Sandra J Stewart