Bacteriocin diversity in Bacillus sphaericus

Nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of diversity among bacteriocins produced by strains of Bacillus sphaericus. Bacteriocin bands of six strains (pathogenic and non pathogenic) were found to be located just below the stacking gel. However, in two other strains (I pathogenic and 1 collection strain) more than one protein band with bacteriocin activity were seen in the middle of resolving gel. In bacteriocin-treated cultures, electron-microscopy studies revealed the growth of lysed-swollen ghost cells, and loss of viability among sensitive strains.