Bt Research 2024, Vol.15, No.3, 141-153 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 147 with cry genes plays a significant role in the genetic divergence of Bt strains, enabling them to adapt to various invertebrate hosts. Analyzing genetic divergence helps in understanding the mechanisms driving the evolution of Bt and its adaptation to different ecological niches. Figure 2 Overall position of B. thuringiensis HER1410 in the Bacillus cereus-thuringiensis phylogeny (Adopted from Lechuga et al., 2020) Image caption: This figure is an unrooted tree showing the phylogenetic position of HER1410 (dark blue) among the selected B. thuringiensis (Bt) and B. cereus (Bc) strains. A maximum likelihood tree was generated using core genes from multiple sequence alignments, and different strains were grouped into distinct clades. The clade containing the HER1410 strain is underlined. This analysis shows a high degree of genomic similarity between HER1410, B. cereus, and other B. thuringiensis strains (Adopted from Lechuga et al., 2020) 6.3 Implications for Bt evolution The genetic relationships and divergence among Bt strains have profound implications for understanding their evolution and potential applications. The ability of Bt to acquire and exchange genetic material through horizontal gene transfer, particularly via plasmids, is a key factor in its evolutionary success. The presence of diverse cry and vip genes on plasmids allows Bt strains to develop new insecticidal properties and adapt to various hosts (Zheng et al., 2017). This genetic plasticity is essential for the evolution of Bt as an effective biocontrol agent.
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