Basic Science

First Genome Sequencing for Mosquitocidal Bacterium Completed

The first genome sequencing of a mosquitocidal bacterium Bacillus sphaericus C3-41 was recently completed by the research group led by Yu Zhiming, research fellow of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS in China. Relevant achievement was published on the Journal of Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology. Bacillus sphaericus is a kind of natural pathogenic bacterium to infect the mosquito larva of various kinds, and Bacillus sphaericus strain C3-41, selected by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS, is an excellent mosquitocidal bacterium. The first registered biological mosquitocide developed by the institute in China has been used for two decades in succession. The completion of the genome sequencing is expected to further promote the studies on bio-control of mosquitoes. From 1987 to 2006, such mosquitocide was applied in 100,000 hectare times in accumulation in over one hundred counties and towns in 13 provinces and municipalities directly under the central government around the country. The accumulative use amounted to more than 1,500 tons in that period, and the direct economic benefit was up to over 30 million RMB yuan, with huge social and ecological benefit.