So what is Bt Really?

Microbes
So this is the Bt toxin I keep hearing about,
Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, commonly used as a biological pesticide. B. thuringiensis also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and butterflies, as well on leaf surfaces, aquatic environments, animal feces, insect rich environments, flour mills and grain storage facilities.[1][2]
During sporulation, many Bt strains produce crystal proteins (proteinaceous inclusions), called δ-endotoxins, that have Insecticide action. This has led to their use as insecticides, and more recently to genetically modified crops using Bt genes.
Spores and bipyramidal crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis pictured here.
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis …read more