Background: Escherichia coli (E.coli) O86a:K61 belongs to the Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) group of pathogens. Acute gastroenteritis affects 2-4 billion people annually and EPEC is associated with 10-40% of hospitalized diarrhea cases globally. Coagulation Factor (F) V circulates as an inactive procofactor (Mr 330kDa) which upon thrombin activation to the active cofactor, FVa, functions in prothombinase to accelerate prothrombin to thrombin conversion by 300,000-fold. The ability of E.coli O86a:K61 to cause intestinal hemorrhage is of interest because previous research demonstrated that during E.coli O86a:K61 sepsis in baboons, a dose-dependent inactivation of FV was observed as the bacterial dose increased. These results suggested a secreted E.coli protease may have mediated this effect on FV. This research has focused on the purification, identification, and characterization of a secreted E. coli O86a:K61 protease that inactivates FV. The final partially-purified protease inactivated FV to a 250kDa product by immunoblotting, and possessed a 900-fold increase in specific activity versus FV in human plasma compared to the culture supernatant. At least 3 proteins were observed upon SDS-PAGE. Proteolytic inactivation of FV was activated by up to 500-fold with β-mercaptoethanol and 2-fold with 1M urea. The protease was heat stable retaining all of its activity versus FV after 1h at 70°C or 80°C, and partial activity (50%) at 95°C. Proteolysis of FV was blocked by 90% with alpha-1-protease inhibitor; however, the protease was resistant to 1.5 mM PMSF, and unaffected by E64, or iodoacetamide. FV is a major regulator of the coagulation process and its inactivation by the secreted E.coli protease would be expected to result in a net bleeding tendency which may contribute to the mucosal hemorrhage observed in humans with associated hemorrhagic colitis. Proteolytic inactivation of FV is predicted to result in decreased bacterial containment by host fibrin thereby increasing pathogen survival and growth. FV inactivation by the secreted E.coli protease may be part of a novel pathogenic virulence mechanism that deregulates the blood coagulation process to enhance bacterial infectivity and transmission. / UOIT

Orientador: Marcelo Lancellotti / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T23:54:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IzidoroJunior_MarioServulo_M.pdf: 2227378 bytes, checksum: fe650bf0745300591928bae4fac67e46 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Embora comensal da nasofaringe humana, algumas linhagens de Neisseria meningitidis ocasionalmente ultrapassam a mucosa respiratória e a barreira hematoencefálica causando doenças como meningite e septicemia. Sabe-se também que bactérias em geral possuem taxia por células cancerígenas, isto é, possuem uma predileção por infectar células tumorais. Desta forma, neste trabalho produzimos OMV de diversas linhagens de Neisseria meningitidis e analisamos as principais características físico-químicas destas vesículas e, além disso, também verificamos as principais interações desta micropartícula com a linhagem celular NG97, uma linhagem de glioblastoma, tecido pelo qual tal bactéria é conhecida por infectar em casos patológicos, por testes morfológicos in vitro e também analisamos as citocinas inflamatórias através de quantificação relativa por Real time PCR. O grande achado deste trabalho é que a utilização de ultrafiltração substituindo a ultracentrifugação na produção de OMVs é viável, menos trabalhosa e mais rápida que os métodos descritos na literatura. Além disso, as vesículas extraídas por tal processo apresentam tamanhas e cargas superficiais como os encontrados na literatura sendo que cada cepa produz diferentes quantidades de OMVs para um mesmo tempo. Ainda, observou-se que as OMVs obtidas de linhagens atenuadas para os fatores de virulência causaram menores alterações morfológicas na linhagem NG97 do que as OMVs obtidas a partir de linhagens selvagens. A influência de tais fatores de virulência, que auxiliam na interação das células do parasita com as células do hospedeiro, também foi observada na análise das citocinas inflamatórias produzidas, onde foram constatados que na ausência da pilina (proteína responsável pela aderência da bactéria com células epiteliais e endoteliais) a produção de citocinas foi praticamente nula quando comparada com suas diferentes linhagens onde este fator de virulência é presente. Para um possível uso destas vesículas como sistemas lipossomais de entrega de drogas, acredita-se que quanto mais inócua a vesícula for maior seria a biodisponibilidade da molécula antitumoral a ser entregue, como é o caso da OMV produzida pela cepa C2135 ?pilE que, além disso, possui um tamanho menor de 200nm sendo capaz de penetrar nas junções celulares da massa tumoral / Abstract: Neisseria meningitidis is a human nasopharyngeal commensal, however, some strains occasionally exceed the respiratory mucosa and the blood brain barrier causing diseases such as meningitis and septicemia. It is well established that bacteria has a natural predilection to infect cancer cells. Thus, this study produced OMVs from different strains of Neisseria meningitidis and analyzed physicochemical characteristics of these vesicles such as size and surface charge, and also, the main interactions between this nanoparticle and NG97 cell line by in vitro morphological tests and the analyze of the production of inflammatory cytokines by relative quantification Real time PCR. The major finding of this study is that the use of ultrafiltration substituting ultracentrifugation on OMVs production makes the extraction viable, less laborous and faster than previous methods. Furthermore, the vesicles extracted by this process exhibited similar sizes and surface charges when compared to the literature and each strain produces different amounts of OMVs when comparing the same production time. In this work, we also observed that the OMVs generated by attenuated strains for virulence factors induced less morphological changes in the NG97 cells than OMVs generated from wild type strains. This trend where virulence factors which assist the parasite-host cells interaction was also observed in the analysis of cytokines produced. It was observed in the absence of pilin (protein responsible for adherence of the bacteria to epithelial and endothelial cells) the production of cytokines was much lower when compared with the different strains where this virulence factor is present. For a possible use of these lipossomal vesicles as delivery systems for drugs, it is believed that the more innocuous the greater the bioavailability of the antitumor molecule to be delivered, as in the case of OMV produced by the strain C2135 ?pilE, moreover, having a size around 200 nm fits perfectly between the cell junctions allowing the nanoparticle to reach the tumor mass, but further studies are required to confirm this hypothesis / Mestrado / Bioquimica / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

BACKGROUND: Vibrio cholerae and Enterotoxigenic E. Coli (ETEC) are enteropathogens that are global causes of cholera and traveler’s diarrhea which are responsible for millions of diarrhea cases every year. ETEC and cholera are primarily found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, particularly in nations with inadequate sanitation systems or little access to clean water. Infants and children are most vulnerable to these diseases, as severe infections can lead to stunting and death. The incidence of cholera and ETEC diarrhea have increased, due in part to changing weather patterns. At present, robust animal models for studies of ETEC colonization are lacking to study colonization and bottlenecks. The only licensed vaccines against cholera in endemic countries are killed whole cells, however, new live attenuated oral cholera vaccines (OCV) are in development and offer significant advantages. PanChol is a live attenuated OCV entering phase I trials. SPECIFIC AIMS: To propel studies of ETEC pathogenesis, I attempted to create a suckling mouse model of this globally important pathogen. To accomplish this goal, I constructed barcoded ETEC libraries that enabled me to determine founding population sizes along with intestinal ETEC burdens. To better understand PanChol, a new live attenuated OCV, I studied the shedding of the vaccine in the first 3 human volunteers to ingest this novel agent. METHODS: Triparental mating of donor strains MFDλpir pJMP1039 and MFDλpir pSM1 with recipient ETEC strains enabled construction of barcoded libraries. Neonatal CD-1 and C57BL/6 mice were infected with 104-107 CFU of wild-type ETEC to develop an infant mouse model. Founding population sizes of ETEC strains were compared via sequencing and STAMPR analysis while CFU burdens were determined via plating. Shedding of PanChol was done through enumeration of serial dilutions of fecal samples. Serotyping of shed PanChol was carried out using anti-Ogawa and anti-Inaba antisera. RESULTS: There were marked differences in ETEC small intestinal colonization in different mouse strains. Outbred CD-1 suckling mice only colonized with a 107 dose. In contrast, colonization of ETEC was approximately 106 CFU/small intestine at inocula sizes of 105 or greater in C57BL/6 mice. Laboratory studies using simulated bottlenecks made by serial dilutions established that the barcoded libraries accurately reflect founding population sizes up to 105 CFU. There was no difference in founding population sizes at the same inoculum size between WT ETEC and a hypervesiculation ∆mlaE mutant, though the founding population size increased with increasing input. PanChol retained the Hikojima serotype and shedding occurred in all volunteers with maximum colonization occurring 3 days post administration of 106 CFU. CONCLUSIONS: C57BL/6 P5 mice can serve as a new model to study ETEC intestinal colonization. Hypervesiculating ETEC did not produce a difference in founding population or colonization at the same input as WT ETEC strains. PanChol shows great promise as a viable OCV with shedding at 106 input and no serotype reversion.

Neisseria meningitidis B libera vesículas de membrana externa, conhecidas pela sigla OMV. Essas possuem os mesmos componentes da membrana externa da bactéria e podem ser utilizadas como antígenos em vacinas contra a meningite B. As vesículas devem, também, expressar proteínas da membrana externa (OMP) e proteínas reguladoras do íon ferro (IRP). O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar a cinética de crescimento bacteriano, consumo das fontes de carbono e nitrogênio - especialmente os limitantes de crescimento ? e produção de OMV visando melhorar a produção desse antígeno. Realizaram-se cultivos descontínuos em biorreator, com duração de 20 h, empregando meio de Catlin com limitação de ferro e modificações nas concentrações de lactato, aminoácidos e glicerol. As condições do cultivo foram: 4,2 L de meio, temperatura de 36°C, pressão de 0,5 atm, vazão de ar 1 L/min, agitação entre 250-850 rpm, controle de oxigênio dissolvido em 10% de saturação. Constatou-se que o lactato é a principal fonte de carbono limitante, embora somente se tem a hipótese de que o glicerol age como protetor mecânico. O ácido L-glutâmico é a principal fonte de nitrogênio consumida durante o cultivo. As OMV começaram a ser liberadas quantitativamente no início da fase estacionária de crescimento. Sendo que a melhor condição para a produção de OMV, valor 162,3 mg/L, é aquela em que as concentrações iniciais de lactato e aminoácidos foram duplicadas, 15,00 g/L e 2,93 g/L respectivamente. Através da análise do padrão eletroforético, confirmou-se a presença das principais proteínas de superfície, inclusive das IRPs. A integridade da OMV foi constatada por microscopia eletrônica. Assim, o antígeno obtido mostra-se passível de utilização na composição de vacina anti-meningocócica. / Neisseria meningitidis B liberates outer membrane vesicles known by the abbreviation OMV. These vesicles have the same components of the outer membrane of the bacteria and may be used as antigens in vaccines against meningitis B. The vesicles must also express outer membrane proteins (OMP) and iron regulated proteins (IRP). The aim of this paper is to study bacterial growth kinetics, carbon and nitrogen sources consumption ? specially those which limit growth ? and OMV production, seeking to improve the production of this antigen. Discontinuous bioreactor cultivations were carried out for a period of 20 hours in Catlin medium with iron restriction and modifications in lactate, amino acid, and glycerol concentrations. Cultivation conditions were: 4,2 L of medium, temperature at 36ºC, 0,5 atm, air flow rate of 1 L/min, agitation between 250-850 rpm, and dissolved oxygen control at 10% of saturation. It was verified that lactate is the main limiting carbon source, although there is just a hypothesis that glycerol acts as a mechanic protector. The L-glutamic acid is the main source of nitrogen consumed during the cultivation. The OMV started to be liberated quantitatively at the beginning of the stationary phase of growth. The best condition for production of OMV, value 162,3 mg/L, is that where the initial concentrations of lactate and amino acids were duplicated, 15,00 g/L and 2,93 g/L, respectively. Through an analysis of the electroforetic pattern, the presence of the main surface proteins was confirmed, including the IRPs. The integrity of the OMV was testified by electronic microscopy. So, the antigen thus obtained may be used in the antimeningococcal vaccine composition.

Orientador: Marcelo Lancellotti / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T11:46:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mattos_IvesBernardellide_M.pdf: 15060536 bytes, checksum: 32a633419d15c105fec735cb5753d5b2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O resumo poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital quando liberada / Abstract: The abstract is available with the full electronic document when available / Mestrado / Bioquimica / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Neisseria meningitidis B libera vesículas de membrana externa, conhecidas pela sigla OMV. Essas possuem os mesmos componentes da membrana externa da bactéria e podem ser utilizadas como antígenos em vacinas contra a meningite B. As vesículas devem, também, expressar proteínas da membrana externa (OMP) e proteínas reguladoras do íon ferro (IRP). O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar a cinética de crescimento bacteriano, consumo das fontes de carbono e nitrogênio - especialmente os limitantes de crescimento ? e produção de OMV visando melhorar a produção desse antígeno. Realizaram-se cultivos descontínuos em biorreator, com duração de 20 h, empregando meio de Catlin com limitação de ferro e modificações nas concentrações de lactato, aminoácidos e glicerol. As condições do cultivo foram: 4,2 L de meio, temperatura de 36°C, pressão de 0,5 atm, vazão de ar 1 L/min, agitação entre 250-850 rpm, controle de oxigênio dissolvido em 10% de saturação. Constatou-se que o lactato é a principal fonte de carbono limitante, embora somente se tem a hipótese de que o glicerol age como protetor mecânico. O ácido L-glutâmico é a principal fonte de nitrogênio consumida durante o cultivo. As OMV começaram a ser liberadas quantitativamente no início da fase estacionária de crescimento. Sendo que a melhor condição para a produção de OMV, valor 162,3 mg/L, é aquela em que as concentrações iniciais de lactato e aminoácidos foram duplicadas, 15,00 g/L e 2,93 g/L respectivamente. Através da análise do padrão eletroforético, confirmou-se a presença das principais proteínas de superfície, inclusive das IRPs. A integridade da OMV foi constatada por microscopia eletrônica. Assim, o antígeno obtido mostra-se passível de utilização na composição de vacina anti-meningocócica. / Neisseria meningitidis B liberates outer membrane vesicles known by the abbreviation OMV. These vesicles have the same components of the outer membrane of the bacteria and may be used as antigens in vaccines against meningitis B. The vesicles must also express outer membrane proteins (OMP) and iron regulated proteins (IRP). The aim of this paper is to study bacterial growth kinetics, carbon and nitrogen sources consumption ? specially those which limit growth ? and OMV production, seeking to improve the production of this antigen. Discontinuous bioreactor cultivations were carried out for a period of 20 hours in Catlin medium with iron restriction and modifications in lactate, amino acid, and glycerol concentrations. Cultivation conditions were: 4,2 L of medium, temperature at 36ºC, 0,5 atm, air flow rate of 1 L/min, agitation between 250-850 rpm, and dissolved oxygen control at 10% of saturation. It was verified that lactate is the main limiting carbon source, although there is just a hypothesis that glycerol acts as a mechanic protector. The L-glutamic acid is the main source of nitrogen consumed during the cultivation. The OMV started to be liberated quantitatively at the beginning of the stationary phase of growth. The best condition for production of OMV, value 162,3 mg/L, is that where the initial concentrations of lactate and amino acids were duplicated, 15,00 g/L and 2,93 g/L, respectively. Through an analysis of the electroforetic pattern, the presence of the main surface proteins was confirmed, including the IRPs. The integrity of the OMV was testified by electronic microscopy. So, the antigen thus obtained may be used in the antimeningococcal vaccine composition.

Single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses commonly rearrange host cell organelle membranes into neo-organelles which are involved in virus replication and assembly. These organelles serve to concentrate viral and host factors as well as to conceal viral RNA replication activities from host cell surveillance. To date, many virus-induced membrane rearrangements have been studied by targeted electron tomographic (ET) imaging of specific viral structures at timepoints of known interest. However, the broad cellular context within which these membrane modifications occur and how they change over time are not well understood. A question spanning many virus families is the morphological mechanism of formation of membrane rearrangements. Additionally, it is largely unknown how the membrane modifications affect the morphology of the organelle of origin. In this study, we address specific questions about virus-derived organelles induced by two positive-sense RNA viruses: the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and the alphavirus Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV). Utilizing serial sectioning and montage imaging for ET, volumes representing approximately 10% of virus-infected cells were imaged and detailed organelle analysis was performed. Using MHV-infected cells, we demonstrate that coronavirus-induced double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) are formed by budding from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and are trafficked to lysosomes for degradation. The ER remains largely morphologically normal early in infection despite the presence of hundreds of DMVs; however, late in infection, virus envelopment in the ER lumen leads to loss of cisternal morphology. For the alphavirus VEEV, we analyze the structure and origin of virus-derived cytopathic vacuoles II (CPVII). We identify four distinct morphological forms of CPVII and provide evidence that all four forms are derived from the Golgi apparatus. Additionally, a protocol is outlined for a newly-developed method for improved cell ultrastructure during genetically-encoded peroxidase tagging of membrane-proteins. This method is also amenable to ET. Overall, this work provides morphological cellular context for virus-induced membrane rearrangements from two families of positive-sense RNA viruses. Analysis of virus-host cell interactions from this large-scale ultrastructural perspective has the potential to lead to new approaches and strategies to combat current and future viral diseases.<br>

No description available.

A citricultura se destaca como uma das mais importantes atividades do agronegócio brasileiro, sendo o estado de São Paulo o principal produtor mundial de laranja e o maior exportador de suco concentrado e congelado. O psilídeo dos citros (Diaphorina citri) tornou-se nos últimos anos um dos mais importantes vetores na cultura, devido à transmissão de \'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus\' e \'Ca. L. americanus\', bactérias associadas ao huanglongbing (HLB), principal doença da citricultura atual. Uma vez que não há variedades comerciais de citros resistentes ao HLB, seu manejo é baseado no uso de mudas sadias, erradicação de plantas infectadas e pelo controle químico do vetor. No entanto, o custo elevado e os significativos danos ambientais causados pelos inseticidas químicos, associados à possibilidade da seleção de populações de psilídeos resistentes a esses produtos, têm levado à busca por estratégias alternativas de manejo do vetor do HLB que sejam mais adequadas e sustentáveis. Nosso grupo tem tentado contribuir nesse sentido, com a prospecção e caracterização de estirpes de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) patogênicos ao psilídeo. Sendo assim, os objetivos deste estudo foram: (a) Confirmar a capacidade endofítica e a patogenicidade de estirpes de Bt em seedlings e mudas de citros com diferentes combinações de copa/porta-enxerto; (b) Determinar a concentração letal (CL50) necessária para ocasionar mortalidade em populações de D. citri; (c) Estudar a interação entre toxinas Cry e receptores de membrana do intestino de ninfas e (d) Avaliar a compatibilidade das estirpes selecionadas com agrotóxicos comumente utilizados na citricultura. Os bioensaios realizados com seedlings e mudas de citros demonstraram que as estirpes de Bt (Cyt1A, Cry2Aa, Cry4A, Cry10, Cry11, S1302, S1450 e S1989) translocaram endofiticamente nas plantas, mantendo sua viabilidade e, em sua maioria, o potencial patogênico para ninfas de D. citri. Para seedlings, os valores de mortalidade passaram de 80% para as estirpes S1302 e S1450. Foram observados esporos e células vegetativas de B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki expressando green fluorescent protein (Btk::GFP), visualizados por microscopia de fluorescência, aderidos principalmente aos elementos de vasos e no xilema, obtidas de amostras seccionadas transversal e longitudinalmente, de caule e raiz de seedlings e mudas de laranjeira Pera. A CL50 e CL80 para a estirpe S1302 foi de 4,92 × 104 esporos/mL e 6,63 × 107 esporos/mL, respectivamente. Já para a estirpe S1450, 50% de mortalidade das ninfas testadas foi estimada em 2,19 × 104 esporos/mL, e a CL80 foi de 6,18 × 108 esporos/mL, quando utilizadas suspensões de esporos da bactéria diretamente no substrato de seedlings de laranjeira Pera. Os ensaios de ligação demonstraram que todas as toxinas Cry presentes nas estirpes S1302, S1450 e S1989 (Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab2, Cry1B e Cry11) interagiram com os receptores de membrana intestinal, brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV\'s), obtidos de ninfas de D. citri. Ensaios in vivo evidenciaram que as estirpes S1302 e S1450 mostraram-se compatíveis com todos os agrotóxicos comumente utilizados na citricultura, ainda que os produtos à base de cobre e o inseticida Dimetoato tenham sido deletérios em aplicações diretas na bactéria in vitro. Esses dados evidenciam a possibildade do uso de Bt como bioinseticida no manejo integrado do HLB. / Citriculture is one the most important activities of Brazilian agribusiness, and the State of São Paulo being the world\'s leading orange producer and the largest juice exporter. Asian citrus psyllid - ACP (Diaphorina citri) has become one of the most important vectors in the citriculture in recent years, due to the transmission of \'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus\' and \'Ca. L. americanus\', bacteria associated with huanglongbing (HLB), the main citrus disease worldwide. Nowadays there are no commercial citrus varieties resistant to HLB, and its management is based on the use of healthy nursery citrus trees, eradication of symptomatic planst from the orchards, and vector chemical control. However, excessive cost and environmental damage due to application of chemical insecticides associated with the possibility of selection of ACP resistant populations, have led researchers to persue alternative strategies for the management of HLB. Our group has contributed with the screening of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains with potential against ACP. Therefore, our objectives were: (a) to confirm Bt endophytic translocation in citrus seedlings and nursery trees with different scion-rootstock combinations and to evaluate their pathogenicity against D. citri; (b) to estimate the lethal concentration (LC50 and LC80) to D. citri nymphs; (c) to study the interaction between Cry toxins and brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV) of the midgut D. citri nymphs, and (d) to evaluate the compatibility of pesticides with the selected Bt strains. The bioassays with citrus seedlings and nursery trees demonstrated that the Bt strains (Cyt1A, Cry2Aa, Cry4A, Cry10, Cry11, S1302, S1450 and S1989) translocated from roots to young leaves, maintaining their viability and pathogenicity against D. citri nymphs. For the seedlings, we found mortality values up to 80% for strains S1302 and S1450. Btk::GFP spores and vegetative cells were visualized by fluorescence microscopy in citrus seedlings and nursery trees adhered mainly to vessels and xylem, from roots to stems, in cross-section analyses. LC50 and LC80 for strain S1302 were 4.92 × 104 spores/mL and 6.63 × 107 spores/mL, respectively. For strain S1450, 50% mortality of nymphs tested was estimated at 2.19 × 104 spores/mL, and LC80 was 6.18 × 108 spores/mL, when bacterial spore suspensions were applied to citrus seedlings. Binding assays demonstrated that all Cry toxins present in strains S1302, S1450 and S1989 (Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab2, Cry1B and Cry11) interacted with the BBMV obtained from D. citri nymphs. In vivo assays showed that strains S1302 and S1450 were compatible with all pesticides commonly used in citrus orchards, althoug copper-based pesticides and dimethoate insecticide were incompatible in vitro with Bt strains. Our results demonstrate the potential of using Bt as systemic bioinsecticide in the future in HLB management.

A citricultura se destaca como uma das mais importantes atividades do agronegócio brasileiro, sendo o estado de São Paulo o principal produtor mundial de laranja e o maior exportador de suco concentrado e congelado. O psilídeo dos citros (Diaphorina citri) tornou-se nos últimos anos um dos mais importantes vetores na cultura, devido à transmissão de \'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus\' e \'Ca. L. americanus\', bactérias associadas ao huanglongbing (HLB), principal doença da citricultura atual. Uma vez que não há variedades comerciais de citros resistentes ao HLB, seu manejo é baseado no uso de mudas sadias, erradicação de plantas infectadas e pelo controle químico do vetor. No entanto, o custo elevado e os significativos danos ambientais causados pelos inseticidas químicos, associados à possibilidade da seleção de populações de psilídeos resistentes a esses produtos, têm levado à busca por estratégias alternativas de manejo do vetor do HLB que sejam mais adequadas e sustentáveis. Nosso grupo tem tentado contribuir nesse sentido, com a prospecção e caracterização de estirpes de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) patogênicos ao psilídeo. Sendo assim, os objetivos deste estudo foram: (a) Confirmar a capacidade endofítica e a patogenicidade de estirpes de Bt em seedlings e mudas de citros com diferentes combinações de copa/porta-enxerto; (b) Determinar a concentração letal (CL50) necessária para ocasionar mortalidade em populações de D. citri; (c) Estudar a interação entre toxinas Cry e receptores de membrana do intestino de ninfas e (d) Avaliar a compatibilidade das estirpes selecionadas com agrotóxicos comumente utilizados na citricultura. Os bioensaios realizados com seedlings e mudas de citros demonstraram que as estirpes de Bt (Cyt1A, Cry2Aa, Cry4A, Cry10, Cry11, S1302, S1450 e S1989) translocaram endofiticamente nas plantas, mantendo sua viabilidade e, em sua maioria, o potencial patogênico para ninfas de D. citri. Para seedlings, os valores de mortalidade passaram de 80% para as estirpes S1302 e S1450. Foram observados esporos e células vegetativas de B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki expressando green fluorescent protein (Btk::GFP), visualizados por microscopia de fluorescência, aderidos principalmente aos elementos de vasos e no xilema, obtidas de amostras seccionadas transversal e longitudinalmente, de caule e raiz de seedlings e mudas de laranjeira Pera. A CL50 e CL80 para a estirpe S1302 foi de 4,92 × 104 esporos/mL e 6,63 × 107 esporos/mL, respectivamente. Já para a estirpe S1450, 50% de mortalidade das ninfas testadas foi estimada em 2,19 × 104 esporos/mL, e a CL80 foi de 6,18 × 108 esporos/mL, quando utilizadas suspensões de esporos da bactéria diretamente no substrato de seedlings de laranjeira Pera. Os ensaios de ligação demonstraram que todas as toxinas Cry presentes nas estirpes S1302, S1450 e S1989 (Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab2, Cry1B e Cry11) interagiram com os receptores de membrana intestinal, brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV\'s), obtidos de ninfas de D. citri. Ensaios in vivo evidenciaram que as estirpes S1302 e S1450 mostraram-se compatíveis com todos os agrotóxicos comumente utilizados na citricultura, ainda que os produtos à base de cobre e o inseticida Dimetoato tenham sido deletérios em aplicações diretas na bactéria in vitro. Esses dados evidenciam a possibildade do uso de Bt como bioinseticida no manejo integrado do HLB. / Citriculture is one the most important activities of Brazilian agribusiness, and the State of São Paulo being the world\'s leading orange producer and the largest juice exporter. Asian citrus psyllid - ACP (Diaphorina citri) has become one of the most important vectors in the citriculture in recent years, due to the transmission of \'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus\' and \'Ca. L. americanus\', bacteria associated with huanglongbing (HLB), the main citrus disease worldwide. Nowadays there are no commercial citrus varieties resistant to HLB, and its management is based on the use of healthy nursery citrus trees, eradication of symptomatic planst from the orchards, and vector chemical control. However, excessive cost and environmental damage due to application of chemical insecticides associated with the possibility of selection of ACP resistant populations, have led researchers to persue alternative strategies for the management of HLB. Our group has contributed with the screening of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains with potential against ACP. Therefore, our objectives were: (a) to confirm Bt endophytic translocation in citrus seedlings and nursery trees with different scion-rootstock combinations and to evaluate their pathogenicity against D. citri; (b) to estimate the lethal concentration (LC50 and LC80) to D. citri nymphs; (c) to study the interaction between Cry toxins and brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV) of the midgut D. citri nymphs, and (d) to evaluate the compatibility of pesticides with the selected Bt strains. The bioassays with citrus seedlings and nursery trees demonstrated that the Bt strains (Cyt1A, Cry2Aa, Cry4A, Cry10, Cry11, S1302, S1450 and S1989) translocated from roots to young leaves, maintaining their viability and pathogenicity against D. citri nymphs. For the seedlings, we found mortality values up to 80% for strains S1302 and S1450. Btk::GFP spores and vegetative cells were visualized by fluorescence microscopy in citrus seedlings and nursery trees adhered mainly to vessels and xylem, from roots to stems, in cross-section analyses. LC50 and LC80 for strain S1302 were 4.92 × 104 spores/mL and 6.63 × 107 spores/mL, respectively. For strain S1450, 50% mortality of nymphs tested was estimated at 2.19 × 104 spores/mL, and LC80 was 6.18 × 108 spores/mL, when bacterial spore suspensions were applied to citrus seedlings. Binding assays demonstrated that all Cry toxins present in strains S1302, S1450 and S1989 (Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab2, Cry1B and Cry11) interacted with the BBMV obtained from D. citri nymphs. In vivo assays showed that strains S1302 and S1450 were compatible with all pesticides commonly used in citrus orchards, althoug copper-based pesticides and dimethoate insecticide were incompatible in vitro with Bt strains. Our results demonstrate the potential of using Bt as systemic bioinsecticide in the future in HLB management.