B. cytotoxicus does
not produce the emetic toxin cereulide, and features an unusual operon
for the nhe genes, encoding the components of the non-haemolytic
enterotoxin (Nhe). Furthermore, its pathogenicity is mainly attributed
to the greater cytotoxic activity of the pore-forming cytotoxin K-1
(CytK-1) compared to CytK-2, as can be found in B. cereus strains
(Fagerlund et al., 2004, 2007). CytK-1 is the product of the cytK-1 gene
(Fagerlund et al., 2004; Guinebretiére et al., 2006) and is thought to
cause lysis of epithelial cells in the small intestine, resulting in diarrhoea