Physiological and molecular characteristics of Bacillus thuringiensis SR6 and SR8 were investigated, and phase contrast and electron microscopies revealed that a large rhomboidal crystal protein was present in the sporulating cells. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses showed that B. thuringiensis SR8 produced 70 kDa protein much more than other proteins, and that the 70 kDa protein could bind to the antibody of B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis-crystal toxin protein, indicating that the crystal 70 kDa protein has an immunological homology with B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis-crystal toxin protein. The DNA fragment of B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis-toxin gene was detected in B. thuringiensis SR6 and SR8 by using PCR amplification analysis. Furthermore, the insect bioassay showed the insecticidal activity against Colorado potato beetle larvae. Based on the physiological and molecular similarities to B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis, it is suggested that the B. thuringiensis SR6 and SR8 may be mutants of the B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis strain overexpressing the crystal of 70 kDa toxin protein.