The biological method to synthesize thuringiensin and the influence of formate on thuringiensin biosynthesis were investigated. Addition of 1.00 g/L formate to growth medium of bacillus thuringiensis YBT-032 resulted in significant enhancements in productions of citrate, a-ketoglutarate, intracellular adenine and thuringiensin. These results demonstrate that added formate attends metabolism of cell, facilitates carbon metabolic flux in tricarboxylic acid cycle and hexose monophosphate pathway. As a carbon source, formate facilitates cell growth, increases glucose consumption and enhances the ability of cell to synthesis adenine analogues, and subsequently thuringiensin. Thuringiensin production rate significantly enhanced from 6.44 to 8.46 mg·g-1·h-1 and transformation ratio from glucose to thuringiensin increased by 43.30%.