title: Interaction of microbial populations in Steinernema (Steinernematidae, Nematoda) infected Galleria mellonella larvae.
abstract: Infection of Galleria mellonella larvae with the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema feltiae (A21 and R strains) and Steinernema glaseri (Dongrae) resulted in several species of bacteria, including the respective bacterial symbiont, Xenorhabdus spp., growing in the infected insect cadavers. These other bacteria were Enterococcus in all three nematode infections studied and Acinetobacter in the S. feltiae infections. The respective populations of these bacteria changed with time. Following infection of G. mellonella larvae with any one of the Steinernema sp., only Enterococcus bacteria were detected initially in the dead larvae. Between 30 and 50h post-infection Xenorhabdus bacteria were detected and concurrent with this Enterococcus population declined to zero. This was probably due to secondary metabolites with antibacterial properties that were produced by Xenorhabdus. In the S. feltiae (both R and A21 strains) infections a third bacterium, Acinetobacter, appeared at about 130h (in S. feltiae A21 infections) or 100h (in S. feltiae R infections) and increased in population size to approximately that of Xenorhabdus. It was demonstrated that Enterococcus, orginating from the G. mellonella digestive tract, was sensitive to the organically soluble antimicrobials produced by Xenorhabdus but Acinetobacter, which was carried by the nematode, was not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Vancouver, Canada V5A 1S6. walshk@agr.gc.ca
authors.forename: Keith T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007814:Larva / Q000469:parasitology; D009036:Moths / Q000469:parasitology*; D017168:Rhabditida / Q000502:physiology*; D017196:Rhabditida Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000502:physiology; D020593:Xenorhabdus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents