title: Plasmids from the gut microbiome of cabbage root fly larvae encode SaxA that catalyses the conversion of the plant toxin 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate.
abstract: Cabbage root fly larvae (Delia radicum) cause severe crop losses (≥ 50%) of rapeseed/ canola and cabbages used in the food and biofuel industries. These losses occur despite the fact that cabbages produce insecticidal toxins such as isothiocyanates. Here we describe the cabbage root fly larval gut microbiome as a source of isothiocyanate degrading enzymes. We sequenced the microbial gut community of the larvae and analysed phylogenetic markers and functional genes. We combined this with the isolation of several microbial strains representing the phylogenetic distribution of the metagenome. Eleven of those isolates were highly resistant towards 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate, a subset also metabolized 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate. Several plasmids appeared to be shared between those isolates that metabolized the toxin. One of the plasmids harboured a saxA gene that upon transformation gave resistance and enabled the degradation of 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate in Escherichia coli. Taken together, the results showed that the cabbage root fly larval gut microbiome is capable of isothiocyanate degradation, a characteristic that has not been observed before, and may help us understand and design new pest control strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelia U
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1568-8878
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tijs J M
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: van den Bosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Huub J M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Op den Camp
authors.affiliation: Molecular Interaction Ecology, IWWR, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Molecular Interaction Ecology, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger-Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: van Dam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mike S M
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jetten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055162:Biocatalysis; D001937:Brassica; D004175:Diptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D054892:Metagenome; D010802:Phylogeny; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017879:Isothiocyanates; C058305:phenethyl isothiocyanate