title: Photorhabdus luminescens LN2 requires rpoS for nematicidal activity and nematode development.
abstract: Photorhabdus (Enterobacteriaceae) bacteria are pathogenic to insects and mutualistic with entomopathogenic Heterorhabditis nematodes. Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. akhurstii LN2, associated with Heterorhabditis indica LN2, shows nematicidal activity against H. bacteriophora H06 infective juveniles (IJs). In the present study, an rpoS mutant of P. luminescens LN2 was generated through allelic exchange to examine the effects of rpoS deletion on the nematicidal activity and nematode development. The results showed that P. luminescens LN2 required rpoS for nematicidal activity against H06 nematodes, normal IJ recovery and development of H. indica LN2, however, not for the bacterial colonization in LN2 and H06 IJs. This provides cues for further understanding the role of rpoS in the mutualistic association between entomopathogenic nematodes and their symbionts.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute, Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China;
authors.forename: Xuehong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute, Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China;
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute, Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China;
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: E-nema GmbH, Klausdorfer Str. 28-36, Schwentinental 24223, Germany ehlers@e-nema.de.
authors.forename: Ralf-Udo
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Entomological Institute, Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China;
authors.forename: Richou
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000898:Antibiosis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation; D009348:Nematoda / Q000502:physiology*; D020637:Photorhabdus / Q000502:physiology*; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; C069567:sigma factor KatF protein, Bacteria
keywords: H. bacteriophora; Heterorhabditis indica; Photorhabdus luminescens; nematicidal activity; nematode development; rpoS