title: Spore surface proteins of Brevibacillus laterosporus are involved in insect pathogenesis.
abstract: Outer spore envelope proteins of pathogenic bacteria often present specific virulence factors and tools to evade the defence system of their hosts. Brevibacillus laterosporus, a pathogen of invertebrates and an antimicrobial-producing species, is characterised by a unique spore coat and canoe-shaped parasporal body (SC-CSPB) complex surrounding the core spore. In the present study, we identified and characterised major proteins of the SC-CSPB complex of B. laterosporus, and we investigated their entomopathogenic role. Employing a proteomic approach and a B. laterosporus-house fly study model, we found four highly conserved proteins (ExsC, CHRD, CpbA and CpbB) that function as insect virulence factors. CpbA was associated with a significantly higher mortality of flies and greater relative gene expression levels during sporulation, compared to the other SC-CSPB proteins. Taken together, we suggest that spore surface proteins are a part of a complex set of toxins and virulence factors that B. laterosporus employs in its pathogenicity against flies.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marche
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falchi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058675:Brevibacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006793:Houseflies / Q000382:microbiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000382:microbiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020543:Proteome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D037521:Virulence Factors