Dataset Information

A bacterial binary toxin system that kills both insects and aquatic crustaceans: Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B.

ABSTRACT: Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B (PirA and PirB) were first recognized as insecticidal toxins from Photorhabdus luminescens. However, subsequent studies showed that their homologs from Vibrio parahaemolyticus also play critical roles in the pathogenesis of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimps. Based on the structural features of the PirA/PirB toxins, it was suggested that they might function in the same way as a Bacillus thuringiensis Cry pore-forming toxin. However, unlike Cry toxins, studies on the PirA/PirB toxins are still scarce, and their cytotoxic mechanism remains to be clarified. In this review, based on our studies of V. parahaemolyticus PirAvp/PirBvp, we summarize the current understanding of the gene locations, expression control, activation, and cytotoxic mechanism of this type of toxin. Given the important role these toxins play in aquatic disease and their potential use in pest control applications, we also suggest further topics for research. We hope the information presented here will be helpful for future PirA/PirB studies.

SUBMITTER: Wang HC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10159206 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

A bacterial binary toxin system that kills both insects and aquatic crustaceans: Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B.

Wang Hao-Ching HC Lin Shin-Jen SJ Wang Han-Ching HC Kumar Ramya R Le Phuoc Thien PT Leu Jiann-Horng JH

PLoS pathogens 20230504 5

Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B (PirA and PirB) were first recognized as insecticidal toxins from Photorhabdus luminescens. However, subsequent studies showed that their homologs from Vibrio parahaemolyticus also play critical roles in the pathogenesis of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimps. Based on the structural features of the PirA/PirB toxins, it was suggested that they might function in the same way as a Bacillus thuringiensis Cry pore-forming toxin. Howev ...[more]

PMID: 37141203

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundIt is known that crustaceans and insects can persistently carry one or more viral pathogens at low levels, without signs of disease. They may transmit them to their offspring or to naïve individuals, often with lethal consequences. The underlying molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated, but the process has been called viral accommodation. Since tolerance to one virus does not confer tolerance to another, tolerance is pathogen-specific, so the requirement for a specific pathogen response mechanism (memory) was included in the original viral accommodation concept. Later, it was hypothesized that specific responses were based on the presence of viruses in persistent infections. However, recent developments suggest that specific responses may be based on viral sequences inserted into the host genome.Presentation of the hypothesisNon-retroviral fragments of both RNA and DNA viruses have been found in insect and crustacean genomes. In addition, reverse-transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) sequences are also common in their genomes. It is hypothesized that shrimp and other arthropods use these RT to recognize "foreign" mRNA of both RNA and DNA viruses and use the integrases (IN) to randomly insert short cDNA sequences into their genomes. By chance, some of these sequences result in production of immunospecific RNA (imRNA) capable of stimulating RNAi that suppresses viral propagation. Individuals with protective inserts would pass these on to the next generation, together with similar protective inserts for other viruses that could be amalgamated rapidly in individual offspring by random assortment of chromosomes. The most successful individuals would be environmentally selected from billions of offspring.ConclusionThis hypothesis for immunity based on an imRNA generation mechanism fits with the general principle of invertebrate immunity based on a non-host, "pattern recognition" process. If proven correct, understanding the process would allow directed preparation of vaccines for selection of crustacean and insect lines applicable in commercial production species (e.g., shrimp and bees) or in control of insect-borne diseases. Arising from a natural host mechanism, the resulting animals would not be artificially, genetically modified (GMO).

Project description:BackgroundThe Gram-negative bacterium Photorhabdus asymbiotica (Pa) has been recovered from human infections in both North America and Australia. Recently, Pa has been shown to have a nematode vector that can also infect insects, like its sister species the insect pathogen P. luminescens (Pl). To understand the relationship between pathogenicity to insects and humans in Photorhabdus we have sequenced the complete genome of Pa strain ATCC43949 from North America. This strain (formerly referred to as Xenorhabdus luminescens strain 2) was isolated in 1977 from the blood of an 80 year old female patient with endocarditis, in Maryland, USA. Here we compare the complete genome of Pa ATCC43949 with that of the previously sequenced insect pathogen P. luminescens strain TT01 which was isolated from its entomopathogenic nematode vector collected from soil in Trinidad and Tobago.ResultsWe found that the human pathogen Pa had a smaller genome (5,064,808 bp) than that of the insect pathogen Pl (5,688,987 bp) but that each pathogen carries approximately one megabase of DNA that is unique to each strain. The reduced size of the Pa genome is associated with a smaller diversity in insecticidal genes such as those encoding the Toxin complexes (Tc's), Makes caterpillars floppy (Mcf) toxins and the Photorhabdus Virulence Cassettes (PVCs). The Pa genome, however, also shows the addition of a plasmid related to pMT1 from Yersinia pestis and several novel pathogenicity islands including a novel Type Three Secretion System (TTSS) encoding island. Together these data suggest that Pa may show virulence against man via the acquisition of the pMT1-like plasmid and specific effectors, such as SopB, that promote its persistence inside human macrophages. Interestingly the loss of insecticidal genes in Pa is not reflected by a loss of pathogenicity towards insects.ConclusionOur results suggest that North American isolates of Pa have acquired virulence against man via the acquisition of a plasmid and specific virulence factors with similarity to those shown to play roles in pathogenicity against humans in other bacteria.

Dataset Information

A bacterial binary toxin system that kills both insects and aquatic crustaceans: Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B.

Publications

A bacterial binary toxin system that kills both insects and aquatic crustaceans: Photorhabdus insect-related toxins A and B.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets