Virulent secondary metabolites of entomopathogenic bacteria genera, Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, inhibit phospholipase A₂ to suppress host insect immunity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are entomopathogenic bacteria that cause septicemia and toxemia in insects. They produce secondary metabolites to induce host immunosuppression. Their metabolite compositions vary among bacterial species. Little is known about the relationship between metabolite compositions and the bacterial pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to compare pathogenicity and production of secondary metabolites of 14 bacterial isolates (species or strains) of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus.

Results

All bacterial isolates exhibited insecticidal activities after hemocoelic injection to Spodoptera exigua (a lepidopteran insect) larvae, with median lethal doses ranging from 168.8 to 641.3 CFU per larva. Bacterial infection also led to immunosuppressi

SUBMITTER: Mollah MMI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7684946 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature