Toxin complexes from Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus spp. bacteria represent novel insecticidal proteins. We purified a native toxin complex (toxin complex 1) from Xenorhabdus nematophilus. The toxin complex is composed of three different proteins, XptA2, XptB1, and XptC1, representing products from class A, B, and C toxin complex genes, respectively. We showed that recombinant XptA2 and co-produc...

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are small worms whose ecological behaviour consists to invade, kill insects and feed on their cadavers thanks to a species-specific symbiotic bacterium belonging to any of the genera Xenorhabdus or Photorhabdus hosted in the gastro-intestinal tract of EPNs. The symbiont provides a number of biological functions that are essential for its EPN host including the ...

The present study was undertaken to test the efficacy of culture extracts of five Penicillium species viz. P. citrinum, P. digitatum, P. expansum, P. verrucosum and P. viridicatum against five different soilborne bacteria namely Salmonella gallinarum, Xenorhabdus luminescens, Xanthobacter autotrophicus, Acetobacter xylinum and Carnobacterium mobile. The species of Penicillum showed marked antib...

We report the genome sequence of Xenorhabdus szentirmaii DSM16338 (4.84 Mb), a symbiont of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema rarum. This strain produces antimicrobial activity.

The symbiotic pathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila produces two distinct intracellular inclusion bodies. The pixA gene, which encodes the 185-residue methionine-rich PixA inclusion body protein, was analyzed in the present study. The pixA gene was optimally expressed under stationary-phase conditions but its expression did not require RpoS. Analysis of a pixA mutant strain showed that P...

The oral toxicity of excretion products of several Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus strains was tested on two thrips species: Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci. Out of 46 Photorhabdus isolates and 6 Xenorhabdus isolates only 6 North American P. temperata isolates were toxic to the thrips species. After 7 days of drinking from P. temperata supernatant a mortality of 90% could be reached. ...

To evaluate the effects of pH control strategy on cell growth and the production of antibiotic (cyclo(2-Me-BABA-Gly)) by Xenorhabdus nematophila and enhance the antibiotic activity. The effects of uncontrolled- (different initial pH) and controlled-pH (different constant pH and pH-shift) operations on cell growth and antibiotic activity of X. nematophila YL00I were examined. Experiments showed ...

Species of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus bacteria form mutualistic associations with Steinernema and Heterorhabditis nematodes, respectively and serve as model systems for studying microbe-animal symbioses. Here, we profiled gene expression of Xenorhabdus koppenhoeferi during their symbiotic persistence in the newly formed infective juveniles of the host nematode Steinernema scarabaei through th...