Involvement of larvicidal toxins in pathogenesis of insect parasitism with the rhabditoid nematodes,Steinernema feltiae andHeterorhabditis bacteriophora |
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Authors: | J. Jarosz M. Balcerzak H. Skrzypek |
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Affiliation: | (1) Unit of Insect Pathology, Institute of Biology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;(2) Department of Environmental Biology, Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland |
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Abstract: | The insect-parasitic rhabditoid nematodes,Steinernema feltiae andHeterorhabditis bacteriophora, released a compound/s/ toxic to larvae of the greater wax moth,Galleria mellonella, that caused paralysis and death of the insect. Larvicidal substances appeared in wax moth larvae during parasitism and after inoculation with the primary form of the bacterial associates of the nematodes. The nematodeS. feltiae and its associate,Xenorhabdus nematophilus, excreted much less toxic activity within larval body thanH. bacteriophora. The secondary form ofXenohabdus did not produce toxin in parasitized larvae, butX. luminescens, the bacterium associated withH. bacteriophora, released detectable titer of toxin activity in broth cultures. Both nematode toxins were sensitive to heat and produced a specific type of proteolytic activity. Preliminary identification of the compounds responsible for larval toxicity revealed similarities to immune inhibitors produced by some bacterial pathogens of insects. |
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Keywords: | Steinernema feltiae Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Xenorhabdus nematode toxin immune inhibitor |
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