Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Photorhabdus </it>are motile members of the family Enterobactericeae that are pathogenic to insect larvae whilst also maintaining a mutualistic interaction with entomophagous nematodes of the family Heterorhabditiae....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2008-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/8/168 |
| _version_ | 1818010318329085952 |
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| author | Easom Catherine A Clarke David J |
| author_facet | Easom Catherine A Clarke David J |
| author_sort | Easom Catherine A |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Photorhabdus </it>are motile members of the family Enterobactericeae that are pathogenic to insect larvae whilst also maintaining a mutualistic interaction with entomophagous nematodes of the family Heterorhabditiae. The interactions between <it>Photorhabdus </it>and its hosts are thought to be an obligate part of the bacteria's life-cycle in the environment. Motility often plays a key role in mediating bacteria-host interactions and, in this study, we were interested in characterising the role of motility in the <it>Photorhabdus</it>-nematode-insect tripartite association.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We constructed deletion mutants of <it>flgG </it>(blocking flagella production) and <it>motAB </it>(blocking flagella rotation) in <it>P. luminescens </it>TT01. Using these mutants we show that both the Δ<it>flgG </it>and Δ<it>motAB </it>mutants are equally as good as the wild-type (WT) bacteria in killing insects and supporting nematode growth and development suggesting that flagella production and motility are not required for pathogenicity or mutualism. However we show that the production of flagella is associated with a significant metabolic cost during growth on agar plates suggesting that, although not required for pathogenicity or mutualism, there must be a strong selective pressure to retain flagella production (and motility) during the interactions between <it>Photorhabdus </it>and its different hosts. To this end we show that both the Δ<it>flgG </it>and Δ<it>motAB </it>mutants are out-competed by WT <it>Photorhabdus </it>during prolonged incubation in the insect revealing that motile bacteria do have a fitness advantage during colonisation of the insect larva.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first report of a role for motility in <it>Photorhabdus </it>and we show that, although not required for either pathogenicity or mutualism, motility does contribute to the competitive fitness of <it>Photorhabdus </it>during infection of the insect (and, to a lesser extent, the nematode). This adaptive function is similar to the role ascribed to motility in mammalian pathogens such as uropathogenic <it>Escherichia coli </it>(UPEC). Therefore, in addition to describing a role for motility in <it>Photorhabdus</it>, this study reinforces the relevance and utility of this bacterium as a model for studying bacteria-host interactions.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:54:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd92281503b04f9d81dcdef6f29cb064 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:54:47Z |
| publishDate | 2008-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd92281503b04f9d81dcdef6f29cb0642022-12-22T02:09:00ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802008-10-018116810.1186/1471-2180-8-168Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infectionEasom Catherine AClarke David J<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Photorhabdus </it>are motile members of the family Enterobactericeae that are pathogenic to insect larvae whilst also maintaining a mutualistic interaction with entomophagous nematodes of the family Heterorhabditiae. The interactions between <it>Photorhabdus </it>and its hosts are thought to be an obligate part of the bacteria's life-cycle in the environment. Motility often plays a key role in mediating bacteria-host interactions and, in this study, we were interested in characterising the role of motility in the <it>Photorhabdus</it>-nematode-insect tripartite association.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We constructed deletion mutants of <it>flgG </it>(blocking flagella production) and <it>motAB </it>(blocking flagella rotation) in <it>P. luminescens </it>TT01. Using these mutants we show that both the Δ<it>flgG </it>and Δ<it>motAB </it>mutants are equally as good as the wild-type (WT) bacteria in killing insects and supporting nematode growth and development suggesting that flagella production and motility are not required for pathogenicity or mutualism. However we show that the production of flagella is associated with a significant metabolic cost during growth on agar plates suggesting that, although not required for pathogenicity or mutualism, there must be a strong selective pressure to retain flagella production (and motility) during the interactions between <it>Photorhabdus </it>and its different hosts. To this end we show that both the Δ<it>flgG </it>and Δ<it>motAB </it>mutants are out-competed by WT <it>Photorhabdus </it>during prolonged incubation in the insect revealing that motile bacteria do have a fitness advantage during colonisation of the insect larva.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first report of a role for motility in <it>Photorhabdus </it>and we show that, although not required for either pathogenicity or mutualism, motility does contribute to the competitive fitness of <it>Photorhabdus </it>during infection of the insect (and, to a lesser extent, the nematode). This adaptive function is similar to the role ascribed to motility in mammalian pathogens such as uropathogenic <it>Escherichia coli </it>(UPEC). Therefore, in addition to describing a role for motility in <it>Photorhabdus</it>, this study reinforces the relevance and utility of this bacterium as a model for studying bacteria-host interactions.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/8/168 |
| spellingShingle | Easom Catherine A Clarke David J Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection BMC Microbiology |
| title | Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection |
| title_full | Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection |
| title_fullStr | Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection |
| title_short | Motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic <it>Photorhabdus luminescens </it>during insect infection |
| title_sort | motility is required for the competitive fitness of entomopathogenic it photorhabdus luminescens it during insect infection |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/8/168 |
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