Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Culturing and Genetically Manipulating Entomopathogenic Nematodes
Published on: March 31, 2022
Photorhabdus luminescens LN2 requires rpoS for nematicidal activity and nematode development
Xuehong Qiu1, Chunyan Wu1, Li Cao1
1Guangdong Entomological Institute, Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China;
Abstract:
Photorhabdus (Enterobacteriaceae) bacteria are pathogenic to insects and mutualistic with entomopathogenic Heterorhabditis nematodes. Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. akhurstii LN2, associated with Heterorhabditis indica LN2, shows nematicidal activity against H. bacteriophora H06 infective juveniles (IJs). In the present study, an rpoS mutant of P. luminescens LN2 was generated through allelic exchange to examine the effects of rpoS deletion on the nematicidal activity and nematode development. The results showed that P. luminescens LN2 required rpoS for nematicidal activity against H06 nematodes, normal IJ recovery and development of H. indica LN2, however, not for the bacterial colonization in LN2 and H06 IJs. This provides cues for further understanding the role of rpoS in the mutualistic association between entomopathogenic nematodes and their symbionts.
