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Journal of Bacteriology, October 2001, p. 5834-5839, Vol. 183, No. 20
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.20.5834-5839.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Measuring Virulence Factor Expression by the Pathogenic Bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens in Culture and during Insect Infection

Phillip J. Daborn,1 Nicholas Waterfield,1 Mark A. Blight,2 and Richard H. Ffrench-Constant1,*

Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom,1 and Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, CNRS UMR 8621, Bâtiment 360, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France2

Received 20 November 2000/Accepted 16 July 2001

During insect infection Photorhabdus luminescens emits light and expresses virulence factors, including insecticidal toxin complexes (Tcs) and an RTX-like metalloprotease (Prt). Using quantitative PCR and protein assays, we describe the expression patterns of these factors both in culture and during insect infection and compare them to the associated bacterial growth curves. In culture, light and active Prt protease are produced in stationary phase. Tca also appears in stationary phase, whereas Tcd is expressed earlier. These patterns seen in a culture flask are strikingly similar to those observed during insect infection. Thus, in an infected insect, bacteria grow exponentially until the time of insect death at approx 48 h, when both light and the virulence factors Prt protease and Tca are produced. In contrast, Tcd appears much earlier in insect infection. However, at present, the biological significance of this difference in timing of the production of the two toxins in unclear. This is the first documentation of the expression of Tcs and Prt in an insect and highlights the malleability of Photorhabdus as a model system for bacterial infection.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 1225 826261. Fax: 44 1225 826779. E-mail: bssrfc{at}bath.ac.uk.

Journal of Bacteriology, October 2001, p. 5834-5839, Vol. 183, No. 20
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.20.5834-5839.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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