Molecular biology of the symbiotic-pathogenic bacteria Xenorhabdus spp. and Photorhabdus spp.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................................21 PHYLOGENY AND TAXONOMY .............................................................................................................................23 Phylogeny ...................................................................................................................................................................23 Taxonomy ...................................................................................................................................................................23 PATHOGENICITY .......................................................................................................................................................26 Xenorhabdus Pathogenicity .......................................................................................................................................26 Photorhabdus Pathogenicity .....................................................................................................................................28 CELL SURFACE PROPERTIES................................................................................................................................28 Outer Membrane Proteins of X. nematophilus ......................................................................................................29 Analysis of Fimbriae, Flagella, and Glycocalyx....................................................................................................30 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY ...........................................................................................................................................30 Genetic Approaches to the Study of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus spp. .......................................................30 Signal Transduction in X. nematophilus .................................................................................................................31 Genes Sequenced in P. luminescens ........................................................................................................................33 ANTIBIOTICS, PIGMENTS, AND INHIBITORS...................................................................................................34 Antibiotics ..................................................................................................................................................................34 Xenorhabdus antibiotics ........................................................................................................................................34 Photorhabdus antibiotics.......................................................................................................................................34 Pigments.....................................................................................................................................................................35 Photorhabdus pigments .........................................................................................................................................36 Xenorhabdus pigments...........................................................................................................................................36 Inhibitors ...................................................................................................................................................................36 SECRETED ENZYMES...............................................................................................................................................36 CRYSTALLINE PROTEINS .......................................................................................................................................37 Xenorhabdus Proteins................................................................................................................................................37 Photorhabdus Proteins ..............................................................................................................................................37 BIOLUMINESCENCE.................................................................................................................................................37 PHASE VARIATION ....................................................................................................................................................39 CONCLUSIONS ...........................................................................................................................................................40 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................................................40 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................................................40