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Strains of Photorhabdus spp. associated with polish Heterorhabditis isolates: their molecular and phenotypic characterization and symbiont exchange

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Abstract

The relationships between six bacterial symbionts of the entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Heterorhabditis megidis from Poland to species and subspecies of the genus Photorhabdus were evaluated. This study was based on phylogenetic analysis of sequence data of five genes: 16S rRNA, gyrB, recA, gltX, and dnaN. The bacteria were also characterized phenotypically by biochemical and physiological tests. Our results have revealed that the Photorhabdus strains isolated from H. megidis belong to P. temperata, subsp. temperata and subsp. cinerea. Isolates from H. bacteriophora represent P. luminescens subs. kayaii and P. temperata subs. cinerea. This study for the first time provides evidence for H. bacteriophora and P. temperata subsp. cinerea symbiotic association. In addition, we tested whether the microsymbionts of the Polish H. bacteriophora and H. megidis isolates support the development of non-native nematode host population and colonization of their infective juveniles. It has been shown that the studied Photorhabdus strains can readily swap their nematode host, both at intra- and interspecies level. It supports the hypothesis of different symbiotic associations in the Heterorhabditis–Photorhabdus lineage.

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Abbreviations

IJ (s):

Infective juvenile (s)

EPN (s):

Entomopathogenic nematode (s)

w/v:

Weight per volume

LBA:

Luria–Bertani agar

LB:

Luria–Bertani broth

NA:

Nutrient agar

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant for statutory activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biocontrol, Application and Production of EPN, Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1J, 20-708, Lublin, Poland

    Waldemar Kazimierczak, Ewa Sajnaga, Marcin Skowronek & Anna Kreft

  2. Laboratory of Ultrastructure and Electron Microscopy, Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1F, 20-708, Lublin, Poland

    Henryk Skrzypek

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Human Nutrition and Science of Food Commodities, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Skromna 8, 20-704, Lublin, Poland

    Adam Waśko

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  1. Waldemar Kazimierczak
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  2. Henryk Skrzypek
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Correspondence to Waldemar Kazimierczak.

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Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

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Kazimierczak, W., Skrzypek, H., Sajnaga, E. et al. Strains of Photorhabdus spp. associated with polish Heterorhabditis isolates: their molecular and phenotypic characterization and symbiont exchange. Arch Microbiol 199, 979–989 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-017-1368-z

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