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Effect of growth conditions on the motility of Photorhabdus temperata

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Abstract

Photorhabdus temperata is a bioluminescent bacterium that lives in mutualistic association with entomopathogenic nematodes of the genus Heterorhabditis. The bacterium exists in two morphologically distinguishable phases (primary and secondary). The swimming behavior of P. temperata was investigated. Both the primary and secondary variants were able to swim in liquid or semisolid media under appropriate conditions. Variation in the oxygen levels had little affect on the chemotaxis and motility of the primary form, but greatly influenced the behavior of the secondary form. Under oxic conditions the secondary form was nonmotile, but motility was induced under anoxic conditions. Several phenotypic traits of the primary form were not expressed under anoxic conditions. The constituents of the growth media affected the motility of both variants. P. temperata required additional NaCl or KCl for optimum motility and chemotaxis. Optimal chemotactic behavior required the presence of bacto-peptone and yeast extract in the swim-migration medium. A mutant that was isolated from the secondary form was able to swim under oxic conditions and possessed an altered salt requirement for motility.

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Acknowledgements

This investigation was supported in part by a grant from The University of New Hampshire Vice President for Research Discretionary Funds (LST) and by the College of Life Science and Agriculture, The University of New Hampshire-Durham. A Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the University of New Hampshire-Durham supported MMH. This is scientific contribution number 2126 from the NH Agricultural Experiment Station. We thank Dave Bowen, Todd Ciche, and Jerald C. Ensign for the Photorhabdus strains; Alicia Pierson, Jessica McClure, Chris Rovaldi, Carmela T. Mascio, and Spiros Kapolis for their contributions in the initial stages of this project; Robert Mooney for his help with the photography; and Linda Stoxen for her help with the preparation of this manuscript.

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  1. Donald J. White

    Present address: Xenogen Corporation, Alameda, CA 94501, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Rd., Durham, NH 03824-2617 , USA

    Meggan M. Hodgson, Brandye Day, Donald J. White & Louis S. Tisa

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  1. Meggan M. Hodgson
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  2. Brandye Day
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Correspondence to Louis S. Tisa.

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Hodgson, M.M., Day, B., White, D.J. et al. Effect of growth conditions on the motility of Photorhabdus temperata . Arch Microbiol 180, 17–24 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-003-0558-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-003-0558-z

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