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Genetic and phenotypic characterizations of Xenorhabdus species (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) isolated from steinernematid nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) in Japan

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Abstract

The bacterial species of the genus Xenorhabdus in the family Enterobacteriaceae have a mutualistic association with steinernematid entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), which have been used as biological control agents against soil insect pests. In this study we present the genetic and phenotypic characterizations of the Xenorhabdus species isolated from steinernematid nematodes in Japan. The 18 Japanese Xenorhabdus isolates were classified into five bacterial species based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequences: Xenorhabdus bovienii, Xenorhabdus hominickii, Xenorhabdus indica, Xenorhabdus ishibashii, and Xenorhabdus japonica. There was no genetic variation between the 16S RNA sequences among the three X. ishibashii isolates, 0–0.1% variation among the five X. hominickii isolates, and 0–0.5% among the eight X. bovienii isolates. Phenotypic characterization demonstrated that representative isolates of the five bacterial species shared common characteristics of the genus Xenorhabdus, and only X. hominickii isolates produced indole. Symbiotic association and co-speciation of Xenorhabdus bacteria with Steinernema nematodes from Japan are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr Nobuo Ogura of the Department of Agriculture, Meiji University for providing Steinernema kushidai strain Hamakita. We also thank Dr Takayuki Mizukubo of the National Agricultural Research Center for his helpful support. This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid (nos. 14760030, 17780042) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science, and Technology of Japan, and by Grants for the Development of New Biorational Techniques for Sustainable Agriculture (J040600014, J050400018).

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Author notes

  1. Ryusei Kuwata

    Present address: Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi, 753-8511, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Nematology, Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, 1 Honjo, Saga, 840-8502, Japan

    Ryusei Kuwata & Toyoshi Yoshiga

  2. Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, 2421 Suya, Koshi, Kumamoto, 861-1192, Japan

    Mutsuhiro Yoshida

Authors
  1. Ryusei Kuwata
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  2. Mutsuhiro Yoshida
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  3. Toyoshi Yoshiga
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Correspondence to Toyoshi Yoshiga.

Additional information

The DNA Data Bank of Japan accession numbers for the 16S ribosomal RNA gene are: AB507811-AB507818.

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Kuwata, R., Yoshida, M. & Yoshiga, T. Genetic and phenotypic characterizations of Xenorhabdus species (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) isolated from steinernematid nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) in Japan. Appl Entomol Zool 52, 125–134 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-016-0463-y

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