Abstract
Indigenous gut bacteria of the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) were used as shuttle systems to deliver, express and spread foreign genes in termite colonies. The gut bacterium Enterobacter cloacae was transformed with a recombinant plasmid (pEGFP) containing genes encoding ampicillin resistance and green fluorescent protein (GFP). In laboratory experiments, termite workers and soldiers from three colonies were fed with filter paper inoculated with transformed bacteria. Transformed bacteria were detected in termite guts by growing the entire gut flora under selective conditions and checking the cultures visually for fluorescence. We demonstrated that (1) transformed bacteria were ingested within a few hours and the GFP gene was expressed in the termite gut; (2) transformed bacteria established a persistent population in the termite gut for up to 11 weeks; (3) transformed bacteria were efficiently transferred throughout a laboratory colony, even when the donor (termites initially fed with transformed bacteria) to recipient (not fed) ratio was low; (4) transformed E. cloacae were transferred into soil; however, they did not accumulate over time and the GFP plasmid was not transferred to other soil bacteria. In the future, transgenic bacteria may be used to shuttle detrimental genes into termite colonies for improved pest control.
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Acknowledgements
This study was partially supported by USDA-ARS Specific Cooperative Agreements 58-6435-8-107 and 58-6615-9-018. We thank S. Garner and R. Shrestha for technical assistance with the feeding experiments, D. Higashiguchi for bacteria isolation and identification, and Drs. Lane Foil, Jim Ottea and Gregg Henderson for valuable comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. This is Journal Series No. XXXX of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii. Approved for publication by the Director, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, as Manuscript No. 04-26-0177.
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Husseneder, C., Grace, J.K. Genetically engineered termite gut bacteria (Enterobacter cloacae) deliver and spread foreign genes in termite colonies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 68, 360–367 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-005-1914-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-005-1914-5