비티 포자와 Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn)의 배양액을 혼합하여 비티플러스가 개발되었다. 높은 살충력에도 불구하고 비티플러스는 다 양한 해충에 대한 넓은 살충범위를 보이지 않는 한계가 있다. 본 연구에서는 Xn 대사물질 첨가를 통한 파밤나방과 같은 비감수성 해충에 대한 비 티플러스의 살충력 향상에 초점을 맞추었다. Xn의 주요 대사물질인 oxindole (OI)과 benzylideneacetone (BZA)는 비티의 살충력을 향상시킨 다고 보고되었다. 본 연구에서 OI 또는 BZA의 첨가는 비티플러스의 살충력을 향상시켰다. 그러나 동결건조된 Xn 배양액의 첨가는 보다 낮은 농 도의 OI 또는 BZA로도 충분히 비피플러스의 살충력을 상승시켰다. HPLC 분석에서 Xn 배양액에 최소 12개의 대사물질이 포함되어 있는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 OI와 BZA 외에도 Xn 대사물질에 생리활성물질이 존재하는 것을 제시한다.

A phase variation has been reported in an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila. Compared to a wild type primary form, a secondary form usually lose several physiological and biochemical characters. This study showed that the phase variation of X. nematophila caused a significant alteration in its immunosuppressive activity and subsequent entomopathogenicity. A secondary form of X. nematophila was detected in laboratory colonies and exhibited significant differences in dye absorption and entomopathogenicity. In addition, the secondary form was different in production of eicosanoid-biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs) compared to the primary form of X. nematophila. Production of oxindole and p-hydroxypropionic acid was significantly reduced in the culture broth of the secondary form of X. nematophila. The reduced EBI production resulted in significant suppression in the inhibitory effects on a cellular nodule formation and phenoloxidase activity. Culture broth of the primary form of X. nematophila significantly more enhanced the pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) than the culture broth of the secondary form. Furthermore, this study developed a high efficient ‘Dual Bt-Plus’ to control both lepidopteran insect pests of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera exigua by mixing two effective Bt strains along with the addition of potent bacterial metabolites or 100-fold concentrated X. nematophila culture broth.

An entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, secretes at least eight bacterial metabolites, which have suppressive effects on insect immunity. This study quantified their sequential production during bacterial growth and analyzed their individual immunosuppressive activities against an insect host, Spodoptera exigua. X. nematophila exhibited a typical bacterial growth in both insect host and culture medium, in which eight metabolites were secreted in different time points. At early growth phase (6 to 12 h), Ac-FGV, Cis-cPY, PHPP and indole metabolites were detected in the culture broth. During early growth phase, PHPP was highly potent to inhibit phenoloxidase activity as well as nodule formation. At late growth phase (24 to 48 h), BZA, HPA, PY were detected at 10 – 140 ppm in the culture broth, their metabolites were highly potent to inhibit phospholipase A2 and to induce cytotoxicity to hemocytes. These results suggest that X. nematophila sequentially produces the immune suppressive metabolites, which cooperatively inhibit different steps of insect immune responses.

An entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn), is symbiotic to a nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, and exhibits high pathogenicity to lepidoptera insects. Its metabolites released into the bacterial culture broth and also virulent in oral especially when they are treated with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This study devised a high efficacy microbial insecticide by combining Xn culture broth and Bt. Bt kurstaki (Btk) exhibited relatively higher pathogenicity to Plutella xylostella than Spodoptera exigua larvae. By contrast, Bt aizawai (Bta) showed a reverse pathogenicity pattern. Phase Ⅰ type of Xn (XnK1) was isolated from S. carpocapsae Pochun and exhibited high pathogenicity than phase Ⅱ bacteria. Three bacterial mixtures of Bta+XnK1, Btk+XnK1, and Bta+Btk+XnK1 were prepared and analyzed in their target insects. Bta+XnK1 showed higher pathogenicity than those of Bta alone or Btk+XnK1 in P. xylostella. Btk+XnK1 showed higher pathogenicity than those of Btk alone or Bta+XnK1 in S. exigua. Bta+BtK+XnK1 showed high pathogenicity against both P. xylostella and S. exigua.

An entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) and Photorhabdus temperata subsp temperata (Ptt), suppresses insect immune responses and facilitates its symbiotic nematode development in target insect. Benzylideneacetone (BZA), PY, cPY, Ac-FGV, indole, 2-oxindole and 3-(4-hydroxyphenylpropionic) acid (PHPP) were compounds derived from the bacterial. Their immunosuppressive activities have been induced by inhibitory activity against eicosanoid biosynthesis and used to develop an additive to enhance control efficacy of other commercial microbial insecticides. This study investigated any cytotoxicity of their culture broth and bacterial metabolites on Spodoptera exigua hemocyte. When Xn or Ptt (<100 cells per larva) were injected to larval of S. exigua, the bacteria increased in density with incubation time, while the insent hemocyte numbers significantly and the resulting culture broths were sampled for analysis of their cytotoxicity against S. exigua hemocytes. In addition, the sequential culture broth samples were analyzed in active component chemicals using a reverse phase HPLC. Finally, seven bacterial metabolites were analyzed in relative cytotoxicity against S. exigua. These results suggest that BZA is a major cytotoxic compound.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterial biopesticide against insect pests, mainly lepidopterans. Spodoptera exigua and Plutella xylostella exhibit significant decreases in Bt susceptibility in late larval instars. To enhance Bt pathogenicity, we used a mixture treatment of Bt and other bacterial metabolites which possessed significant immunosuppressive activities. Mixtures of Bt with culture broths of Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) or Photorhabdus temperata ssp. temperata (Ptt) significantly enhanced the Bt pathogenicity against late larval instars. Different ratios of Bt to bacterial culture broth had significant pathogenicities against last instar P. xylostella and S. exigua. Five compounds identified from the bacterial culture broth also enhanced Bt pathogenicity. After determining the optimal ratios, the mixture was applied to cabbage infested by late ins tar P. xylostella or S. exigua in greenhouse conditions. A mixture of Bt and Xn culture broth killed 100% of both insect pests when it was sprayed twice, while Bt alone killed less than 80% or 60% of P. xylostella and S. exigua, respectively. Other Bt mixtures, including Ptt culture broth or bacterial metabolites, also significantly increased pathogenicity in the semi-field assays. These results demonstrated that the Bt mixtures collectively names 'Bt-Plus' can be developed into potent biopesticides to increase the efficacy of Bt.

A bacterial colony was isolated from the gut of the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus. From morphological and biochemical tests, the bacterial isolate showed the highest similarity to Staphylococcus succinus. DNA sequence of 16S rRNA gene of the bacterium supported the identification. Oral administration of penicillin G to adults of R. clavatus gave a dose-dependent mortality of adults of R. clavatus to adults along with significant decrease of the bacterial population in the gut. Similarly, three metabolites (benzylideneacetone, proline-tyrosine, and acetylated phenylalanine-glycine-valine) derived from an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, also inhibited growth of the gut bacterial population and gave significant mortalities to R. clavatus. These results suggest that a gut bacterial population classified as Staphylococcus sp. is required for survival of R. clavatus and that the three bacterial metabolites had toxic effects on the bugs due to their antibacterial properties.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is effective to control the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. However, its relative slow and unstable control efficacy limits its wide use by farmers. To facilitate pathogenic rate of Bt, a bacterial mixture technique has been developed in this study. Two entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) and Photorhabdus temperata temperata (Ptt), possess high immunosuppressive activity against several lepidopteran insects. The mixture treatments using Bt + Xn or Bt + Ptt significantly enhanced Bt pathogenicity in median lethal concentration and time. Though live Xn and Ptt bacterial cells gave significant effect on the pathogenicity, their 48 h culture broth after removing the bacterialcells still possessed the synergistic effect on the Bt pathogenicity. The larvae fed with the bacterial culture broth suffered significant immunosuppression in response bacterial to infection

Two entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila and Photorhabdus temperata subsp. temperata, are known to be potent against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, when the bacteria are injected into the hemocoel. This study investigated any pathogenic effect of their culture broth on P. xylostella by oral administration. Only culture broth of both bacterial species did not give enough pathogenic effects by the oral administration. However, when the culture broth was orally treated together with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), both cell-free culture broth significantly enhanced Bt pathogenicity against the 3rd instar larvae of P. xylostella. The culture broth was then fractionated into hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous extracts. Most synergistic effect on Bt pathogenicity was found in ethyl acetate extracts of both bacterial species. Thin layer chromatography of these extracts clearly showed that ethyl acetate extracts of both bacterial culture broths possessed metabolites that were different to those of hexane and aqueous extracts. These results suggest that the both entomopathogenic bacteria produce and secrete different factors to give significant synergistic effect on Bt pathogenicity.

Two entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) and Photorhabdus temperata temperata (Ptt), are symbionts of nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis megidis, respectively. When the nematodes enter host insect hemocoel, the bacteria are released from the nematode intestine to insect hemocoel and cause immunosuppression, which results in septicemia. Culture broth of both bacteria had insecticidal effects when injected into hemocoel of Plutella xylostella larvae, but did not when orally administered. However, either mixture of Xn or Ptt with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) significantly enhanced the Bt pathogenicity against P. xylostella. The culture broth was fractionated with hexane and diethylacetate extracts. Diethylacetate extract had potent factor (s) to increase Bt pathogenicity. A compound, benzylideneacetone, identified from the diethylacetate fraction had oral toxicity against P. xylostella. This compound also showed high acaricidal effect on the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae

Two entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn) and Photorhabdus temperata temperata (Ptt), maintain monoxenic condition within host insect cadaver by synthesizing and releasing various antibiotics. These two bacteria were cultured in tryptic soy broth during different times, which were screened in their antibacterial activities. Both bacterial culture broth had high antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli at their stationary growth phase. The potent culture broth was used to screen target plant bacterial pathogens using both inhibition zone assay and liquid culture assay. Ralstonia sp. was most susceptible, while Xanthomonas sp. was highly resistant. Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. showed hemi-susceptible. The culture broth was further fractionated into hexane and diethylether extracts. Significant antibacterial effect was found in the diethylether extract

An entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, induces an immunosuppression by inhibiting phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which results in a fatal septicemia. PLA2 is an enzyme responsible for eicosanoid biosynthesis and the pathogenic molecular target of this bacterium. A PLA2 gene of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, was expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant T. castaneum PLA2 (TcPLA2) showed enzyme activity, which was specifically inhibited by bromophenacyl bromide (specific inhibitor to secretory PLA2) and ditheothreitol (reducing agent of disulfide bond). It was sensitive to pH (optimum at pH 7.0), temperature (optimum at 30°C), substrate specificity and calcium dependency. X. nematophila released compound(s) inhibiting TcPLA2during its stationary growth phase. The active compound (s) was resistant to heat treatment and could be extracted separately into both organic and aqueous phases. This PLA2 inhibitory fraction showed significant effect on immunosuppression of T. castaneum. These results suggest there may be several PLA2 inhibitors synthesized by X. nematophila and released into culture broth. The recombinant TcPLA2 was also used to screen potent PLA2 inhibitor compounds, which were designed based on a common chemical structure (a pentenebenzene ring) of two peptide inhibitors, proline-tyrosine (PY) and acetylated phenylalanine-glycine-valine (AcFGV). Alterations were made on amino acid sequence or specific functional groups on the pentenebenzene ring. Among 7 different peptides, AY and FGV showed the most potent effects on TcPLA2activity and also resulted in significant reductions in hemocyte spreading behavior of Plutella xylostella. The potent candidate molecules would be applied to control various insect pests to be developed into novel insecticides.