Photorhabdus luminescens Toxins as Therapeutic Agents
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By [Oliver Kendall]
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P. luminesces is the only terrestrial bacteria to engage in photodynamic reactions. This bacteria is a grahm negative nematode-symbiote that primarily infects insects. P. luminesces lives in Heterorhabditidiae intestine, and is regurgitated into the haemocoel of the insect host. The bacteria then switches on its pathogenic genes, excreting toxins that kill the host. Once the host is dead, P. luminesces continues to produce antibacterial agents to maximize nutrient uptake for the nematode to then unsure further propagation. P. luminesces has three different toxins that it excretes when in its pathogenic state. The toxins are: Toxin Complexes (Tcs), Photorhabdus insect related (Pir) proteins, and the “makes caterpillars floppy” (Mcf) toxins. These toxins use different methods to infect the insect, and as a result are activated by different factors. Tcs primarily use a novel ABC-like transporter to inject toxins into the midgut cells of the insect. Pir proteins also inject toxins into the insect, but act as neurotoxins. Mcf toxins act to lyse the midgut and internal organs of the insect while also removing body turgor to make the caterpillar “floppy”. Regulation of the expression of these toxins is important for both P. luminesces and its nematode host. Incorrect activation of the genes that encode for any one of these toxins would kill the nematode, and eventually kill the bacteria due to its need for the symbiotic relationship.
Toxins produced by P. luminesces are only part of the importance of this bacteria. In its life cycle, once the insect host has been killed, P. luminesces expresses antibacterial agents to maximize the nutrients for its nematode-symbiote. These antibacterial agents have not been widely studied until recently, and could provide the answer for previously untreatable infections or diseases.
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