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Toxins and secretion systems of Photorhabdus luminescens - PubMed

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Toxins and secretion systems of Photorhabdus luminescens

Athina Rodou et al. Toxins (Basel). 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Photorhabdus luminescens is a nematode-symbiotic, gram negative, bioluminescent bacterium, belonging to the family of Enterobacteriaceae. Recent studies show the importance of this bacterium as an alternative source of insecticides, as well as an emerging human pathogen. Various toxins have been identified and characterized in this bacterium. These toxins are classified into four major groups: the toxin complexes (Tcs), the Photorhabdus insect related (Pir) proteins, the "makes caterpillars floppy" (Mcf) toxins and the Photorhabdus virulence cassettes (PVC); the mechanisms however of toxin secretion are not fully elucidated. Using bioinformatics analysis and comparison against the components of known secretion systems, multiple copies of components of all known secretion systems, except the ones composing a type IV secretion system, were identified throughout the entire genome of the bacterium. This indicates that Photorhabdus luminescens has all the necessary means for the secretion of virulence factors, thus it is capable of establishing a microbial infection.

Keywords: Photorhabdus luminescens; bacterial protein toxins; gram-negative bacteria; secretion systems.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1

The domain structures of the Mcf proteins. Mcf1 is longer than Mcf2 and in its N-terminus it carries a BH3-like motif, suggestive of its proapoptotic function. In the middle, it has a Cytotoxin B-like motif, highly similar to Clostridium cytotoxin B, while in its C-tereminus there is a RTX-like domain. In Mcf2, that RTX-like motif is not found in the C-terminus of the protein. Mcf2 also has a region similar to Clostridium cytotoxin B, but it also possesses another domain, similar to HrmA protein (a protein secreted by a type III secretion system) in its N-terminus. Adapted from Dowling et al. [26] and Waterfield et al. [27].

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