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Rhabdopeptides as Insect‐Specific Virulence Factors from Entomopathogenic Bacteria |
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| Authors: | Daniela Reimer Dr Kimberly N Cowles Anna Proschak Friederike I Nollmann Dr Andrea J Dowling Marcel Kaiser Prof Dr Richard ffrench‐ Constant Prof Dr Heidi Goodrich‐Blair Prof Dr Helge B Bode |
| Affiliation: | 1. Merck Stiftungsprofessur für Molekulare Biotechnologie, Fachbereich Biowissenschaften, Goethe Universit?t Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany);2. Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 (USA);3. Biosciences, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ (UK);4. Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Parasite Chemotherapy, Socinstrasse 57, P.?O. Box, 4002 Basel (Switzerland) |
| Abstract: | Six novel linear peptides, named “rhabdopeptides”, have been identified in the entomopathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila after the discovery of the corresponding rdp gene cluster by using a promoter trap strategy for the detection of insect‐inducible genes. The structures of these rhabdopeptides were deduced from labeling experiments combined with detailed MS analysis. Detailed analysis of an rdp mutant revealed that these compounds participate in virulence towards insects and are produced upon bacterial infection of a suitable insect host. Furthermore, two additional rhabdopeptide derivatives produced by Xenorhabdus cabanillasii were isolated, these showed activity against insect hemocytes thereby confirming the virulence of this novel class of compounds. |
| Keywords: | biosynthesis insect inducible genes natural products promoter trap strategy rhabdopeptides Xenorhabdus |