Publication details
Understanding excreted/secreted products in Heterorhabditis bacteriophora: Activation Material Insights
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are insect parasites commonly used in the biological control of various insect pests. EPNs release biologically active compounds known as excreted/secreted products (ESPs) that play a crucial role in interaction with the host's immune system. This interaction enhances infection efficiency, thereby increasing the chances of EPNs' survival and successful reproduction. Unravelling the composition and function of ESPs is essential for understanding the mechanisms of nematode pathogenicity and optimizing their effectiveness as biocontrol agents. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protein spectrum of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora ESPs released in relation of different activation materials. We identified the infection-specific molecules by comparing ESP profiles between infective juveniles treated with materials prepared from insects and controls. We optimized the in vitro activation process of H. bacteriophora and selected three fractions of activation materials from Galleria mellonella larvae, each prepared differently, along with two control fractions: water or phosphate buffer. We collected ESPs from all treatments and subjected them to LC-MS/MS analysis. For protein identification, we conducted searches against a protein database originating from the H. bacteriophora reference genome. The results recorded using the LC-MS/MS analysis revealed significant differences in the composition of ESPs based on the materials used for nematodes’ in vitro activation. Within these ESPs, we identified numerous proteins with potential to play significant role in nematode-insect interaction; including serpin domain-containing protein, metalloendopeptidase, ShTK domain-containing proteins and fatty acid- retinoid- binding proteins. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the choice of activation materials significantly influences both the abundance and diversity of collected ESP. This implies that the way of nematode activation may play a crucial role in modulating the virulence of the EPNs, suggesting an increase in the effectiveness of biocontrol. This study was supported by grant GAČR 23-06457S. |
| Related projects: |