A single Photorhabdus gene, makes caterpillars floppy (mcf), allows Escherichia coli to persist within and kill insects

Results and Discussion

P. luminescens appears to encode numerous putative (7) and proven (8, 10) toxins in its genome. Although we understand the histopathological effects of some of these insecticidal toxins, such as the gut active Toxin complex A (16), we do not understand the role of specific toxins in insect death. To look for toxins capable of killing insects when expressed in recombinant E. coli, we screened a W14 cosmid library. After injection of 300 individual clones, we isolated a single cosmid (termed H3), which not only allows its E. coli host to persist within but also to kill its insect host. Injection of E. coli containing the H3 cosmid results in a rapid (within 12 h) loss of caterpillar body turgor (Fig. 1A) and death of the larvae (time of death, 24.1 h ± SE of 3.25). We termed this loss of body turgor the “floppy” phenotype. Insertional mutagenesis of this cosmid (Fig. 1B) shows that a single ORF, termed mcf, is responsible for these phenotypes. Inserted transposons also were used as entry points for sequencing of the entire cosmid. This dual approach allowed us both to derive nucleotide sequence of the entire 33-kb cosmid and to attribute phenotype loss to a specific gene. Sequencing of the cosmid was completed from 126 transposon entry points, 39 of which negated both floppy and lethal phenotypes. All of the 39 insertions associated with phenotype loss lie within the 8.8-kb predicted ORF of mcf (Fig. 1B). To confirm the hypothesis that mcf causes both the floppy and lethal phenotypes associated with the complete cosmid, we subcloned the mcf gene alone (Fig. 1B). This subclone also confers the same ability on E. coli to both render caterpillars floppy and to kill them within an equivalent space of time (data not shown).

The mcf ORF predicts a high molecular weight protein of 2,929 aa (Fig. 2A) with a molecular weight of 324 kDa and PI of 5.4. Searches of current databases reveal three areas of similarity with known proteins (Fig. 2B). First, Mcf contains a consensus sequence for a BH3 domain (Fig. 2C). Proteins involved in apoptosis that contain only this domain are pro-apoptotic (14). Second, residues 1,626–2,139 show 20% identity to residues 873–1,362 from Clostridium difficile toxin B. This region lies within part of toxin B thought to be involved in translocation (17). Finally, the predicted C terminus of Mcf contains a region (residues 2,791–2,925) that shows similarity to a repeated sequence in the C terminus of apxIVA, an RTX-like toxin from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (18). The remainder of the predicted protein shows no significant homology to known proteins and little variation in predicted hydrophobicity (Fig. 2B). SDS/PAGE analysis of cytosolic preparations of mcf encoding recombinant E. coli reveal the presence of a single protein of the predicted molecular weight (Fig. 2D). These preparations are highly toxic to caterpillars on injection (data not shown). Southern analysis of three other P. luminescens strains (Fig. 2E) suggests that homologs of mcf are carried by other Photorhabdus strains, which would be consistent with the presence of the toxin being required for death of the insect host.

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Fig 2.

The mcf gene predicts a novel toxin of high molecular weight. (A) Predicted amino acid sequence of the Mcf protein. The three shaded regions show regions of homology to other known proteins (see text). (B) Relative locations of the three regions of homology in relation to a Kyte-Doolittle hydrophilicity plot of the predicted protein. Note that the region homologous to the translocation domain of Toxin B is predominantly hydrophobic. (C) Match to the BH3 domain consensus sequence for Mcf toxins from two different Photorhabdus strains, W14 and K122. The consensus sequence for the BH3 motif is shown below. (D) SDS/PAGE gel of cytosolic fraction of Mcf expressing E. coli. An arrow indicates the presence of the Mcf protein (predicted weight of 324 kDa), which migrates at a higher molecular weight than the 174-kDa marker. (E) Southern blot of genomic DNA cut with EcoRI from four different Photorhabdus strains and E. coli probed with a fragment of mcf (see Fig. 1B for location of probe used). Note that the mcf DNA probe hybridizes at high stringency to all of the Photorhabdus strains but not E. coli (see text). Key to species and subspecies: P. luminescens subsp. akhurstii W14 (W14). P. luminescens subsp. laumondii TT 01(TT01), P. luminescens strain K122, which is probably subsp. temperata based on a description of its nematode host (K122), and P. asymbiotica ATCC43949 (P.a).

The complete nucleotide sequence of the H3 cosmid (GenBank accession no. ) encompasses 33 kb of genomic DNA and contains 12 predicted ORFs (Fig. 1B). The similarity of the surrounding predicted gene products with other putative virulence factors and the shift in GC content (Fig. 1B) associated with the genomic location of mcf suggests that this region constitutes a pathogenicity island. Thus, upstream of mcf is an ORF (orf 4), which shows similarity to dlpA or dotA of Legionella pneumophila (19). The dot/icm system encodes a type IV secretion system related to the Shigella flexneri Col1b Inc1 plasmid (19). Within this system, DotA encodes a cytoplasmic membrane protein required for macrophage cell killing by L. pneumophila (20). Downstream of mcf lie two ORFs (orfs 11 and 12), which predict proteins with similarity to the HecA and HecB hemolysins also found in a wide range of other Enterobacteriaceae. The presence of these macrophage killing and hemolysin-like genes suggests that this pathogenicity island may encode several genes involved in overcoming host blood cells.

To investigate how E. coli carrying the mcf containing pUC18 plasmid (pUC18-mcf) can persist within M. sexta, we labeled pUC18-mcf with a second plasmid (pBBR2) expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). We then injected caterpillars with the marked pUC18-mcf and dissected caterpillars at different time intervals postinjection to look for E. coli expressing GFP. Dissection of Manduca infected with the GFP expressing mcf E. coli showed visible aggregations of bacteria persisting within insect tissues (Fig. 3 A and B). Quantitation of bacterial persistence over time (Fig. 3E) shows that pUC18-mcf containing E. coli can persist longer in the presence of the insect immune system than E. coli containing pUC18 plasmid alone. E. coli carrying pUC18 alone were encapsulated at high frequency as previously documented by others (21). Detailed examination of the bacterial aggregations often shows partial encapsulation and melanization of the bacteria (Fig. 3 C and D). These observations suggest that although the Mcf expressing E. coli are recognized by the hemocytes, they cannot be successfully encapsulated. Such a phenotype could be caused by the direct toxicity of expressed Mcf on hemocytes attempting to adhere to and encapsulate the bacteria or by interference with the melanization cascade.

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Fig 3.

GFP expressing E. coli carrying the mcf encoding subclone (pUC18-mcf) can persist within the insect model M. sexta. (A) Dissection of posterior of fifth instar larvae of M. sexta 16 h after injection of pUC18-mcf. Note the aggregations of GFP expressing bacteria within the fat body (Fb) and body wall (Bw) of the caterpillar. (B) High magnification of GFP-expressing bacterial clusters confirm that they consist of clumps of individual recombinant E. coli. (C and D) Parallel low magnification views of bacterial aggregations viewed under light and GFP-enhanced microscopy. Note how one of the bacterial aggregations (C) has been encapsulated by the insect hemocytes and brown melanin (arrow) deposited. A GFP enhanced view (D) of the same aggregations (arrows) shows the presence of GFP expressing and pUC18-mcf carrying E. coli. (Scale bar = 0.2 cm in A–E.) (E) Numbers of recoverable bacteria persisting over time in M. sexta. Note that E. coli carrying pUC18-mcf persist longer in an infected insect than E. coli carrying the pUC18 vector alone. E. coli carrying pUC18 alone were encapsulated as expected (data not shown).

To test the effect of Mcf on hemocytes, we added preparations of Mcf protein to hemocyte monolayers and examined them under differential interference contrast microscopy illumination and time-lapse photography (Fig. 4). In the presence of cytosolic fractions from E. coli carrying pUC18 alone, hemocytes exhibit normal motility and can persist for at least 12 h as a monolayer with no visible adverse effects (Fig. 4 A and C). Granulocytes show limited motility whereas the more amoeboid plasmatocytes move freely across the monolayer (www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/quicktime.htm). In the presence of all fractions containing Mcf, both cell types show marked changes in morphology within 6 h and affected cells begin to disintegrate by producing numerous circular blebs (Fig. 4E). This phenotype is similar to that observed in other cell types undergoing apoptosis (22). Taken together with the observations from TUNEL staining, the blebbing phenotype associated with Mcf-mediated hemocyte death is consistent with Mcf triggering programmed cell death. Actin straining of Mcf-treated cells shows that the cytoskeleton has disintegrated, remaining only as a series of highly staining foci (Fig. 4F). We note that this final actin staining pattern is similar to that achieved by treatment of hemocytes with the fungal toxin cytochalasin D (Fig. 4E) (23).

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Fig 4.

Hemocyte monolayers show that Mcf toxin acts on insect blood cells within 6 h by disrupting the cytoskeleton. (A and B) Hemocyte monolayers treated with cytosolic fractions of either pUC18 or pUC18-mcf carrying E. coli at the start of time-lapse differential interference contrast microscopy imaging. (C and D) The same preparations 6 h after treatment. Note that the plasmatocyte (P) indicated by an arrow (D) has begun to disintegrate by producing a series of rounded blebs. Note that the cell highlighted by an arrow is the same cell (B and D). Taken together with observations from TUNEL staining, the blebbing phenotype associated with Mcf-mediated hemocyte death is strongly supportive of programmed cell death. The full time lapse series of Mcf toxin action can be viewed at www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/quicktime.htm. (E and F) FITC-phalloidin staining of hemocyte monolayers treated either with cytochalasin D or Mcf. Note that treatment with both toxins disintegrates the actin cytoskeleton leaving a punctate staining pattern of residual actin. (Scale bar = 10 μm.)

Finally, to examine the potential cause of the rapid loss of body turgor associated with the floppy phenotype, we examined the histopathology of insect hosts infected with mcf containing E. coli. Sections of infected larvae were stained and examined via light microscopy (Fig. 5 A–D). Given that both the insect midgut and the malpighian tubules are associated with osmoregulation of the insect hemolymph, disruption of either of which could cause the floppy phenotype, we examined the histopathology of these structures in detail. The malpighian tubules (approximating in function to vertebrate kidneys) appear unaffected before the time of insect death, whereas the midgut epithelium is severely affected as early as 12 h. The midgut epithelium is a simple epithelium composed of two main cell types (columnar and goblet cells) and is fringed on the lumen side with a brush border membrane (Fig. 5A). After infection with mcf containing E. coli, the midgut epithelium begins to bleb into the lumen of the gut. Both goblet and columnar cells elongate and shed circular blebs often containing the cell nucleus (Fig. 5 B–D). These nuclei appear pycnotic, are often surrounded by a peri-nuclear vacuole, and stain TUNEL positive (Fig. 5E), suggesting that they are apoptotic. As the midgut is one of the primary organs responsible for osmoregulation, such systematic destruction of the midgut epithelium would be consistent with the loss of body turgor associated with the floppy phenotype.

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Fig 5.

M. sexta infected with Mcf encoding E. coli show massive destruction of the midgut epithelium. (A) Light microscopy of a stained control section of M. sexta fourth instar midgut. Note the midgut epithelium (Me), which separates the lumen (L) of the gut from the insect hemocoel (H). (B) Section of midgut 16 h after infection with pUC18-mcf E. coli. The cells of the midgut have begun to bleb into the gut lumen (arrows). (C) Section of midgut 24 h after infection. The midgut epithelium has disintegrated leaving the space between the basal lamina (Bl) and the peritrophic membrane (Pm) packed with blebbed cells. (D) Detail of disintegrated epithelium showing that nuceli within the cellular blebs are pycnotic and often surrounded by vacuoles. (E) TUNEL staining of disintegrated epithelium suggesting that the cells are undergoing apoptosis. (Scale bar = 100 μm.)

In conclusion, the gene mcf encodes a novel high molecular weight toxin that destroys both the insect gut and insect hemocytes. As both affected tissues show clear signs of apoptosis, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that mcf encodes a novel BH3 containing pro-apoptotic toxin. Destruction of the hemocytes during infection correlates with a failure to successfully encapsulate and clear Mcf expressing bacteria during infection. Destruction of the insect midgut, a primary organ in osmoregulation, is probably responsible for the marked loss of body turgor observed in the floppy phenotype. As both the hemocytes and the midgut are destroyed by injection of either E. coli expressing Mcf or by Mcf toxin itself, we can infer that Mcf interacts with, or is uptaken by, the hemocoel side of the insect midgut. However, the normal method of secretion of Mcf from P. luminescens itself, or its mode of action on insect cells, remains obscure. Finally, although there is considerable current interest in toxins which act on the insect gut, such as the δ-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (24) and the toxin complexes from P. luminescens (8), toxins, like Mcf, which act on both the gut and the insect immune system represent a promising, yet under-exploited, avenue for future insecticide development.