Pathobiology of Amber Disease, Caused by Serratia Spp., in the New Zealand Grass Grub, Costelytra zealandica

doi:10.1006/jipa.2002.5078

Journal of Invertebrate Pathology

Volume 78, Issue 4, November 2001, Pages 232-243

https://doi.org/10.1006/jipa.2002.5078 Get rights and content

Abstract

Amber disease in the New Zealand grass grub (Costelytra zealandica) is caused by some strains of Serratia entomophila or Serratia proteamaculans (Enterobacteriaceae). When treated with pathogenic isolates, larvae ceased feeding within 48 h, developed an amber coloration after 72 h, and entered a long chronic phase without feeding. An acute dose of 2–4 × 10⁴ pathogenic bacteria was sufficient to produce disease in 50% of treated larvae. Time to death was directly related to temperature. At 15°C, infected larvae remained in a chronic, nonfeeding state for more than 4 months prior to death. Nonpathogenic isolates, lacking the disease-causing plasmid (pADAP), had no effect on either feeding or disease. Twenty-four hours after ingestion, bacteria were found predominantly in the hindgut and growth occurred primarily within the fermentation chamber and in the head section of the larvae. Nonpathogenic strains did not multiply in treated larvae. Treatment of diseased larvae with antibiotic eliminated Serratia cells from the insects but did not result in restoration of feeding or the dark gut characteristic of the healthy larva.

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No. KJ443715) and the persistence and/or establishment of these two S. marcescens strains in the insect gut and hemoceol of S. litura was examined. Although, reports are available on the multiplication of Serratia entomophila in the gut of Costelytra zealandica larvae (Jackson et al., 2001), to the best of our knowledge this is the first report documenting proliferation and survival of S. marcescens in S. litura gut; and expression of different toxin genes, presumably playing important role in insect pathogenesis, from the two S. marcescens strains differing considerably in virulence. Two S. marcescens strains SEN (Genbank Acc.
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Journal of Invertebrate Pathology

Abstract

References (21)

Association of a large plasmid with amber disease of the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica, caused by Serratia entomophila and S. proteamaculans

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

Amber disease reduces trypsin activity in midgut of Costelytra zealandica (Coleoptera; Scarabaeidae) larvae

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

Pathology of amber disease in the New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

A novel insecticidal toxin from Photorhabdus luminescens, toxin complex a (Tca), and its histopathological effects on the midgut of Manduca sexta

Appl. Environ. Microbiol.

Insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens

Science

Potential bacterial pathogens of insects and their characteristics

J. Insect. Pathol.

Analysis of Survival Data

Genstat 5 Release 3 Reference Manual

Serratia entomophila sp. nov. associated with amber disease in the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica

Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol

Cited by (58)

Commercial production of entomopathogenic bacteria

Virulence of entomopathogenic bacteria in the bed bug, Cimex lectularius

Microbial control using bacteria of the almond moth, Cadra (Ephestia) cautella Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Characterization of putative virulence factors of Serratia marcescens strain SEN for pathogenesis in Spodoptera litura

Entomopathogenic Bacteria: Mass Production, Formulation, and Quality Control

Insect pathogens as biological control agents: Back to the future

Regular ArticlePathobiology of Amber Disease, Caused by Serratia Spp., in the New Zealand Grass Grub, Costelytra zealandica

Abstract

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

J. Invertebr. Pathol.

A novel insecticidal toxin from Photorhabdus luminescens, toxin complex a (Tca), and its histopathological effects on the midgut of Manduca sexta

Appl. Environ. Microbiol.

Insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens

Science

Potential bacterial pathogens of insects and their characteristics

J. Insect. Pathol.

Analysis of Survival Data

Genstat 5 Release 3 Reference Manual

Serratia entomophila sp. nov. associated with amber disease in the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica

Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol

Regular Article
Pathobiology of Amber Disease, Caused by Serratia Spp., in the New Zealand Grass Grub, Costelytra zealandica