{
  "id": 13852058,
  "title": "Genomic and proteomic insights into the virulence of a native Heterorhabditis indica-Photorhabdus akhurstii complex active against Spodoptera spp.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/genomic-and-proteomic-insights-into-the-virulence-of-a-native",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-11T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.10.758207v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the study of a native Heterorhabditis indica-Photorhabdus akhurstii complex, scientists discovered insights into the virulence of this nematode-bacterium pair. The nematode, Heterorhabditis indica Che4.1, was collected from soil in Valencia, Spain, and its bacterial symbiont, Photorhabdus akhurstii Che4.1, was isolated and identified through sequencing. Both organisms were found to be effective against Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera littoralis insects.\n\nThe nematode demonstrated high infective juvenile (IJs) count of 53.7 IJs/mL against S. exigua, which is comparable to a commercial reference, Larvanem (54.3 IJs/mL). However, against S. littoralis, the nematode had a lower LC value of 77.3 IJs/mL, approximately half that of Larvanem's 155.9 IJs/mL. Despite these differences, the 95% confidence intervals did not overlap, indicating a significant difference in efficacy between the two insect species.\n\nThe complete genome of Photorhabdus akhurstii Che4.1 consists of a single circular chromosome of 5.66 Mb. This genome encodes a diverse array of putative virulence factors, including toxin complex components, YenTc-like proteins, Mcf toxins, App-family proteins, Pra/Prb proteins, and chitinases. Additionally, various secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified.\n\nMass spectrometry analyses of bacterial culture supernatants and infected insect cadavers revealed multiple predicted virulence-associated proteins, including Tc-related, YenTc-like, App-family, and Pra/Prb proteins. Furthermore, bacterial cell-free supernatants caused significant mortality (68.8-81.3%) in S. exigua neonates under laboratory conditions. These findings highlight the diverse repertoire of potential virulence determinants in Photorhabdus akhurstii Che4.1 and demonstrate the insecticidal potential of the native nematode-bacterium complex. The performance of Heterorhabditis indica Che4.1 relative to a commercial reference suggests further evaluation of this isolate for biological control of Spodoptera spp., particularly in greenhouse and field conditions.",
  "summary": "A native entomopathogenic nematode isolate, Heterorhabditis indica Che4.1, was recovered from soils in Valencia (Spain), and its symbiotic bacterium, Photorhabdus akhurstii Che4.1, was isolated and characterized. Nematode identification was confirmed by ITS and 28S rDNA sequencing, while genome-based analyses supported the taxonomic assignment of the bacterial symbiont. The nematode-bacterium…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}