Degradation of acephate by Enterobacter asburiae, Bacillus cereus and Pantoea agglomerans isolated from diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (L), a pest of cruciferous crops

J Environ Biol. 2016 Jul;37(4):611-8.

Abstract

Acephate-degrading bacterial isolates were isolated from the larval gut of diamondback moth Plutella xylostella, a notorious pest of cruciferous crops worldwide that has developed resistance to insecticides. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the isolates as Bacillus cereus (PX-B.C.Or), Enterobacter asburiae (PXE), and Pantoae agglomerans (PX-Pt.ag.Jor). All isolates grew on minimal media (MM) in the presence of acephate at 100 and 200 ppm, with maximum growth at 200 ppm. LC-MS analyses of spent medium showed that E. asburiae degraded acephate to methamidophos and O, O-dimethyl phosporamidate and B. cereus O,S-dimethyl to phosphorothioate but P. agglomerans to an unnamed compound. All three isolates used acephate as a source of carbon and energy for growth; however, P. agglomerans used it also as source of sulphur. Strong evidence revealed that the bacterial communities present in the gut of diamondback moth might aid in acephate degradation and play a role in the development of insecticide resistance.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacillus cereus / genetics
  • Bacillus cereus / metabolism*
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Brassicaceae / growth & development
  • Crops, Agricultural / growth & development
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Enterobacter / genetics
  • Enterobacter / metabolism*
  • Insecticides / metabolism*
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / microbiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Moths / growth & development
  • Moths / microbiology*
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds / metabolism*
  • Pantoea / genetics
  • Pantoea / metabolism*
  • Phosphoramides / metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Insecticides
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds
  • Phosphoramides
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • acephate