Moraxella osloensis
| Moraxella osloensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Gammaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Pseudomonadales |
| Family: | Moraxellaceae |
| Genus: | Moraxella |
| Species: | M. osloensis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Moraxella osloensis |
|
Moraxella osloensis is a Gram-negative oxidase-positive, aerobic bacterium within the family Moraxellaceae in the gamma subdivision of the purple bacteria.
M. osloensis is a mutualistic symbiont of the slug-parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. In nature, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita vectors M. osloensis into the shell cavity of the slug host in which the bacteria multiply and kill the slug.
This bacterium has been identified as one of the natural symbionts of a bacteria-feeding nematode, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae), which is an endoparasite of slugs, including the slug Deroceras reticulatum (grey garden slug) which is one of the most serious agricultural and garden slug pests.
In nature, bacteria colonize the gut of nematode-infective juveniles which represent a specialized stage of development adapted for survival in the unfavorable environment. The infective juveniles seek out and enter the slug's shell cavity through the posterior mantle region. Once inside the shell cavity, the bacteria are released, and the infective juveniles resume growth, feeding on the multiplying bacteria. The infected slugs die in 4–10 days, and the nematodes colonize the entire carcass and produce next-generation infective juveniles, which leave the carcass to seek a new host. The bacteria are responsible for killing the slugs; nematodes without bacteria do not cause death.
The lipopolysaccharide, that is an endotoxin, from M. osloensis is a molluscicide for Deroceras reticulatum when applied by injection.
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Wikipedia