This book provides an essential update on the startling array of novel insecticidal toxins and drugs produced by the fascinating bacteriumPhotorhabdus. The respective chapters describe everything from the detailed molecular biology of the Toxin complexes or Tcs to the complexity of insect immune response in relation to both the bacterium and its nematode vector. The volume covers both primary (toxin production and regulation) and secondary (natural product synthesis and regulation) metabolism and emphasises the potential use of toxins and drugs in both agriculture and medicine. It also discusses in detail two totally novel quorum sensing mechanisms and the likely role of LuxR solos in sensing the presence of different bacterial hosts. Lastly, the book explores the unique case ofP. asymbiotica, which seems to have evolved the ability to infect both insects and humans. This synthesis proves thatPhotorhabdus truly does offer a gold mine for the discovery ofnovel insecticidal proteins and novel natural products with potential uses in agriculture and medicine alike.

Insecticidal Toxin complexes fromPhotorhabdus luminescens.-Identifying anti-host effectors inPhotorhabdus.-Flagellar regulation and virulence in the entomopathogenic bacteriaXenorhabdus nematophila andPhotorhabdus luminescens.-Natural products fromPhotorhabdus and other entomopathogenic bacteria.- The regulation of secondary metabolism inPhotorhabdus.-Quorum sensing and LuxR solos inPhotorhabdus.-Insect immunity to entomopathogenic nematodes and their mutualistic bacteria.-Photorhabdus asymbiotica as an insect and human pathogen.- A review of clinical cases of infection withPhotorhabdus asymbiotica.-A Practical Guide to Recombineering inPhotorhabdus andXenorhabdus.