Two chemical derivatives of bacterial metabolites suppress cellular immune responses and enhance pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

Eicosanoids mediate insect immune responses, especially against bacterial infection. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) catalyzes the committed step of the eicosanoid biosynthesis pathway. Three PLA2 inhibitors have been identified from metabolites of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila: benzylideneacetone (BZA), Pro-Tyr (PY), and acetylated Phe-Gly-Val (Ac-FGV). Interestingly, they share benzenepropane as a core chemical structure. We analyzed the functional significance of the core structure using structural derivatives. Removing a phenyl ring from PY resulted in significant loss of the PLA2 inhibitory activity, as seen in a Pro-Ala derivative. Though the p-hydroxyl group was not critical in PY as seen in Pro-Phe derivative, its addition to BZA resulted in significant loss of inhibitory activity. Some alterations of structures other than the core structure increased PLA2-inhibitory activity in some derivatives, including Ala-Tyr (AY) and Phe-Gly-Val (FGV) derivatives. Using these selected derivatives, we further analyzed synergistic effects on pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) against the second instar larvae of Plutella xylostella. These two derivatives significantly enhanced the Bt pathogenicity. This study introduces two novel compounds that inhibit PLA2 and suggests their application in combination with Bt to control P. xylostella.