Serratia sp. SCBI Genome sequencing. Serratia sp. SCBI

We report the complete genome sequence of a new member of the enterobacterial genus Serratia that forms an entomopathogenic complex with Caenorhabditis briggsae. Serratia sp. SCBI (South African Caenorhabditis briggsae Isolate) is distinguishable from S. marcescens which kills nematodes thus percluding a symbotic relationship. Unlike, S. marcescens, Serratia sp. SCBI supports the growth and reproduction of C.briggsae and C. elegans in the lab. and is capable of accelerated killing of Galleria mellonella larvae upon infection either via introduction by nematdes or direct injection to the insect heocoel.The genome will enable further study of the unique lifestyle of this bacterium that is capable of transitioning from independent life to a nematode symbiont and insect pathogen, and may be critical to establishing a novel platform for investigating the evolution of the EPN life history in entomopathogenic nematode-bacteria complexes.