The Effect of Temperature Conditioning (9°C and 20°C) on the Proteome of Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis megidis Infective Juveniles

ABSTRACT: Entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida; Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) are insect parasites which are of economic importance due to their use as biocontrol agents. The third larval stage, infective juveniles (IJs) leave the natal host and move in the soil to locate a new insect host. Both families are associated with mutualistic bacteria, which are released into the haemolymph of the host insect, killing the insect and providing nutrition for nematode development and reproduction, and are thus categorised as entomopathogenic nematodes. Similarities between these two families are due to convergent evolution associated with this lifestyle, rather than common ancestry. Heterorhabditids are closely related to the vertebrate parasites Strongylida (Adams and Nguyen, 2002) and to Caenorhabditis elegans, whereas steinernematids are more closely related to Strongyloididae. The IJ stage of parasitic nematodes is analogous to the dauer stage of C. elegans; both are developmentally arrested, stress resistant stages that disperse to colonise new hosts or food resources, respectively. By investigating the molecular mechanisms and consequences of temperature acclimation and aging in EPN IJs, insights into survival and the changes induced by low temperature exposure may be gained. Label free quantitative (LFQ) massspectrometery-based proteomics facilitates the identification and quantification of thousands of proteins in a single run. Such data allows for the comparison of the proteomes of EPN IJs after conditioning via gene ontology mapping and functional enrichment analysis. Understanding how the IJ proteome is affected by temperature and aging can provide a molecular basis for the wide array of phenotypes and behaviours these organisms may adopt. This study aims to provide proteomic data which may elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic plasticity which EPN IJs of two distantly related species exhibit.

INSTRUMENT(S): Q Exactive

ORGANISM(S): Escherichia Coli Steinernema Carpocapsae Heterorhabditis Megidis

TISSUE(S): Whole Body

SUBMITTER: James Carolan  

LAB HEAD: James Carolan

PROVIDER: PXD027608 | Pride | 2022-03-27

REPOSITORIES: Pride