Project description:Similar to other plant-parasitic nematodes, root lesion nematodes possess an array of enzymes that are involved in degradation of the plant cell wall. Here we report the identification of a gene encoding a cell wall degrading enzyme, pectin methylesterase PME (EC 3.1.1.11), in the root lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans. Both genomic and coding sequences of the gene were cloned for this species, showing the presence of four introns that excluded a potential bacterial contamination. Expression of the Pp-pme gene was localized in the esophageal glands of P. penetrans as determined by in situ hybridization. Temporal expression of Pp-pme in planta was validated for early time points of infection. The possible function and activity of the gene were assessed by transient expression of Pp-pme in N. benthamiana plants via a Potato virus X-based vector. To our knowledge, this is the first report on identification and characterization of a PME gene within the phylum Nematoda.
Project description:Strongyloides ratti is a parasitic nematode of rats and a laboratory model for nematode infection more generally. The aim of this experiment was to determine the gene expression response of parasitic females to abiotic factors in its environment ex vivo that may be relevant to its natural environment in the gut in vivo. Thus, we used cDNA arrays to assay transcriptional responses to high and low salt, to RPMI versus PBS media and to 37C versus 40C. A moderate number of gene expression changes were observed.
Project description:Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a relatively uncharacterized nematode that causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Latin America, a human parasitic disease. Currently, no effective pharmacological treatment for angiostrongyliasis exists. Peptidases are known to be druggable targets for a variety of diseases and are essential for several biological processes in parasites. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically characterize the peptidase activity of A. costaricensis in different developmental stages of this parasitic nematode.
Project description:Strongyloides ratti is a parasitic nematode of rats and a laboratory model for nematode infection more generally. The response of two lines of S. ratti were compared in contrasting immunological environments: (i) day 5 post infection (p.i.) in naive rats; (ii) day 12 p.i. in naive rats; day 5 p.i. in rats previously immunised with 10 iL3s; and day 12 p.i. in rats previously immunised with 10 iL3s. The gene expression response of parasitic females were assayed using cDNA microarrays. Large numbers of responding genes were found (but with modest fold changes) and clusters of co-expressed genes identified with differences observed between worms taken from naive and previously exposed hosts and from the two time points.
Project description:Mobile small RNAs are an integral component of the arms race between plants and fungal parasites, and several studies suggest microRNAs could similarly operate between parasitic nematodes and their animal hosts. However, whether and how specific sequences are selected for export by parasites is unknown. Here we describe a specific Argonaute protein (exWAGO) that is secreted in extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by the gastrointestinal nematode Heligmosomodies bakeri, at multiple copies per EV. Phylogenetic and gene expression analyses demonstrate exWAGO is highly conserved and abundantly expressed in related parasites, including the human hookworm and proteomic analyses confirm this is the only Argonaute secreted by rodent parasites. In contrast, exWAGO orthologues in species from the free-living genus Caenorhabditis are highly diverged. By sequencing multiple small RNA libraries, we determined that the most abundant small RNAs released from the nematode parasite are not microRNAs but rather secondary small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are produced by RNA-dependent RNA Polymerases. We further identify distinct evolutionary properties of the siRNAs resident in free-living or parasitic nematodes versus those exported in EVs by the parasite and show that the latter are specifically associated with exWAGO. Together this work identifies an Argonaute protein as a mediator of RNA export and suggests rhabditomorph nematode parasites may have co-opted a novel nematode-unique pathway to communicate with their hosts.
Project description:Expression profiling of 7,530 Heterodera glycines probesets present on the Affymetrix Soybean Genome Array GeneChip throughout the life cycle of the nematode (egg, infective J2, parasitic J2, J3, J4, adult female).
