scholarly journals Oxygen-induced social behaviours in Pristionchus pacificus have a distinct evolutionary history and genetic regulation from Caenorhabditis elegans

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1825) ◽  
pp. 20152263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Moreno ◽  
Angela McGaughran ◽  
Christian Rödelsperger ◽  
Manuel Zimmer ◽  
Ralf J. Sommer
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Pristionchus Pacificus ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Oxygen Conditions ◽  
La Réunion Island ◽  
Social Behaviours

Wild isolates of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans perform social behaviours, namely clumping and bordering, to avoid hyperoxia under laboratory conditions. In contrast, the laboratory reference strain N2 has acquired a solitary behaviour in the laboratory, related to a gain-of-function variant in the neuropeptide Y-like receptor NPR-1. Here, we study the evolution and natural variation of clumping and bordering behaviours in Pristionchus pacificus nematodes in a natural context, using strains collected from 22 to 2400 metres above sea level on La Réunion Island. Through the analysis of 106 wild isolates, we show that the majority of strains display a solitary behaviour similar to C. elegans N2, whereas social behaviours are predominantly seen in strains that inhabit high-altitude locations. We show experimentally that P. pacificus social strains perform clumping and bordering to avoid hyperoxic conditions in the laboratory, suggesting that social strains may have adapted to or evolved a preference for the lower relative oxygen levels available at high altitude in nature. In contrast to C. elegans , clumping and bordering in P. pacificus do not correlate with locomotive behaviours in response to changes in oxygen conditions. Furthermore, QTL analysis indicates clumping and bordering to represent complex quantitative traits. Thus, clumping and bordering behaviours represent an example of phenotypic convergence with a different evolutionary history and distinct genetic control in both nematode species.

A cilia-mediated environmental input induces solitary behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus nematodes

Nematology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Moreno ◽  
Ralf J. Sommer
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Intraflagellar Transport ◽  
Large Protein ◽  
Pristionchus Pacificus ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
The Social ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Social Behaviours ◽  
Ciliated Neurons

Nematodes respond to a multitude of environmental cues. For example, the social behaviours clumping and bordering were described as a mechanism of hyperoxia avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus. A recent study in P. pacificus revealed a novel regulatory pathway that inhibits social behaviour in a response to an as yet unknown environmental cue. This environmental signal is recognised by ciliated neurons, as mutants defective in intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins display social behaviours. The IFT machinery represents a large protein complex and many mutants in genes encoding IFT proteins are available in C. elegans. However, social phenotypes in C. elegans IFT mutants have never been reported. Here, we examined 15 previously isolated C. elegans IFT mutants and found that most of them showed strong social behaviour. These findings indicate conservation in the inhibitory mechanism of social behaviour between P. pacificus and C. elegans.

scholarly journals The Caenorhabditis elegans DEG-3/DES-2 Channel Is a Betaine-Gated Receptor Insensitive to Monepantel

Molecules ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Tina V. A. Hansen ◽  
Heinz Sager ◽  
Céline E. Toutain ◽  
Elise Courtot ◽  
Cédric Neveu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Parasitic Nematode ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Xenopus Laevis Oocytes ◽  
Allosteric Modulators ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Electrode Voltage ◽  
Insight Into

Natural plant compounds, such as betaine, are described to have nematocidal properties. Betaine also acts as a neurotransmitter in the free-living model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, where it is required for normal motility. Worm motility is mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), including subunits from the nematode-specific DEG-3 group. Not all types of nAChRs in this group are associated with motility, and one of these is the DEG-3/DES-2 channel from C. elegans, which is involved in nociception and possibly chemotaxis. Interestingly, the activity of DEG-3/DES-2 channel from the parasitic nematode of ruminants, Haemonchus contortus, is modulated by monepantel and its sulfone metabolite, which belong to the amino-acetonitrile derivative anthelmintic drug class. Here, our aim was to advance the pharmacological knowledge of the DEG-3/DES-2 channel from C. elegans by functionally expressing the DEG-3/DES-2 channel in Xenopus laevis oocytes and using two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology. We found that the DEG-3/DES-2 channel was more sensitive to betaine than ACh and choline, but insensitive to monepantel and monepantel sulfone when used as direct agonists and as allosteric modulators in co-application with betaine. These findings provide important insight into the pharmacology of DEG-3/DES-2 from C. elegans and highlight the pharmacological differences between non-parasitic and parasitic nematode species.

scholarly journals Structural characterization of acyl-CoA oxidases reveals a direct link between pheromone biosynthesis and metabolic state in Caenorhabditis elegans

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (36) ◽  
pp. 10055-10060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinxing Zhang ◽  
Kunhua Li ◽  
Rachel A. Jones ◽  
Steven D. Bruner ◽  
Rebecca A. Butcher
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Pheromone Biosynthesis ◽  
Atp Binding ◽  
Metabolic State ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Acyl Coa Oxidase ◽  
Key Residues ◽  
And Behavior

Caenorhabditis elegans secretes ascarosides as pheromones to communicate with other worms and to coordinate the development and behavior of the population. Peroxisomal β-oxidation cycles shorten the side chains of ascaroside precursors to produce the short-chain ascaroside pheromones. Acyl-CoA oxidases, which catalyze the first step in these β-oxidation cycles, have different side chain-length specificities and enable C. elegans to regulate the production of specific ascaroside pheromones. Here, we determine the crystal structure of the acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX-1) homodimer and the ACOX-2 homodimer bound to its substrate. Our results provide a molecular basis for the substrate specificities of the acyl-CoA oxidases and reveal why some of these enzymes have a very broad substrate range, whereas others are quite specific. Our results also enable predictions to be made for the roles of uncharacterized acyl-CoA oxidases in C. elegans and in other nematode species. Remarkably, we show that most of the C. elegans acyl-CoA oxidases that participate in ascaroside biosynthesis contain a conserved ATP-binding pocket that lies at the dimer interface, and we identify key residues in this binding pocket. ATP binding induces a structural change that is associated with tighter binding of the FAD cofactor. Mutations that disrupt ATP binding reduce FAD binding and reduce enzyme activity. Thus, ATP may serve as a regulator of acyl-CoA oxidase activity, thereby directly linking ascaroside biosynthesis to ATP concentration and metabolic state.

Nematodes associated with terrestrial slugs in the Edmonton region of Alberta, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Brophy ◽  
R.J. Mc Donnell ◽  
D.K. Howe ◽  
D.R. Denver ◽  
J.L. Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Ribosomal Dna ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Sequence Data ◽  
Molecular Sequence ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Facultative Parasite ◽  
Arion Rufus

Abstract A survey of nematodes associated with terrestrial slugs was conducted in residential gardens, nurseries, greenhouses and agricultural sites located in and around Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A total of 2406 slugs were collected from 82 sites. Slugs were decapitated and cadavers were incubated for two weeks, with emerging nematodes removed and processed for identification. Nematodes were identified using molecular sequence data for the 18S ribosomal DNA. Nematodes were recovered from 20 of the 82 sites surveyed, with 24.4% of the slugs infected with nematodes. A total of seven nematodes were identified to species level, including Caenorhabditis elegans, Panagrolaimus papillosus, Pellioditis typica, Pelodera pseudoteres, Rhabditella axei, Rhabditoides inermiformis and Phasmarhabditis californica. An additional four specimens were identified to genus level, including Oscheius sp. (9), Pristionchus sp., Rhabditis sp. and Rhabditophanes sp. (1). The two most common nematode species were C. elegans and P. pseudoteres. The facultative parasite, P. californica, was recovered from a single Arion rufus specimen, collected from a seasonal nursery. To our knowledge, this study represents the first survey of slug-associated nematodes in Canada.

The use of Caenorhabditis elegans in parasitic nematode research

Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 128 (S1) ◽  
pp. S49-S70 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. GILLEARD
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Parasitic Nematode ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Evolutionary Development ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Free Living ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Free Living Nematode

There is increasing interest in the use of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a tool for parasitic nematode research and there are now a number of compelling examples of its successful application. C. elegans has the potential to become a standard tool for molecular helminthology researchers, just as yeast is routinely used by molecular biologists to study vertebrate biology. However, in order to exploit C. elegans in a meaningful manner, we need a detailed understanding of the extent to which different aspects of C. elegans biology have been conserved with particular groups of parasitic nematodes. This review first considers the current state of knowledge regarding the conservation of genome organisation across the nematode phylum and then discusses some recent evolutionary development studies in free-living nematodes. The aim is to provide some important concepts that are relevant to the extrapolation of information from C. elegans to parasitic nematodes and also to the interpretation of experiments that use C. elegans as a surrogate expression system. In general, examples have been specifically chosen because they highlight the importance of careful experimentation and interpretation of data. Consequently, the focus is on the differences that have been found between nematode species rather than the similarities. Finally, there is a detailed discussion of the current status of C. elegans as a heterologous expression system to study parasite gene function and regulation using successful examples from the literature.

scholarly journals Chemoreception of Meloidogyne incognita and Caenorhabditis elegans on botanical nematicidals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Sobkowiak ◽  
Natalia Bojarska ◽  
Emilia Krzyżaniak ◽  
Karolina Wągiel ◽  
Nikoletta Ntalli
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Meloidogyne Incognita ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Sublethal Concentration ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Small Molecular Weight ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Aldehydes And Ketones

AbstractPlant–parasitic nematodes cause serious damage to various agricultural crops worldwide, and their control necessitates environmentally safe measures. Plant secondary metabolites of botanical origin are tested here–in to study their effect in Meloidogyne incognita locomotion, being this an important factor affecting host inoculation inside the soil. We compare the effect to the respective behavioral responses of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. The tested botanical nematicidals, all reported of activity against Meloidogyne sp. in our previous works, belong to different chemical groups of small molecular weight molecules encompassing acids, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones. Specifically we report on the attractant or repellent properties of trans–anethole, (E,E)–2,4–decadienal, (E)–2–decenal, fostiazate, and 2–undecanone. The treatments for both nematode species were made at sublethal concentration levels, namely 1mM (<EC50), and the chemical control used for the experiment was the commercial nematicide fosthiazate and oxamyl. According to our results, trans–anethole, decenal, and oxamyl act as C. elegans attractants. 2–undecanone strongly attracts M. incognita. These findings can be of use in the development of nematicidal formulates, contributing to the disruption of nematode chemotaxis to root systems.

Toward a living soft microrobot through optogenetic locomotion control of Caenorhabditis elegans

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (55) ◽  
pp. eabe3950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianke Dong ◽  
Sina Kheiri ◽  
Yangning Lu ◽  
Zhaoyi Xu ◽  
Mei Zhen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Phase Difference ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Movement Direction ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Seamless Integration ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Worm Body ◽  
Living Tissues

Learning from the locomotion of natural organisms is one of the most effective strategies for designing microrobots. However, the development of bioinspired microrobots is still challenging because of technical bottlenecks such as design and seamless integration of high-performance actuation mechanism and high-density energy source for untethered locomotion. Directly harnessing the activation energy and intelligence of living tissues in synthetic micromachines provides an alternative route to developing biohybrid microrobots. Here, we propose an approach to engineering the genetic and nervous systems of a nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, and creating an untethered, highly controllable living soft microrobot (called “RoboWorm”). A living worm is engineered through optogenetic and biochemical methods to shut down the signal transmissions between its neuronal and muscular systems while its muscle cells still remain optically excitable. Through dynamic modeling and experimental verification of the worm crawling, we found that the phase difference between the worm body curvature and the muscular activation pattern generates the thrust force for crawling locomotion. By reproducing the phase difference via optogenetic excitation of the worm body muscles, we emulated the major worm crawling behaviors in a controllable manner. Furthermore, with real-time visual feedback of the worm crawling, we realized closed-loop regulation of the movement direction and destination of single worms. This technology may facilitate scientific studies on the biophysics and neural basis of crawling locomotion of C. elegans and other nematode species.

scholarly journals Dynactin-dependent cortical dynein and spherical spindle shape correlate temporally with meiotic spindle rotation in Caenorhabditis elegans

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (17) ◽  
pp. 3030-3046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina E. Crowder ◽  
Jonathan R. Flynn ◽  
Karen P. McNally ◽  
Daniel B. Cortes ◽  
Kari L. Price ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Spherical Shape ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Meiotic Spindle ◽  
Present Evidence ◽  
Basic Domain ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Polar Bodies ◽  
Spindle Rotation ◽  
Meiotic Spindles

Oocyte meiotic spindles orient with one pole juxtaposed to the cortex to facilitate extrusion of chromosomes into polar bodies. In Caenorhabditis elegans, these acentriolar spindles initially orient parallel to the cortex and then rotate to the perpendicular orientation. To understand the mechanism of spindle rotation, we characterized events that correlated temporally with rotation, including shortening of the spindle in the pole-to pole axis, which resulted in a nearly spherical spindle at rotation. By analyzing large spindles of polyploid C. elegans and a related nematode species, we found that spindle rotation initiated at a defined spherical shape rather than at a defined spindle length. In addition, dynein accumulated on the cortex just before rotation, and microtubules grew from the spindle with plus ends outward during rotation. Dynactin depletion prevented accumulation of dynein on the cortex and prevented spindle rotation independently of effects on spindle shape. These results support a cortical pulling model in which spindle shape might facilitate rotation because a sphere can rotate without deforming the adjacent elastic cytoplasm. We also present evidence that activation of spindle rotation is promoted by dephosphorylation of the basic domain of p150 dynactin.

Early development of nematode embryos: differences and similarities

Nematology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Einhard Schierenberg
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Temporal Pattern ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Cell Specification ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Intact Embryo ◽  
Developmental Variations ◽  
Early Developmental ◽  
Experimental Interference

AbstractTo determine whether embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans is typical for nematodes in general, we started to analyse in comparison several aspects of development in various nematode species. The differences we observed can be subdivided into two classes, those visible in the intact embryo and those requiring experimental interference. Particularly obvious differences of both types were revealed between C. elegans (Rhabditidae) and Acrobeloides nanus (Cephalobidae). Not only does the spatial and temporal pattern of early events differ but also that of intercellular communication and cell specification. Our data suggest that some developmental variations are characteristic for certain nematode groups and therefore may be useful as phylogenetic markers. In contrast, we detected little evidence so far for environmental influence on early developmental processes. Pour déterminer dans quelle mesure l’embryogenèse de Caenorhabditis elegans est une caractéristique générale des nématodes, nous avons commencé l’analyse de plusieurs aspects du développement chez différentes espèces de nématodes. Les différences observées peuvent être divisées en deux catégories: celles observables chez l’embryon intact et celles nécessitant une intervention expérimentale. En particulier, des différences nettes entre les deux catégories ont été mises en évidence chez C. elegans (Rhabditidae) et Acrobeloides nanus (Cephalobidae). Diffèrent non seulement le schéma spatio-temporel des évènements précoces, mais également la communication intercellulaire et la différenciation cellulaire. Nos données suggèrent que certaines variations du développement sont caractéristiques de certains groupes de nématodes et pourraient donc être utiles comme marqueurs phylogénétiques. A contrario, une influence de l’environnement sur les processus précoces du développement n’a pas, jusqu’à présent, été détectée.

scholarly journals Deep sampling of Hawaiian Caenorhabditis elegans reveals high genetic diversity and admixture with global populations

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim A Crombie ◽  
Stefan Zdraljevic ◽  
Daniel E Cook ◽  
Robyn E Tanny ◽  
Shannon C Brady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Specific Substrate ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Worldwide Population ◽  
Shared Ancestry ◽  
Wild Strains ◽  
Caenorhabditis Species

Hawaiian isolates of the nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans have long been known to harbor genetic diversity greater than the rest of the worldwide population, but this observation was supported by only a small number of wild strains. To better characterize the niche and genetic diversity of Hawaiian C. elegans and other Caenorhabditis species, we sampled different substrates and niches across the Hawaiian islands. We identified hundreds of new Caenorhabditis strains from known species and a new species, Caenorhabditis oiwi. Hawaiian C. elegans are found in cooler climates at high elevations but are not associated with any specific substrate, as compared to other Caenorhabditis species. Surprisingly, admixture analysis revealed evidence of shared ancestry between some Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian C. elegans strains. We suggest that the deep diversity we observed in Hawaii might represent patterns of ancestral genetic diversity in the C. elegans species before human influence.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document