scholarly journals Chromatin landscape dynamics in development of the plant parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahim Hassanaly-Goulamhoussen ◽  
Ronaldo De Carvalho Augusto ◽  
Nathalie Marteu-Garello ◽  
Arthur Péré ◽  
Bruno Favery ◽  
...  

In model organisms, epigenome dynamics underlies a plethora of biological processes. The role of epigenetic modifications in development and parasitism in nematode pests remains unknown. The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita adapts rapidly to unfavorable conditions, despite its asexual reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying this remarkable plasticity and their potential impact on gene expression remain unknown. This study provides the first insight into contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to this plasticity, by studying histone modifications in M. incognita. The distribution of five histone modifications revealed the existence of strong epigenetic signatures, similar to those found in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated their impact on chromatin structure and their distribution relative to transposable elements (TE) loci. We assessed the influence of the chromatin landscape on gene expression at two developmental stages: eggs, and pre-parasitic juveniles. H3K4me3 histone modification was strongly correlated with high levels of expression for protein-coding genes implicated in stage-specific processes during M. incognita development. We provided new insights in the dynamic regulation of parasitism genes kept under histone modifications silencing. In this pioneering study, we establish a comprehensive framework for the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of the genome expression and its stability in plant-parasitic nematodes.

Author(s):  
Rahim Hassanaly-Goulamhoussen ◽  
Ronaldo De Carvalho Augusto ◽  
Nathalie Marteu-Garello ◽  
Arthur Péré ◽  
Bruno Favery ◽  
...  

In model organisms, epigenome dynamics underlies a plethora of biological processes. The role of epigenetic modifications in development and parasitism in nematode pests remains unknown. The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita adapts rapidly to unfavorable conditions, despite its asexual reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying this remarkable plasticity and their potential impact on gene expression remain unknown. This study provides the first insight into contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to this plasticity, by studying histone modifications in M. incognita. The distribution of five histone modifications revealed the existence of strong epigenetic signatures, similar to those found in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated their impact on chromatin structure and their distribution relative to transposable elements (TE) loci. We assessed the influence of the chromatin landscape on gene expression at two developmental stages: eggs, and pre-parasitic juveniles. H3K4me3 histone modification was strongly correlated with high levels of expression for protein-coding genes implicated in stage-specific processes during M. incognita development. We provided new insights in the dynamic regulation of parasitism genes kept under histone modifications silencing. In this pioneering study, we establish a comprehensive framework for the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of the genome expression and its stability in plant-parasitic nematodes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahim Hassanaly-Goulamhoussen ◽  
Ronaldo De Carvalho Augusto ◽  
Nathalie Marteu-Garello ◽  
Arthur Péré ◽  
Bruno Favery ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:In model organisms, epigenome dynamics underlies a plethora of biological processes. The role of epigenetic modifications in development and parasitism in nematode pests remains unknown. The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita adapts rapidly to unfavorable conditions, despite its asexual reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying this remarkable plasticity and their potential impact on gene expression remain unknown. Results:This study provides the first insight into contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to this plasticity, by studying histone modifications in M. incognita. The distribution of five histone modifications revealed the existence of strong epigenetic signatures, similar to those found in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated their impact on chromatin structure and their distribution relative to transposable elements (TE) loci. We assessed the influence of the chromatin landscape on gene expression at two developmental stages: eggs, and pre-parasitic juveniles. H3K4me3 histone modification was strongly correlated with high levels of expression for protein-coding genes implicated in stage-specific processes during M. incognita development. Conclusions:We provided new insights in the dynamic regulation of parasitism genes kept under histone modifications silencing. In this pioneering study, we establish a comprehensive framework for the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of the genome expression and its stability in plant-parasitic nematodes.


Nematology ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaap Bakker ◽  
Fred Gommers ◽  
Geert Smant ◽  
Pierre Abad ◽  
Marie-Noëlle Rosso ◽  
...  

AbstractExpressed sequence tags (EST) have been widely used to assist in gene discovery in various organisms (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus musculus, and Homo sapiens). In this paper we describe an EST project, which aims to investigate gene expression in Meloidogyne incognita at the onset of parasitism. Approximately 1000 5′-end sequence tags were produced from a cDNA library made of freshly hatched preparasitic second stage juveniles (J2). The EST were identified in the primary transformants of the cDNA library, and assigned to nine different functional groups, including (candidate) parasitism genes. A large fraction of the EST (45%) did not have a putative homologue in public databases. Sixty five percent of the EST that could be clustered into a functional group had putative homologues in other nematode species. EST were found for virtually all parasitism related genes that have been cloned from M. incognita to date. In addition, several novel genes were tagged, including a xylanase and a chitinase gene. The efficiency of EST projects, which produce sequence data for thousands of genes in months time without any difficult pre-selections of mRNA pools, makes random sequencing cDNA libraries a superior method to identify candidates for parasitism related genes in plant-parasitic nematodes. The sequences in this paper are retrievable from Genbank with the accession numbers BE191640 to BE191741, BE217592 to BE217720, BE225324 to BE225598, BE238852 to BE239221, and BE240829 to BE240865.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
Phong V. Nguyen

Effectors have been identified to play a very important role in the parasitism of plant-parasitic nematode. To cope with this type of pathogen, many approaches of silencing genes encoding for effectors have been studied and promise to be an effective tool to create plant varieties resistant to plant-parasitic nematodes. In this study, the Minc16281 gene encoding a pioneer effector with unknown function was determined and cloned from a Meloidogyne incognita population isolated from soybean field (ID: MH315945.1). The nucleotide sequence of this gene showed 97% identity to its homolog in GenBank (ID: JK287445.1) used as the control strain in our research. To generate host-induced gene silencing constructs which can potentially silence the expression of Minc16281 gene, two artificial microRNAs were synthesized based on the miR319a structure of Arabidopsis thaliana and inserted into an expression vector in soybean. These microRNAs can be introduced into soybean to investigate the function of Minc16281 on parasitism of root-knot nematode.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.P. Masler

AbstractBiogenic amines regulate important behaviours in nematodes and are associated with pharyngeal activity in plant-parasitic nematodes. A robust behavioural assay based upon nematode body movements was developed to expand the study of these and other neuroregulators in plant-parasitic nematodes. Dopamine, octopamine and serotonin each had significant but differing effects on the behaviour of soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines and root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita juveniles. Body movement frequency was increased twofold in H.glycines by 5 mM dopamine (P = 0.0001), but decreased by 50 mM dopamine in H. glycines (88%) and M. incognita (53%) (P <  0.0001). Movement frequency in both species was increased by 50–70% (P <  0.0001) by 50 mM octopamine, and 5 mM octopamine increased M. incognita movement frequency more than twofold (P <  0.0001). Movement frequency in each species was reduced by more than 90% by 5 mM serotonin (P <  0.0001). While amplitude of body movement in H. glycines was unaffected by any amine, it was significantly reduced in M.incognita by all amines (P <  0.0006). Stylet pulsing frequencies in either species were unaffected by dopamine or octopamine, but 5 mM serotonin stimulated pulsing in H. glycines by nearly 13-fold (P <  0.0001) and in M. incognita by more than 14-fold (P <  0.0001). The invertebrate neuropeptide FLRFamide (N-Phe-Leu-Arg-Phe) increased M. incognita body movement frequency 45% (P = 0.02) at 1 mM but did not affect stylet activity. Finally, H. glycines egg hatch was completely suppressed by 50 mM serotonin, and partially suppressed by 50 mM dopamine (75%; P <  0.0001) and 50 mM octopamine (55%; P <  0.0001).


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 044-048
Author(s):  
Vinod Kumar ◽  
◽  
Prakash Banakar ◽  
Anil Kumar ◽  
Priyanka Duggal ◽  
...  

An extensive survey was conducted to assess the frequency and abundance of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Haryana (Nuh and Palwal districts) during 2018-20. Based on incidence, population density and associated damage on affected crops, root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) was considered to be the most important parasite of the crops under local condition. During 2018-19, a total of 11 soil and root samples of cotton were collected from Nuh and Palwal districts. Out of these, eight were found infected with M. incognita with 72.0% frequency of occurrence. The results revealed that out of 7 samples (Nuh), five were found infested with M. incognita with 71.4% frequency of occurrence. In Palwal district, this nematode had 75.0% frequency of occurrence with density range of 60-300 j2 200-1 cc soil. During 2019-20, a total of 27 soil and root samples of cotton were collected from Nuh and Palwal districts. Out of these, 14 were found infected with M. incognita with 51.8% frequency of occurrence. The results revealed that out of 21 samples (Nuh), 12 were found infested with M. incognita with 57.1% frequency of occurrence and density range of 95-690 j2 200-1 cc soil. In Palwal district, this nematode had 33.3% frequency of occurrence (2 out of 6 samples) with density range of 135-435 j2 200-1 cc soil. Other plant parasitic nematodes which were found associated with the cotton belonged to Rotylenchulus reniformis, Hoplolaimus sp., Helicotylenchus sp. and Tylenchorhynchus sp.


Nematology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tagginahalli N. Shivakumara ◽  
Tushar K. Dutta ◽  
Abhishek Mandal ◽  
Uma Rao

Summary Biochemical analyses of nematodes have revealed that neutral lipids (especially triglycerides) are the main source of energy reserves, which is depleted as the nematodes age. Several methodologies have been developed to visualise triglyceride-rich fat stores in plant-parasitic nematodes using non-fluorescent, lipophilic dyes, such as Oil Red O. Here, we propose a robust and reproducible fluorescence-based Nile Red staining method (followed by image analysis) for rapid detection of neutral lipid droplets in Meloidogyne incognita. This unique lipophilic dye selectively fluoresces in red and green spectra in a lipid-rich environment. The neutral lipid content of M. incognita juveniles gradually diminished during different periods of food deprivation, and this was significantly correlated with reduction in parasitic success of M. incognita in eggplant. Additionally, variation in fat reserves in different developmental stages of M. incognita infecting adzuki bean was also demonstrated. This investigation may aid future metabolic research, including functional analysis of lipid regulatory genes in plant-parasitic nematodes.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 292
Author(s):  
Alessandro Cabianca ◽  
Laurin Müller ◽  
Katharina Pawlowski ◽  
Paul Dahlin

Sterols play a key role in various physiological processes of plants. Commonly, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and campesterol represent the main plant sterols, and cholesterol is often reported as a trace sterol. Changes in plant sterols, especially in β-sitosterol/stigmasterol levels, can be induced by different biotic and abiotic factors. Plant parasitic nematodes, such as the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, are devastating pathogens known to circumvent plant defense mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the changes in sterols of agricultural important crops, Brassica juncea (brown mustard), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Glycine max (soybean), Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Zea mays (corn), 21 days post inoculation (dpi) with M. incognita. The main changes affected the β-sitosterol/stigmasterol ratio, with an increase of β-sitosterol and a decrease of stigmasterol in S. lycopersicum, G. max, C. sativus and Z. mays. Furthermore, cholesterol levels increased in tomato, cucumber and corn, while cholesterol levels often were below the detection limit in the respective uninfected plants. To better understand the changes in the β-sitosterol/stigmasterol ratio, gene expression analysis was conducted in tomato cv. Moneymaker for the sterol 22C-desaturase gene CYP710A11, responsible for the conversion of β-sitosterol to stigmasterol. Our results showed that the expression of CYP710A11 was in line with the sterol profile of tomato after M. incognita infection. Since sterols play a key role in plant-pathogen interactions, this finding opens novel insights in plant nematode interactions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olaf Kranse ◽  
Helen Beasley ◽  
Sally Adams ◽  
Andre Pires-daSilva ◽  
Christopher Bell ◽  
...  

Abstract Plant-parasitic nematodes are a continuing threat to food security, causing an estimated 100 billion USD in crop losses each year. The most problematic are the obligate sedentary endoparasites (primarily root knot nematodes and cyst nematodes). Progress in understanding their biology is held back by a lack of tools for functional genetics: forward genetics is largely restricted to studies of natural variation in populations and reverse genetics is entirely reliant on RNA interference. There is an expectation that the development of functional genetic tools would accelerate the progress of research on plant-parasitic nematodes, and hence the development of novel control solutions. Here, we develop some of the foundational biology required to deliver a functional genetic tool kit in plant-parasitic nematodes. We characterize the gonads of male Heterodera schachtii and Meloidogyne hapla in the context of spermatogenesis. We test and optimize various methods for the delivery, expression, and/or detection of exogenous nucleic acids in plant-parasitic nematodes. We demonstrate that delivery of macromolecules to cyst and root knot nematode male germlines is difficult, but possible. Similarly, we demonstrate the delivery of oligonucleotides to root knot nematode gametes. Finally, we develop a transient expression system in plant-parasitic nematodes by demonstrating the delivery and expression of exogenous mRNA encoding various reporter genes throughout the body of H. schachtii juveniles using lipofectamine-based transfection. We anticipate these developments to be independently useful, will expedite the development of genetic modification tools for plant-parasitic nematodes, and ultimately catalyze research on a group of nematodes that threaten global food security.


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