Despite causing considerable damage to host tissue during the onset of parasitism, nematodes establish remarkably persistent infections in both animals and plants. It is thought that an elaborate repertoire of effector proteins in nematode secretions suppresses damage-triggered immune responses of the host. However, the nature and mode of action of most immunomodulatory compounds in nematode se...

The effective management of cyst nematodes requires accurate assessments of the species composition and size of field populations. Compared to traditional diagnostics the polymerase chain reaction offers high specificity, sensitivity and a more rapid means of identifying large numbers of cyst nematode samples. PCRRFLP of the ITS I ribosomal DNA region from Heterodera and Globodera species produ...

Genetic approaches are a powerful means to elucidate plant-pathogen interactions. An in vitro screening protocol was developed to identify Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with altered susceptibility to Heterodera schachtii, the sugar beet cyst nematode. In an initial screen of approximately 5,200 ethyl methanesulfonate-generated mutant plants, two stable mutations were identified. Both mutant line...

Plant-parasitic cyst nematodes infect plants and form highly sophisticated feeding sites in roots. It is not known which plant cell signalling mechanisms trigger plant defence during the early stages of nematode parasitism. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are central components of protein phosphorylation cascades transducing extracellular signals to plant defence responses. MAPK phosp...

The incorporation of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) by J2 of Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode, and the resulting effects on fitness were determined. Live soybean cyst nematode J2 incubated in FITC fluoresced, primarily in the intestinal region, beyond auto-fluorescence. Dissection of animals, as well as fluorescence-quenching techniques, indicated that FITC was not simply bound...

Plant parasitic nematodes respond to root exudates to locate their host roots. In our studies second stage juveniles of Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), quickly migrated to soybean roots in Pluronic F-127 gel. Roots of soybean and non-host Arabidopsis treated with the ethylene (ET)-synthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) were more attractive to SCN than untreated ...

The ITS1, ITS2, and 5.8S gene sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 40 taxa of the family Heteroderidae (including the genera Afenestrata, Cactodera, Heterodera, Globodera, Punctodera, Meloidodera, Cryphodera, and Thecavermiculatus) were sequenced and analyzed. The ITS regions displayed high levels of sequence divergence within Heteroderinae and compared to outgroup taxa. Unlike recent findin...

Chitin in the cyst wall of Entamoeba histolytica is made by two chitin synthases (Chs), one of which is unique (EhCHS-1) and one of which resembles those of insects and nematodes (EhCHS-2). EhCHS-1 is deposited chitin in the lateral wall of transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chs mutants, independent of accessory proteins (Chs4p to Chs7p) required by yeast Chs3p.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in response to infections often activate immune responses eukaryotes including plants. In plants, ROS are primarily produced by plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidases called respiratory burst oxidase homologue (Rboh). Surprisingly, Rbohs can also promote the infection of plants certain pathogens, plant parasitic cyst nematodes. The Arabidopsis genome contai...