Ascarosides coordinate the dispersal of a plant-parasitic nematode with the metamorphosis of its vector beetle

作者：Zhao, Lilin; Zhang, Xinxing; Wei, Yanan; Zhou, Jiao; Zhang, Wei; Qin, Peijun; Chinta, Satya; Kong, Xiangbo; Liu, Yunpeng; Yu, Haiying; Hu, Songnian; Zou, Zhen^*; Butcher, Rebecca A.^*; Sun, Jianghua^*

来源：Nature Communications, 2016, 7(1): 12341.

DOI：10.1038/ncomms12341

• CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS
• PINEWOOD NEMATODE
• BURSAPHELENCHUS-XYLOPHILUS
• METHOPRENE-TOLERANT
• BIOSYNTHESIS
• PHEROMONES
• PATHWAY
• SIGNALS
• CLONING
• LARVAE

Insect vectors are required for the transmission of many species of parasitic nematodes, but the mechanisms by which the vectors and nematodes coordinate their life cycles are poorly understood. Here, we report that ascarosides, an evolutionarily conserved family of nematode pheromones, are produced not only by a plant-parasitic nematode, but also by its vector beetle. The pinewood nematode and its vector beetle cause pine wilt disease, which threatens forest ecosystems world-wide. Ascarosides secreted by the dispersal third-stage nematode L-III larvae promote beetle pupation by inducing ecdysone production in the beetle and up-regulating ecdysone-dependent gene expression. Once the beetle develops into the adult stage, it secretes ascarosides that attract the dispersal fourth-stage nematode L-IV larvae, potentially facilitating their movement into the beetle trachea for transport to the next pine tree. These results demonstrate that ascarosides play a key role in the survival and spread of pine wilt disease.

• 出版日期2016-8
• 单位农业虫害鼠害综合治理研究国家重点实验室; 中国林业科学研究院森林生态环境与保护研究所; 中国科学院北京基因组研究所; 江苏省林业科学研究院; 东北林业大学