Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a diverse class of transcription factors, which are involved in regulating a large number of physiological events in metazoans. However, the function of NRs is poorly understood in plant-parasitic nematodes. Here, members of the NR1J+K group of NRs in nematodes, including the free-living and plant parasites, were examined and phylogenetically analyzed. We found that ...

Abstract Magoebaskloof is an evergreen mountainous landscape covered with Afromontane forests. During a survey on soil nematode diversity, the samples were collected from rhizosphere of forest tree (no cultivation over 50 years), grassland, prepared kiwi land, oak tree, kiwifruits trees (37-year-old), and 8-year-old kiwifruit in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Overall, results showed that total...

Plant-parasitic nematodes were found in 4 of the 12 clades of phylum Nematoda. These nematodes in different clades may have originated independently from their free-living fungivorous ancestors. However, the exact evolutionary process of these parasites is unclear. Here, we sequenced the genome sequence of a migratory plant nematode, Ditylenchus destructor We performed comparative genomics amon...

The primary source of plant parasitic nematodes in irrigation waterways in the Columbia Basin Project of eastern Washington is irrigation runoff returned into the irrigation system. This has contributed to the rapid spread of plant parasitic nematodes observed during eight years of study.

Introduction One of the most prevalent classes of parasitic organisms is the helminth (parasitic worms), which collectively infect more than 1 billion people worldwide and cause a range of maladies including malnutrition, growth and mental retardation, disfigurement and physical disabilities, and death (1). Helminths that infect humans are generally considered to comprise two major phyla: Nemat...

BACKGROUND Parasitic nematodes of humans, other animals and plants continue to impose a significant public health and economic burden worldwide, due to the diseases they cause. Promising antiparasitic drug and vaccine candidates have been discovered from excreted or secreted (ES) proteins released from the parasite and exposed to the immune system of the host. Mining the entire expressed sequen...

Organic matter and its replenishment has become a major component of soil health management programs. Many of the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties are a function of organic matter content and quality. Adding organic matter to soil influences diverse and important biological activities. The diversity and number of free-living and plant-parasitic nematodes are altered by rotat...

Plant-defense responses are triggered by perception of conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), for example, flagellin or peptidoglycan. However, it remained unknown whether plants can detect conserved molecular patterns derived from plant-parasitic animals, including nematodes. Here we show that several genera of plant-parasitic nematodes produce small molecules called ascarosi...

Infection by parasitic nematodes is widespread in the developing world causing extensive morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, infection of animals is a global problem, with a substantial impact on food production. Here we identify small molecule inhibitors of a nematode-specific metalloprotease, DPY-31, using both known metalloprotease inhibitors and virtual screening. This strategy successful...