Behavioural features of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in the mating process

Liu, Baojun; Hu, Jiafu; Liu, Zhenyu; Xu, Liang; Lü, Quan; Li, Yongxia; Zhang, Xingyao

doi:10.1163/15685411-00002816

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The synchronized J2 were collected and transferred onto a lawn of B. cinerea on a PDA plate. Worms were collected after 24, 48 and 72 h for J3, J4 and adult animals respectively …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bxy‐fuca encoding α‐L‐fucosidase plays crucial roles in development and reproduction of the pathogenic pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Tang

Zhu

et al. 2019

Pest Management Science

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BACKGROUND The pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD). This disease is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The fuca gene encodes α‐L‐fucosidase, which plays crucial roles in numerous biological and pathological processes in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. To find promising control strategies against PWD, we investigated the expression and functions of Bxy‐fuca in B. xylophilus. RESULTS Bxy‐fuca encoding α‐L‐fucosidase is highly conserved within the deduced functional domains and key residues. It is expressed continuously across all developmental stages of B. xylophilus. mRNA in situ hybridization demonstrated that Bxy‐fuca was mainly localized in the body wall muscles and intestine. RNA interference indicated that the zygotic expression of Bxy‐fuca was indispensable for embryogenesis. The rate of B. xylophilus egg hatch was significantly decreased after Bxy‐fuca was interfered. Postembryonic silence of Bxy‐fuca resulted in a dramatic decrease in the longevity of and the total number of eggs produced by B. xylophilus. In addition, the motility of the nematode was greatly hampered with a significant drop in head thrashing frequency. CONCLUSION Bxy‐fuca plays crucial roles in development, lifespan and reproduction of B. xylophilus. Our results provide promising hints for control of PWD by blocking embryogenesis and ontogenesis, decreasing nematode fecundity, and disrupting the connection between B. xylophilus and its vector beetle by preventing nematode movement into the tracheal system. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

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“…The synchronized J2 were collected and transferred onto a lawn of B. cinerea on a PDA plate. Worms were collected after 24, 48 and 72 h for J3, J4 and adult animals respectively …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bxy‐fuca encoding α‐L‐fucosidase plays crucial roles in development and reproduction of the pathogenic pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Tang

Zhu

et al. 2019

Pest Management Science

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“…In addition, the sex pheromones of females are usually effective, but male-produced pheromones appear to have no or only a weak ability to elicit a female mating-choice response [18,25,26,27]. Our previous research also suggested a female predominant mating system for B. xylophilus during its long term evolution [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bx-daf-22 Contributes to Mate Attraction in the Gonochoristic Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Gao

Zhang

et al. 2019

IJMS

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Studying sex communication is necessary to develop new methods to control the population expansion of gonochoristic species Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD). Small chemical signals called ascarosides have been reported to attract potential mates. However, they have not been studied in the sex attraction of B. xylophilus. Here, we confirmed the sex attraction of B. xylophilus using a chemotaxis assay. Then, we cloned the downstream ascaroside biosynthetic gene Bx-daf-22 and explored its function in the sex attraction of B. xylophilus through bioinformatics analysis and RNA interference. The secretions of females and males were the sources of sex attraction in B. xylophilus, and the attractiveness of females to males was stronger than that of males to females. Compared with daf-22 of Caenorhabditis elegans, Bx-daf-22 underwent gene duplication events, resulting in Bx-daf-22.1, Bx-daf-22.2, and Bx-daf-22.3. RNA interference revealed that the attractiveness of female secretions to males increased after all three Bx-daf-22 genes or Bx-daf-22.3 had been interfered. However, the reciprocal experiments had no effect on the attractiveness of male secretions to females. Thus, Bx-daf-22 genes, especially Bx-daf-22.3, may be crucial for the effectiveness of female sex attractants. Our studies provide fundamental information to help identify the specific components and signal pathways of sex attractants in B. xylophilus.

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“…The second‐stage juveniles (J2) were obtained by incubating the above synchronized eggs in distilled water for 24 h in the dark at 25 °C 25 . The synchronized J2 were reared on cultures of B. cinerea in PDA plates (approximately 10 000 J2 in each PDA plate) at 25 °C for ~24, 48 and 72 h to obtain the synchronized J3, J4 and adult nematodes, respectively 26,27 . J3, J4 and adult nematodes were extracted using the Baermann funnel technique.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of mab‐3 in spermatogenesis and ontogenesis of pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Zhou¹,

Ma²,

Zhu³

et al. 2020

Pest Management Science

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Background: Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is one of the most destructive invasive species, causing extensive economic losses worldwide. The sex ratio of female to male of B. xylophilus plays an important role in the nematode infestation. However, little is known about the processes of its sex determination. The double sex/mab-3-related family of transcription factors are highly conserved in animals, playing crucial roles in sex determination, spermatogenesis and ontogenesis. We therefore investigated its orthologue, Bxy-mab-3, in B. xylophilus. Results: Bxy-mab-3 has two typical conserved DNA-binding domains. It was observed in J2 (the second-stage of juveniles), J3, J4 and male adults (specifically on the spicules), but not in eggs or female adults via mRNA in situ hybridization. RNA-Seq indicated significantly higher expression in males. RNAi showed that the body size and sperm size of male adults were markedly smaller than those of the controls. Meanwhile, almost all the RNAi-treated males failed to mate with the normal females, even 26.34% of interfered males did not produce sperm. However, RNAi of Bxy-mab-3 had no effect on the sex ratio of B. xylophilus. Conclusion: Bxy-mab-3 is indispensable for spermatogenesis, ontogenesis and mating behavior. It is a typical sexdetermination gene with differential expression in males and females. However, knocking down Bxy-mab-3 expression could not alter the sex ratio as seen in other species. Our findings contribute towards a better understanding of the molecular events of Bxy-mab-3 in B. xylophilus, which provides promising hints for control of pine wilt disease by blocking ontogenesis and decreasing nematode fecundity.

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Behavioural features of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in the mating process

Cited by 8 publications

References 24 publications

Bxy‐fuca encoding α‐L‐fucosidase plays crucial roles in development and reproduction of the pathogenic pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Bxy‐fuca encoding α‐L‐fucosidase plays crucial roles in development and reproduction of the pathogenic pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Bx-daf-22 Contributes to Mate Attraction in the Gonochoristic Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

The role of mab‐3 in spermatogenesis and ontogenesis of pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

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