Multiple genes contribute to anhydrobiosis (tolerance to extreme desiccation) in the nematode Panagrolaimus superbus

Abstract

The molecular basis of anhydrobiosis, the state of suspended animation entered by some species during extreme desiccation, is still poorly understood despite a number of transcriptome and proteome studies. We therefore conducted functional screening by RNA interference (RNAi) for genes involved in anhydrobiosis in the holo-anhydrobiotic nematode Panagrolaimus superbus. A new method of survival analysis, based on staining, and proof-of-principle RNAi experiments confirmed a role for genes involved in oxidative stress tolerance, while a novel medium-scale RNAi workflow identified a further 40 anhydrobiosis-associated genes, including several involved in proteostasis, DNA repair and signal transduction pathways. This suggests that multiple genes contribute to anhydrobiosis in P. superbus.

Functional Variation of Two Novel Cellulases, Pv-eng-5 and Pv-eng-8, and the Heat Shock 90 Gene, Pv-hsp-90, in Pratylenchus vulnus and Their Expression in Response to Different Temperature Stress

“…In particular, Pratylenchus spp. can adopt a strategy known as anhydrobiosis that allows the juvenile and adult stages to survive periods without plant hosts or severe dry, cold, or hot conditions [27,28]. During anhydrobiosis, metabolism and life processes are slowed down, but Pratylenchus spp.…”

Cas9-mediated Genome Editing Reveals a Significant Contribution of Calcium Signaling Pathways to Anhydrobiosis in Pv11

“…4). The potential contribution of calcium signalings to anhydrobiosis was also suggested in tardigrades and nematodes 67,68 . In the anhydrobiotic tardigrade, Hypsibius dujardini, a calmodulin inhibitor (J-8) and a calcium release modulator (2-APB) reduced the survival rate after rehydration, but the inhibitors against CaN and CaMK had no effect on the anhydrobiotic ability.…”

“…Given that calmodulin regulates the gating of calcium ion channel in endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrion as well as the signaling pathways 69,70 , the J-8 and 2-APB treatments may disrupt calcium storage in the organelles rather than calcium signalings, leading to malfunction of those intracellular organelles 71,72 . RNAi-based screening using the nematode Panagrolaimus superbus, showed that knockdown of “CAMK/CAMKL/MELK protein kinase” decreased the survival rate after rehydration 68 , whereas the contribution of CaN - NFAT pathway or CREB on the anhydrobiotic ability was not assessed. Our detailed experiments show that the CaM - CaN - NFAT pathway activation confers the tolerance to both trehalose incubation and desiccation on Pv11 cells, while the CaM - CaMK - CREB pathway activation gives only desiccation tolerance (Figs.…”

Multiomics study of a heterotardigrade,Echinisicus testudo, suggests convergent evolution of anhydrobiosis-related proteins in Tardigrada

“…However, such a sample requires strong precautions to minimize the possibility of contamination 23,38,42 . After rigorous filtering of possible contaminants as described above, we generated a 153. appears to be a common mechanism in anhydrobiosis, not one that is limited to tardigrades 43,44 . In addition, we identified several genes in stress signaling pathways, i.e., genes involved in stress signaling pathways.…”