Plant Nematode Surfaces

Abstract

The outer surface of nematodes act as an external skeleton and is covered by a tough, but flexible, multi-layered, extracellular cuticle which protects them from the external environment, maintains body shape and is involved in locomotion and defence against their host or microorganism attack. This chapter highlights the role of the nematode surface cuticle, during the various life-stages, with their environment, including their host and other microorganism. A comprehensive appraisal is presented of the complex interactions between nematodes and microbial antagonists, as the surface cuticle is believed to be involved in the host-recognition events determining the specificity of such interactions.

Exoenzymes and metabolites related to the nematicidal effect of rhizobacteria on Xiphinema index Thorne & Allen

“…It is known that bacteria produce metabolites and hydrolytic enzymes that may have nematicidal effects (Curtis et al . ), and they have been reported in several studies, mainly on species of Meloidogyne (Siddiqui et al . ; Li et al .…”

“…The better characterized and more abundant proteins in the nematode cuticle are the different collagen types (Curtis et al . ). In the genome of M. incognita , there are 122 genes coding for collagens (Abad et al .…”

“…Results obtained on exoenzymes revealed that all considered bacteria have collagenase activity at different levels. The better characterized and more abundant proteins in the nematode cuticle are the different collagen types (Curtis et al 2011). In the genome of M. incognita, there are 122 genes coding for collagens (Abad et al 2008), showing the complexity of this structure in nematodes.…”

“…It is known that bacteria produce metabolites and hydrolytic enzymes that may have nematicidal effects (Curtis et al 2011), and they have been reported in several studies, mainly on species of Meloidogyne Li et al 2008;Terefe et al 2009), Globodera (Racke and Sikora 1992;Parkunan et al 2009), Heterodera (Tian et al 2000) and Bursaphelenchus (Paiva et al 2013). However, there are no reports of compounds associated with nematicidal effects on X. index.…”

Knockdown of a mucin‐like gene in Meloidogyne incognita (Nematoda) decreases attachment of endospores of Pasteuria penetrans to the infective juveniles and reduces nematode fecundity

“…The latter indirect effect provides evidence supporting the hypothesis of Kaplan and Davis (), who suggested that the nematode surface coat plays a role in plant–nematode interactions. The surface coat has been an active area of research for several decades and is thought to play a role in nematode–plant interactions, as it is known to be readily shed and replaced both outside and within the roots (Curtis et al ., ; Davies and Curtis, ; Gravato‐Nobre et al ., ; Lin and McClure, ; Spiegel and McClure, ). Interestingly, the most dominant model for the description of plant–pathogen interactions is the zig‐zag model of coevolution between microbial‐associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), secreted/excreted by the pathogen, and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which, in turn, ultimately leads to either a susceptibility or resistance response of the host (Jones and Dangl, ).…”