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

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 12341
• Main Authors: 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
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.08.2016; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 38; 38/39; 38/77; 631/208/199; 631/601/1466; 631/92/604; Adults; Animals; Biological Evolution; Coleoptera - parasitology; Coleoptera - physiology; Ecdysone - physiology; Ecdysone - secretion; Fatty acids; Female; Forestry; Forests; Host-Parasite Interactions - physiology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insect Vectors - physiology; Larva - physiology; Male; Metamorphosis, Biological - physiology; multidisciplinary; Nematodes; Pheromones - physiology; Pheromones - secretion; Pinus - parasitology; Plant Diseases - parasitology; Pupa - physiology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Trees; Tylenchida - physiology; Beijing China; China
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12341

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. Many species of nematodes use pheromones called ascarosides to coordinate their behaviour and development. Here, Zhao et al . demonstrate that the beetle vector of the pinewood nematode ( Bursaphelenchus xylophilus ) also uses and responds to ascarosides in its interactions with the nematodes.