Rhabditophanes diutinus a parthenogenetic clade IV nematode with dauer larvae

作者：Alex Dulovic, Tess Renahan, Waltraud Röseler, Christian Rödelsperger, Ann M. Rose, Adrian Streit · 发表于：PLoS Pathogens · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1371/journal.ppat.1009113 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Parasite Biology and Host Interactions、Parasites and Host Interactions、Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms

Comparative studies using non-parasitic model species such as Caenorhabditis elegans, have been very helpful in investigating the basic biology and evolution of parasitic nematodes. However, as phylogenetic distance increases, these comparisons become more difficult, particularly when outside of the nematode clade to which C. elegans belongs (V). One of the reasons C. elegans has nevertheless been used for these comparisons, is that closely related well characterized free-living species that can serve as models for parasites of interest are frequently not available. The Clade IV parasitic nematodes Strongyloides are of great research interest due to their life cycle and other unique biological features, as well as their medical and veterinary importance. Rhabditophanes, a closely related free-living genus, forms part of the Strongyloidoidea nematode superfamily. Rhabditophanes diutinus (= R. sp. KR3021) was included in the recent comparative genomic analysis of the Strongyloididae, providing some insight into the genomic nature of parasitism. However, very little is known about this species, limiting its usefulness as a research model. Here we provide a species description, name the species as R. diutinus and investigate its life cycle and subsequently gene expression in multiple life stages. We identified two previously unreported starvation induced life stages: dauer larvae and arrested J2 (J2A) larvae. The dauer larvae are morphologically similar to and are the same develo...