title: Identification of Two Meloidogyne hapla Genes and an Investigation of Their Roles in the Plant-Nematode Interaction.
abstract: Root-knot nematodes are soil-borne pathogens that invade and establish feeding sites in plant roots. They have an extremely broad host range, including most vascular plants. During infection of a susceptible host, root-knot nematodes secrete molecules called effectors that help them establish an intimate interaction with the plant and, at the same time, allow them to evade or suppress plant immune responses. Despite the fact that Meloidogyne hapla is a significant pest on several food crops, no effectors have been characterized from this root-knot nematode species thus far. Using the published genome and proteome from M. hapla, we have identified and characterized two genes, MhTTL2 and Mh265. MhTTL2 encodes a predicted secreted protein containing a transthyretin-like protein domain. The expression of MhTTL2 was up-regulated during parasitic life stages of the nematode, and in situ hybridization showed that MhTTL2 was expressed in the amphids, suggesting it has a role in the nematode nervous system during parasitism. We also studied the gene Mh265. The Mh265 transcript was localized to the subventral esophageal glands. An upregulation in Mh265 expression coincided with the pre- and early-parasitic life stages of the nematode. When Mh265 was constitutively expressed in plants, it enhanced their susceptibility to nematodes. These transgenic plants were also compromised in flg22-induced callose deposition, suggesting the Mh265 is modulating plant basal immune responses.
authors.affiliation: 1 Georg August University, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Plants, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.|2 Georg August University, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Dept. of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Plants, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.|4 Washington State University, Plant Pathology Department, Pullman, WA 99164 U.S.A.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.affiliation: 1 Georg August University, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Plants, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Polzin
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Bonn, INRES Molecular Phytomedicine, Karlrobert-Kreiten str. 13, 53115 Bonn, Germany and Agricultural Research Centre, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, 9 Gamaa st., Giza 12619, Egypt; and.
authors.forename: Samer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Habash
authors.affiliation: 4 Washington State University, Plant Pathology Department, Pullman, WA 99164 U.S.A.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 Georg August University, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Plants, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Utermark
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Bonn, INRES Molecular Phytomedicine, Karlrobert-Kreiten str. 13, 53115 Bonn, Germany and Agricultural Research Centre, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, 9 Gamaa st., Giza 12619, Egypt; and.
authors.forename: Florian M W
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Grundler
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Bonn, INRES Molecular Phytomedicine, Karlrobert-Kreiten str. 13, 53115 Bonn, Germany and Agricultural Research Centre, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, 9 Gamaa st., Giza 12619, Egypt; and.
authors.forename: Abdelnaser
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elashry
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005408:Flagellin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D044224:Pseudomonas syringae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014431:Tylenchoidea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D005408:Flagellin