Isolation and characterization of a nematode transposable element from Panagrellus redivivus

The entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema hermaphroditum is a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite and a genetically tractable system for the study of parasitic and mutualistic symbiosis

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), including Heterorhabditis and Steinernema, are parasitic to insects and contain mutualistically symbiotic bacteria in their intestines (Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus, respectively) and therefore offer opportunities to study both mutualistic and parasitic symbiosis. The establishment of genetic tools in EPNs has been impeded by limited genetic tractability, inconsistent growth in vitro, variable cryopreservation, and low mating efficiency. We obtained the recently described Steinernema hermaphroditum strain CS34 and optimized its in vitro growth, with a rapid generation time on a lawn of its native symbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus griffiniae. We developed a simple and efficient cryopreservation method. Previously, S. hermaphroditum isolated from insect hosts was described as producing hermaphrodites in the first generation. We discovered that CS34, when grown in vitro, produced consecutive generations of autonomously reproducing hermaphrodites accompanied by rare males. We performed mutagenesis screens in S. hermaphroditum that produced mutant lines with visible and heritable phenotypes. Genetic analysis of the mutants demonstrated that this species reproduces by self-fertilization rather than parthenogenesis and that its sex is determined chromosomally. Genetic mapping has thus far identified markers on the X chromosome and three of four autosomes. We report that S. hermaphroditum CS34 is the first consistently hermaphroditic EPN and is suitable for genetic model development to study naturally occurring mutualistic symbiosis and insect parasitism.

Pristionchus nematodes occur frequently in diverse rotting vegetal substrates and are not exclusively necromenic, while Panagrellus redivivoides is found specifically in rotting fruits

The lifestyle and feeding habits of nematodes are highly diverse. Several species of Pristionchus (Nematoda: Diplogastridae), including Pristionchus pacificus, have been reported to be necromenic, i.e. to associate with beetles in their dauer diapause stage and wait until the death of their host to resume development and feed on microbes in the decomposing beetle corpse. We review the literature and suggest that the association of Pristionchus to beetles may be phoretic and not necessarily necromenic. The view that Pristionchus nematodes have a necromenic lifestyle is based on studies that have sought Pristionchus only by sampling live beetles. By surveying for nematode genera in different types of rotting vegetal matter, we found Pristionchus spp. at a similar high frequency as Caenorhabditis, often in large numbers and in feeding stages. Thus, these Pristionchus species may feed in decomposing vegetal matter. In addition, we report that one species of Panagrellus (Nematoda: Panagrolaimidae), Panagrellus redivivoides, is found in rotting fruits but not in rotting stems, with a likely association with Drosophila fruitflies. Based on our sampling and the observed distribution of feeding and dauer stages, we propose a life cycle for Pristionchus nematodes and Panagrellus redivivoides that is similar to that of C. elegans, whereby they feed on the microbial blooms on decomposing vegetal matter and are transported between food patches by coleopterans for Pristionchus spp., fruitflies for Panagrellus redivivoides and isopods and terrestrial molluscs for C. elegans.

The draft genome and transcriptome of Panagrellus redivivus are shaped by the harsh demands of a free-living lifestyle

Nematodes compose an abundant and diverse invertebrate phylum with members inhabiting nearly every ecological niche. Panagrellus redivivus (the "microworm") is a free-living nematode frequently used to understand the evolution of developmental and behavioral processes given its phylogenetic distance to Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we report the de novo sequencing of the genome, transcriptome, and small RNAs of P. redivivus. Using a combination of automated gene finders and RNA-seq data, we predict 24,249 genes and 32,676 transcripts. Small RNA analysis revealed 248 microRNA (miRNA) hairpins, of which 63 had orthologs in other species. Fourteen miRNA clusters containing 42 miRNA precursors were found. The RNA interference, dauer development, and programmed cell death pathways are largely conserved. Analysis of protein family domain abundance revealed that P. redivivus has experienced a striking expansion of BTB domain-containing proteins and an unprecedented expansion of the cullin scaffold family of proteins involved in multi-subunit ubiquitin ligases, suggesting proteolytic plasticity and/or tighter regulation of protein turnover. The eukaryotic release factor protein family has also been dramatically expanded and suggests an ongoing evolutionary arms race with viruses and transposons. The P. redivivus genome provides a resource to advance our understanding of nematode evolution and biology and to further elucidate the genomic architecture leading to free-living lineages, taking advantage of the many fascinating features of this worm revealed by comparative studies.

Characterization of the relationships in the pinewood nematode species complex (PWNSC) (Bursaphelenchus spp.) using a heterologous unc-22 DNA probe from Caenorhabditis elegans

Pine wilt is the most serious disease of native pines in Japan and potentially the most important nematode disease of conifers in the world. The pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus was found to be the causal agent. Difficulties arose with respect to the precise identity of some isolates of B. xylophilus and of similar species B. mucronatus and B. fraudulentus. Restriction enzyme analyses of repetitive DNA revealed bands specific for the species B. xylophilus, B. mucronatus and B. fraudulentus. Hybridization patterns obtained with unc-22 gene of C. elegans, clearly identified B. xylophilus, B. mucronatus and B. fraudulentus as well as the different geographic isolates of these species. Furthermore, it is possible to define the phylogenetic relationships between the different populations constituting the ‘pine wood nematode’ complex.

Panagrellus redivivus ornithine decarboxylase: structure of the gene, expression in Escherichia coli and characterization of the recombinant protein

A southern blot analysis of the Panagrellus redivivus ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene suggests that it is a single-copy gene that resides on a genomic 3.2 kb EcoRI fragment. Phage clones possessing ODC gene sequences were isolated from a genomic EMBL-4 library and purified. The phage DNA inserts were analysed and a 3.2 kb EcoRI fragment containing the entire ODC gene was isolated. The nucleotide sequence analysis of this fragment reveals that the gene is interrupted by two introns of 47 and 49 bp. In the 5' non-translated region of the gene, putative AP1, VPE2 and c-Myc binding sites were identified. The ODC cDNA was expressed in a bacterial system as a His-fusion protein and the enzyme was purified by Ni(2+)-chelating affinity chromatography. The subunit molecular mass, as deduced from the cDNA and shown by SDS/PAGE, is 47.1 kDa. On the basis of gel filtration analyses it is shown that the active enzyme is a dimer. The specific enzyme activity was determined to be 4.2 mumol CO2/min/mg protein. The enzyme is dependent on pyridoxal 5-phosphate as a cofactor, and the presence of dithioerythritol or other thiol-reducing agents is essential for maximal activity. The Km value for L-ornithine was determined as 44 microM. The Ki values for putrescine, alpha-diffluoromethylornithine, alpha-hydrazino-ornithine and alpha-methylornithine were calculated as 51, 34, 0.34 and 42 microM respectively.

Unusual features of the retroid element PAT from the nematode Panagrellus redivivus

The PAT retroid transposable elements differ from other retroids in that they have a 'split direct repeat' structure, i.e., and internal 300bp sequence is found repeated, about one half at each element extremity. A very abundant transcript of about 900 nt, the start of which maps to the preferentially deleted portion of PAT elements, is detected on total Panagrellus redivius RNA bearing Northern blots. A potentially corresponding ORF encodes a protein of 265 residues having a carboxy terminal Cystein motif, believed to be exclusively characteristic of the GAG protein in retoid elements. A much fainter, 1800nt long transcript, is also detected on Northern blots and maps slightly downstream of the first ORF. The predicted protein sequence of this region bears motifs typical of reverse transcriptase and RNaseH, as found in the Pol genes of retroid elements. Peptide motif similarities are greatest with the DIRS-1 element derived from Dictyostelium discoideum. The possibility of using PAT elements as transposon tagging system for Caenorhabditis elegans is discussed.

Nucleotide sequence of PAT, a retroid element with unusual DR organization, isolated from Panagrellus redivivus

We have isolated several copies of the transposable element PAT of Panagrellus redivivus and sequenced one full length, presumably autonomous, 5514 bp entity. The terminal sequences are found repeated inside the element, probably representing the homologous of the long terminal repeats in common retroid elements. Two major open reading frames are present with features typical of GAG and Pol. Both the structural features and open reading frame characteristics assign PAT to the retroid family of transposable elements, and more precisely to the gypsy class of retroids when putative functional domains of Pol are compared to published sequences.

A related moderately repetitive DNA family in the nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides and Panagrellus silusiae

Digestion of genomic DNA from the nematodes Panagrellus silusiae and Ascaris lumbricoides with restriction endonuclease BamH1 releases a 0.7 kilobase (kb) fragment. The 0.7 kb fragment from both nematodes was cloned onto E. coli plasmid pUC19. Using representative clones as DNA hybridization probes, it was found that (i) the BamH1 fragments cross-hybridize; (ii) a ladder-effect with multiples of 0.7 kb was evident in both species after hybridization to genomic DNA and (iii) the genomic copy number of BamH1 elements is 150 and 195 for P. silusiae and A. lumbricoides respectively. DNA sequence analysis of the inserts, AL700-1 and PS700-1, revealed nucleotide blocks with over 85% similarity. No open reading frames are present in either DNA fragment. Neither fragment hybridizes to genomic DNA from Caenorhabditis elegans. Northern blot hybridization indicated that the 0.7 kb element is transcribed into poly(A)(-)-RNA in P. silusiae; but, is not transcribed in adult Ascaris muscle. Thus, P. silusiae and A. lumbricoides share a homologous, tandemly arrayed, moderately repetitive DNA family.

Presence of the Caenorhabditis elegans spliced leader on different mRNAs and in different genera of nematodes

Several different mRNAs from Caenorhabditis elegans contain the same 22-nucleotide leader sequence at their 5' ends that is acquired in a trans-splicing reaction. About 10 to 15% of the major proteins are translated from mRNAs that contain the spliced leader, among them two ribosomal proteins, ubiquitin, GAPDH, a heat shock protein (hsp70a), and three actins. The same spliced leader sequence is present in mRNAs isolated from nematodes from several different genera; but it is not present in mRNAs from other organisms. The spliced leader is encoded as a spliced leader (SL) RNA about 100 nucleotides long. The gene for the SL RNA is located in the 5S rDNA repeat in C. elegans; however, this association with the 5S repeat is not preserved in other genera. The 22-nucleotide spliced leader sequence is conserved in three genera of nematodes.