Meloidogyne incognita

About: Meloidogyne incognita is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 6323 publications have been published within this topic receiving 76349 citations.

Genome sequence of the metazoan plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract: Plant-parasitic nematodes are major agricultural pests worldwide and novel approaches to control them are sorely needed. We report the draft genome sequence of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, a biotrophic parasite of many crops, including tomato, cotton and coffee. Most of the assembled sequence of this asexually reproducing nematode, totaling 86 Mb, exists in pairs of homologous but divergent segments. This suggests that ancient allelic regions in M. incognita are evolving toward effective haploidy, permitting new mechanisms of adaptation. The number and diversity of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in M. incognita is unprecedented in any animal for which a genome sequence is available, and may derive from multiple horizontal gene transfers from bacterial sources. Our results provide insights into the adaptations required by metazoans to successfully parasitize immunocompetent plants, and open the way for discovering new antiparasitic strategies.

Arabidopsis thaliana as a new model host for plant‐parasitic nematodes

Abstract: Summary We have established culture conditions for successful infection and development of several economically important cyst-forming and root-knot nematodes on Arabidopsis thaliana under monoxenic conditions. Complete life cycles were obtained with the sedentary cyst nematodes Heterodera schachtii, H. trifolii, H. cajani and the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. arenariaas well as with the migratory nematode Pratylenchus penetrans. In contrast, H. goettingiana and Globodera rostochiensis were unable to develop on Arabidopsis roots. Tissue-culture quality agar and medium conditions optimized for hydroponic root culture were essential for successful infections. Detailed in-vivo observations were made inside Arabidopsis roots during the early infection stages of M. incognita and during complete development of H. schachtii. Seventy-four different ecotypes of Arabidopsis were screened for their susceptibility towards H. schachtii resulting in a range of infection rates. None of the ecotypes tested showed complete resistance in vitro. The use of Arabidopsis as a host for plant-parasitic nematodes will provide a new model system for the molecular genetic analysis of this interaction.

The tomato Mi-1 gene confers resistance to both root-knot nematodes and potato aphids

Abstract: Mi-1, a Lycopersicon peruvianum gene conferring resistance to the agricultural pests, root-knot nematodes, and introgressed into tomato, has been cloned using a selective restriction fragment amplification based strategy. Complementation analysis of a susceptible tomato line with a 100 kb cosmid array yielded a single cosmid clone capable of conferring resistance both to the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and to an unrelated pathogen, the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae. This resistance was stable. The Mi-1 gene encodes a protein sharing structural features with the nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat-containing type of plant resistance genes.

Identification of Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica and M. arenaria using sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) based PCR assays

Abstract: Three randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, OPA-12 420 , OPB-06 1200 and OPA-01 700 , species specific to the root-knot nematode species Meloidogyne arenaria , M. incognita and M. javanica respectively, were identified. After sequencing these RAPD-PCR products, longer primers of 18 to 23 nucleotides were designed to complement the terminal DNA sequences of the DNA fragments. This resulted in three pairs of species specific primers that were used to amplify the sequence characterised amplified regions (SCARs). The developed sets of SCAR primers were successfully used in straightforward, fast and reliable PCR assays to identify M. incognita , M. javanica and M. arenaria . The length variant SCAR markers can be amplified from DNA from egg masses, second stage juveniles and females. This species identification technique is therefore independent of the nematode's life cycle stage. Moreover the SCAR-PCR assay was successfully applied using DNA extracts from infested plant material. The method has potential to be optimised for routine practical diagnostic tests facilitating the control of these economically important pest organisms. Identification de Meloigyne incognita, M. javanica et M. arenaria au moyen de l'amplification de regions de sequences caracteristiques (SCAR) par une technique PCR - Trois marqueurs d'ADN polymorphique amplifiee au hasard (RAPD) OPA-12 420 , OPB-O6 1200 et OPA-OI 700 , respectivement specifiques des especes de nematodes Meloidogyne arenaria , M. incognita et M. javanica , ont ete identifies. Apres le sequencage de ces produits RAPD-PCR, les amorces les plus longues de 18 a 23 nucleotides ont ete choisies pour completer les sequences terminales d'ADN des fragments d'ADN. Cela a conduit a trois paires d'amorces specifiques de l'espece, utilisees pour amplifier les regions des sequences caracteristiques (SCAR). Les lots d'amorces SCAR mis au point ont ete utilises avec succes lors d'essais directs, rapides et surs pour identifier M. incognita , M. javanica et M. arenia . Les marqueurs peuvent etre amplifies a partir de l'ADN des masses d'oeufs, des juveniles de deuxieme stade ou des femelles. Cette technique d'identification specifique est donc independante des differents etats de developpement du nematode. De plus la technique SCAR-PCR a ete appliquee avec succes a l'ADN extrait du materiel vegetal infeste. Cette methode presente des potentialites d'amelioration permettant d'envisager des tests pratiques d'identification de routine, facilitant ainsi le controle de ces parasites economiquement importants.

Direct identification of the Meloidogyne incognita secretome reveals proteins with host cell reprogramming potential.

Abstract: The root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is an obligate parasite that causes significant damage to a broad range of host plants. Infection is associated with secretion of proteins surrounded by proliferating cells. Many parasites are known to secrete effectors that interfere with plant innate immunity, enabling infection to occur; they can also release pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs, e.g., flagellin) that trigger basal immunity through the nematode stylet into the plant cell. This leads to suppression of innate immunity and reprogramming of plant cells to form a feeding structure containing multinucleate giant cells. Effectors have generally been discovered using genetics or bioinformatics, but M. incognita is non-sexual and its genome sequence has not yet been reported. To partially overcome these limitations, we have used mass spectrometry to directly identify 486 proteins secreted by M. incognita. These proteins contain at least segmental sequence identity to those found in our 3 reference databases (published nematode proteins; unpublished M. incognita ESTs; published plant proteins). Several secreted proteins are homologous to plant proteins, which they may mimic, and they contain domains that suggest known effector functions (e.g., regulating the plant cell cycle or growth). Others have regulatory domains that could reprogram cells. Using in situ hybridization we observed that most secreted proteins were produced by the subventral glands, but we found that phasmids also secreted proteins. We annotated the functions of the secreted proteins and classified them according to roles they may play in the development of root knot disease. Our results show that parasite secretomes can be partially characterized without cognate genomic DNA sequence. We observed that the M. incognita secretome overlaps the reported secretome of mammalian parasitic nematodes (e.g., Brugia malayi), suggesting a common parasitic behavior and a possible conservation of function between metazoan parasites of plants and animals.