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Title: PROBING THE ROLE OF HSP90 IN NEMATODE DEVELOPMENT

Author
item Skantar, Andrea
item Agama, Keli
item Meyer, Susan
item Carta, Lynn

Submitted to: Society of Nematologists Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2003
Publication Date: 9/1/2003
Citation: Skantar, A.M., Agama, K.K., Meyer, S.L., Carta, L.K. Probing the role of hsp90 in nematode development. J. Nematol. 1(35): 364.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We have identified Hsp90 as a potential target for plant-parasitic nematode control. Hsp90 proteins are highly conserved molecular chaperones that ensure proper folding and activation of critical signaling proteins and hormone receptors during conditions of stress. In Caenorhabditis elegans, Hsp90 is an essential single copy gene (daf-21) and part of a chemosensory pathway that controls nematode development in response to environmental signals. Our objective was to gain insight into Hsp90 function in nematodes through the use of a specific Hsp90 inhibitor called geldanamycin (GA). Varying amounts of GA were incubated with heat shocked or non-heat shocked C. elegans eggs and with non-heat shocked eggs from three populations of Heterodera glycines: NL1-RH, TN-17 and TN-18. We discovered that GA interferes with egg hatch and juvenile motility in both C. elegans and H. glycines. These results are the first demonstration of GA inhibition in any species of nematode, validating GA as a molecular probe of Hsp90 function during development.