Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195371
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF SOYBEAN CYST NEMATODE, HETERODERA GLYCINES, DNA SEQUENCES WITH HIGH SIMILARITY TO THOSE OF CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS WITH MUTANT LETHAL PHENOTYPES

Author
item ALKHAROUF, N - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
item Klink, Vincent
item Matthews, Benjamin - Ben

Submitted to: Experimental Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/19/2007
Publication Date: 4/19/2007
Citation: Alkharouf, N., Klink, V.P., Matthews, B.F. 2007. Identification of soybean cyst nematode, heterodera glycines, dna sequences with high similarity to those of caenorhabditis elegans with mutant lethal phenotypes. Experimental Parasitology. 115:247-258.

Interpretive Summary: Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) is a devastating pest of soybean and causes between a half and one billion dollars in losses to the US economy per year. The genome sequence of SCN is not well characterized nor fully sequenced. However, the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, has served scientists as a model system for many years. Its genome is fully sequenced and well characterized. A number of genes in C. elegans have been identified that, if mutated or if not expressed, result in death of the organism. Although C. elegans is a free living nematode while SCN is a sedentary root endoparasite, both worms are similar in structure. Utilizing public databases, we compared the known C. elegans genes with approximately 1300 known SCN genes. The results were used to identify a number of SCN genes whose C. elegans counterpart, results in death when mutated. These SCN genes are target candidates for developing new methods to control SCN. This information is important to scientists studying novel approaches to nematode control and working to broaden resistance of plants to nematodes.

Technical Abstract: Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) is a devastating pest of soybean causing one-half to one billion dollars in losses to the US economy per year and over ten billion worldwide. The genome sequence of SCN is not well characterized nor fully sequenced. However, Caenorhabditis elegans genome is fully sequenced, well characterized and a number of lethal genes in C. elegans have been identified through experimental methods. C. elegans is a free living nematode while SCN is a sedentary root endoparasite, but both worms are homologous to each other in structure. We downloaded all the known C. elegans genes into a database and used it to blast approximately 1300 SCN known genes against it. We identified a number of SCN lethal genes through this simple yet effective method that have high homology to C. elegans lethal genes. These candidate genes will be used as RNAi targets to neutralize SCN and limit it’s infection of soybean. An automated pipeline pipeline was developed for this purpose and is available upon request.