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Caenorhabditis Elegans Opens the Gates to the Nematode Pheromone World Infections in the Future, We Need to in the Next Five Years, the Pheromone Develop Novel Drugs

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Caenorhabditis Elegans Opens the Gates to the Nematode Pheromone World Infections in the Future, We Need to in the Next Five Years, the Pheromone Develop Novel Drugs The GSA Reporter Winter • 2014 Caenorhabditis elegans Opens the Gates to the Nematode Pheromone World infections in the future, we need to In the next five years, the pheromone develop novel drugs. Pheromones, field is heading toward three major small signaling compounds, are basic research areas: 1) molecular well known control agents for insect biology of nematode pheromones; 2) pests by interfering with mating or application of concepts from development. C. elegans to parasitic nematodes; In 2005, the nematode pheromone and 3) nematode chemical ecology. floodgates were opened with the Molecular biology of pheromones discovery of dauer pheromone is now a flourishing field including in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dauer topics like function, regulation and pheromone regulates entry into a long- signaling of pheromones. Nematode lived stress-resistant stage, dauer. Soon pheromones, called ascarosides, belong to a large class of compounds by Fatma Kaplan after, more dauer pheromones were discovered. Entry into dauer stage is (> 150 identified). We currently know Nematodes are the most controlled by individual pheromones, the function of a handful of ascarosides in C. elegans. There are many more abundant animals on earth whereas social behavior is controlled by blends of the dauer pheromones. with unknown functions. Questions and parasitize nearly every The first pheromone-regulated that still need to be answered include: How many ascarosides are actually plant, insect and animal. nematode behavior discovered was mating behavior. This was followed biologically active? Do the biologically When they infect pests, they by many other behaviors including active ascarosides function by themselves or in a mixture? Regulation can be used as biological aggregation, attraction, dispersal and repulsion. Very recently, the same class is another important field of inquiry. controls. However, when of pheromones was found inside How are the expression of biosynthetic C. elegans and other nematodes. genes regulated; they infect plants and In insect parasitic and transcriptionally and/or animals, they either free living nematodes, translationally? How pheromones regulate is the pheromone threaten our food security behavior and activity by reducing plant yield or development of life The application of regulated? stages analogous Are the cause diseases in animals. to dauer in C. concepts from C. elegans pheromones unstable or For example, nematodes cause many elegans. Now conjugated; diseases in humans such as hookworm, the question: to plant and insect sequestered pin worm and intestinal roundworm Can nematode in a infection (acariasis). Approximately pheromones be parasitic nematodes will subcellular 1/6 of all humans are infected by used to control compartment? nematodes worldwide. Even though plant and animal drive major advances. What are nematode infections are effectively parasitic nematodes? the genes that treated with drugs, nematodes are Of course, the answer pheromones regulate? developing resistance to current to this question will come Of course, signaling is a nematicides, much like antibiotic- with understanding the biology of subject of current and future study. resistant bacteria. To treat nematode nematode pheromones. For example, the first step in signaling 8 Genetics Society of America Winter • 2014 The GSA Reporter is the recognition of the signal, so nematode pheromone/QS signals are jam competitor’s signals by producing researchers can begin to understand involved in host parasite interaction or structural analogs or degrading each signaling by isolating the receptors in how they affect host gene expression other’s pheromones for development C. elegans and other nematodes. and immune systems. Understanding or social behavior? Are pheromones The application of concepts from C. how nematode quorum sensing signals involved in interacting with other elegans to plant and insect parasitic affect host parasite interaction in plants species? The nematode pheromone nematodes will drive major advances. and insects provides field will have major advances Many ascaroside pheromones were us a platform to in understanding the biology of identified in C. elegans, making it apply concepts to nematode pheromones, application “Do nematodes easier to identify and study the function nematodes that of concepts to other nematodes of ascaroside pheromones in other cause disease use pheromones to and nematode chemical ecology. in humans and nematodes. Since plant and insect influence each other’s nematodes are parasitic nematodes, develop drugs there is a potential to explore whether that combat population size?” pheromones are involved in host human parasitic parasite interaction. For example, nematodes. nematodes use pheromones to There will be major Dr. Kaplan was the winner determine their density like bacterial advances in the role of pheromones of an essay contest quorum sensing (QS). Furthermore, in nematode chemical ecology. Some bacterial QS signals regulate bacterial potential questions are: Do nematodes asking GSA members virulence and reprogram animal and use pheromones to influence each to write about plant gene expression and immune other’s population size? If yes, how is the future of their field. systems. We do not know whether this achieved? For example, do they Thank You to the GSA Donors The Genetics Society of America is future of our discipline. From $1 to Contributions are tax deductible grateful to our 193 donors who have $10,000, every donation is greatly to the extent the law allows. GSA is contributed $18,190 from May 2013 appreciated for the impact it makes a nonprofit charitable organization through January 2014 to the Society on the next generation of researchers under 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue and/or its special funds. Your charitable or the genetics community at large. Service Code. donations enable GSA to support To donate by credit card, please go to educational programs, public policy genetics-gsa.org/donate. You can also GENERAL FUND add a donation when you join or renew activities, and media and public President’s Circle ($500+) outreach that promote our field and the your Society membership: genetics- Keith C. Cheng, Pennsylvania State University College of next generation of geneticists. gsa.org/membership. Medicine, Hershey, PA Adam P. Fagen, Genetics Society of America, Bethesda, MD The GSA programs supported by your To contribute by check, make it out Joseph G. Gall, Carnegie Institution, Baltimore, MD donations include GSA Undergraduate to the Genetics Society of America, Boosters ($100-$499) Travel Awards, DeLill Nasser Awards and indicate any specific fund in the Thomas W. Cline, University of California, Berkeley, CA for Professional Development in “memo” line: GSA General Fund, Edward H. Coe, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO Genetics, poster awards at GSA DeLill Nasser Fund, Victoria Finnerty, Orlando J. Miller, Lansdowne, VA John R. Pringle, Stanford University School of Medicine, conferences. Your contributions also or Chi-Bin Chien Award. Mail your Stanford, CA support GSA programs in education, check to GSA, 9650 Rockville Pike, Vassie Claudia Ware, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA communications, and advocacy. Bethesda, MD 20814-3991, Attn: Adam John R. Pringle, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA We invite every member to make Fagen, Executive Director. 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