Parapristionchus Giblindavisi N. Gen., N. Sp. (Rhabditida: Diplogastridae) Isolated from Stag Beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in Japan

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Parapristionchus Giblindavisi N. Gen., N. Sp. (Rhabditida: Diplogastridae) Isolated from Stag Beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in Japan Nematology, 2012, Vol. 14(8), 933-947 Parapristionchus giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. (Rhabditida: Diplogastridae) isolated from stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in Japan Natsumi KANZAKI 1,ErikJ.RAGSDALE 2, Matthias HERRMANN 2,WernerE.MAYER 2,†, ∗ Ryusei TANAKA 1 and Ralf J. SOMMER 2, 1 Forest Pathology Laboratory, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan 2 Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Spemannstraße 37, Tübingen, Germany Received: 3 January 2012; revised: 1 March 2012 Accepted for publication: 1 March 2012; available online: 15 May 2012 Summary – A new species of diplogastrid nematode, isolated in a previous survey of nematodes associated with stag beetles in Japan, is described as Parapristionchus giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. Parapristionchus n. gen. differs from other diplogastrid genera chiefly by its stomatal morphology. Distinguishing the genus are the presence of a claw-like dorsal tooth in both the eurystomatous and stenostomatous forms and the division of the cheilostom into 12 plates lacking apical flaps. According to phylogenetic analysis of nine ribosomal protein gene sequences, Parapristionchus n. gen. shows deep divergence from other known genera. Molecular evidence strongly supports P. giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. + Pristionchus spp. as monophyletic with respect to all other diplogastrids examined. Congruent with a clade of P. giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. + Pristionchus spp. is the shared presence of a bifurcate P7 genital papilla. Discovery and description of a close sister group to Pristionchus, a model biological system, enables character polarisation in macroevolutionary studies of Pristionchus nematodes. Keywords – Dorcus rubrofemoratus, molecular, morphology, morphometrics, new genus, new species, phylogeny, taxonomy. The nematode family Diplogastridae Micoletzky, 1922 genera according to phylogenetic analysis of D2/D3 large currently includes 30 genera (Sudhaus & Fürst von subunit (LSU) rRNA and near full length small subunit Lieven, 2003; Kanzaki et al., 2009a; Mayer et al., 2009; (SSU) rRNA. ‘Pristionchus sp.’ was clearly differentiated Fürst von Lieven et al., 2011; Susoy & Herrmann, 2012), from the Pristionchus clade by both morphological and species of which are generally regarded to be insect- molecular criteria, although it was closer to Pristionchus associated nematodes. Kanzaki et al. (2011) surveyed ne- than any other genus included in that study. matodes associated with stag beetles (Lucanidae) in Japan The growing use of Pristionchus Kreis, 1932 as a model and reported seven diplogastrid species from eight species biological system (Sommer, 2009) highlights the need of stag beetles. Isolated nematodes included Koerneria for resolved systematics of the genus. Studies of macro- luziae (Körner, 1954) Meyl, 1960, K. lucani (Körner, evolution, which place P.pacificus Sommer, Carta, Kim & 1954) Meyl, 1960, Pseudodiplogasteroides compositus Sternberg, 1996 as a focal point, require proper outgroups Körner, 1954, Pseudodiplogasteroides sp., Rhabditidoi- for polarising character transitions across Pristionchus des sp., Pristionchus cf. pacificus, and ‘Pristionchus sp.’ species. Although ingroup relationships of the genus are Among these seven species, the taxonomic affiliation of increasingly resolved (Mayer et al., 2007, 2009), stud- two species, K. luziae and ‘Pristionchus sp.’, were uncer- ies have not agreed on placing an outgroup to the genus tain, as both were separated from their respective assigned (Mayer et al., 2007, 2009; van Megen et al., 2009; Kion- † Deceased 23 January 2012. * Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2012 DOI:10.1163/156854112X635878 933 N. Kanzaki et al. tke & Fitch, 2010). Alleviating this disparity, the iso- and sequence amplified for the latter isolate is given in late reported as ‘Pristionchus sp.’wasdiscoveredasa Mayer et al. (2007). taxon that breaks up the phylogenetic distance between For phylogenetic analysis, nine ribosomal protein genes Pristionchus and other diplogastrid genera (Kanzaki et were amplified and sequenced, generating a total align- al., 2011). This species is described herein as Parapris- ment of 5996 coding nucleotides. Genes included in anal- tionchus giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. based on its apo- ysis were rpl-2, rpl-10, rpl-14, rpl-23, rpl-29, rpl-35, morphic morphological characters and phylogenetic posi- rps-14, rps-27 and rps-28. Sequences for ribosomal pro- tion as inferred from sequences of nine ribosomal protein tein genes have been deposited in GenBank under ac- genes. cession numbers JQ677914-JQ677920. All information regarding genes, primers, and PCR conditions is given Materials and methods in Mayer et al. (2009). Species selected for analysis in- clude three undescribed species isolated from Japan (Pris- NEMATODE ISOLATION AND CULTIVATION tionchus sp. 10, Pristionchus sp. 14, and Pristionchus sp. 15), which are the most basal known representatives of the Parapristionchus giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. was iso- genus Pristionchus and thus likely to be the Pristionchus lated from an adult of Dorcus rubrofemoratus Vollen- species closest to P. giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. Molecu- hoven (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) collected in Iwaizumi, lar sequence data for Pristionchus species were collected Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in September 2010. The strain and reported by Mayer et al. (2007). Other species in- has been kept in laboratory culture on NGM agar plates cluded represent other diplogastrid and outgroup genera seeded with Escherichia coli strain OP50, under the cul- for which homologous sequence data are already pub- ture code and freezing voucher number RS5555. Detailed lished (Mayer et al., 2009). Isolation details for included isolation conditions for the strain are described in Kanzaki Pristionchus species other than P. giblindavisi n. gen., n. et al. (2011). sp. are given in Mayer et al. (2007) and Kanzaki et al. (2012). Isolation details for species of other genera are MORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATION AND PREPARATION given in Mayer et al. (2009). OF TYPE MATERIAL The concatenated dataset of ribosomal protein genes One- to 2-week-old cultures of P. giblindavisi n. gen., was aligned in ClustalX and then analysed in MEGA5.05 n. sp. were prepared for morphological observation. Light (Tamura et al., 2011) after complete deletion of gapped microscopic observations were conducted using live ne- or ambiguous positions. Substitution models were evalu- matodes, which were handpicked from culture plates. To ated in MEGA5. The model with the lowest Bayesian In- + + prepare type material, nematodes were isolated from cul- formation Criterion (BIC) score Tamura-Nei93 I G, tures, rinsed in distilled water to remove bacteria, heat- was chosen for analysis. Phylogenetic analysis was per- killed at 65°C, fixed in 5% formalin, and processed formed using the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion as through a glycerin and ethanol series using Seinhorst’s implemented in MEGA5. The taxon Rhabditoides inermis method (see Hooper, 1986). (SB328) was specified as outgroup, as informed by more broadly representative phylogenetic analyses (van Megen MOLECULAR CHARACTERISATION AND PHYLOGENY et al., 2009). Node support was evaluated by 500 boot- strap pseudoreplicates. In a previous study, all isolates other than that from Okinawa (see below) were confirmed to be the same Results species by their D2/D3 LSU and near full length SSU * rRNA sequences (Kanzaki et al., 2011), each of which Parapristionchus n. gen. was identical across isolates. Details about primers and sequences amplified are given therein. To confirm that DESCRIPTION the isolate collected from Okinawa belongs to the same Diplogastridae. Body cylindrical, stout. Cuticle thick, species as the others, an 830 bp fragment of the SSU with fine annulation and clear longitudinal striations. Lips rRNA gene was extracted, amplified, and sequenced for the isolate. The SSU rRNA sequence was identical to * Derived from the Greek παρα (‘near’) + Pristionchus,a that of the above isolates and is not discussed further closely related genus according to morphological and molecular herein. Information regarding primers, PCR conditions, evidence. 934 Nematology Parapristionchus giblindavisi n. gen., n. sp. from Japan not clearly separated from each other or from rest of body. stomatous form. According to phylogenetic analysis of Six short and papilliform labial sensilla present in male SSU rRNA sequences, Parapristionchus n. gen. and Pris- and female, and four small, papilliform cephalic papil- tionchus form a well-supported monophyletic clade but lae present in male, as typical for diplogastrid nema- are clearly distinguished from each other by deep branch todes. Stomatal dimorphism with stenostomatous (narrow lengths (Kanzaki et al., 2011). mouth) and eurystomatous (wide mouth) forms occurring Parapristionchus n. gen. is morphologically close to in both male and female. In both forms, cheilostom con- Micoletzkya Weingärtner, 1955 but is distinguished from sisting of 12 well-cuticularised and conspicuous plates, the latter genus by its cheilostomatal structure in both the and a thick, well-cuticularised gymnostom forming a steno- and eurystomatous form, having 12 vs six plates short tube or ring. Stegostom bearing a conspicuous and and by the stegostom in both mouth forms, the postdental movable dorsal, claw-like tooth in both forms. Stegos- part of which in Parapristionchus n.
Recommended publications
  • Ecology of Mite Phoresy on Mountain Pine Beetles
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018-05-04 Ecology of Mite Phoresy on Mountain Pine Beetles Peralta Vázquez, Guadalupe Haydeé Guadalupe Haydeé Peralta Vázquez, A. A. (2018). Ecology of Mite Phoresy on Mountain Pine Beetles (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/31904 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/106622 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Ecology of Mite Phoresy on Mountain Pine Beetles by Guadalupe Haydeé Peralta Vázquez A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CALGARY, ALBERTA MAY, 2018 © Guadalupe Haydeé Peralta Vázquez 2018 Abstract Phoresy, a commensal interaction where smaller organisms utilize dispersive hosts for transmission to new habitats, is expected to produce positive effects for symbionts and no effects for hosts, yet negative and positive effects have been documented. This poses the question of whether phoresy is indeed a commensal interaction and demands clarification. In bark beetles (Scolytinae), both effects are documented during reproduction and effects on hosts during the actual dispersal are largely unknown. In the present research, I investigated the ecological mechanisms that determine the net effects of the phoresy observed in mites and mountain pine beetles (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins.
    [Show full text]
  • Repertoire and Evolution of Mirna Genes in Four Divergent Nematode Species
    Downloaded from genome.cshlp.org on September 25, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Resource Repertoire and evolution of miRNA genes in four divergent nematode species Elzo de Wit,1,3 Sam E.V. Linsen,1,3 Edwin Cuppen,1,2,4 and Eugene Berezikov1,2,4 1Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Cancer Genomics Center, Utrecht 3584 CT, The Netherlands; 2InteRNA Genomics B.V., Bilthoven 3723 MB, The Netherlands miRNAs are ;22-nt RNA molecules that play important roles in post-transcriptional regulation. We have performed small RNA sequencing in the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans, C. briggsae, C. remanei, and Pristionchus pacificus, which have diverged up to 400 million years ago, to establish the repertoire and evolutionary dynamics of miRNAs in these species. In addition to previously known miRNA genes from C. elegans and C. briggsae we demonstrate expression of many of their homologs in C. remanei and P. pacificus, and identified in total more than 100 novel expressed miRNA genes, the majority of which belong to P. pacificus. Interestingly, more than half of all identified miRNA genes are conserved at the seed level in all four nematode species, whereas only a few miRNAs appear to be species specific. In our compendium of miRNAs we observed evidence for known mechanisms of miRNA evolution including antisense transcription and arm switching, as well as miRNA family expansion through gene duplication. In addition, we identified a novel mode of miRNA evolution, termed ‘‘hairpin shifting,’’ in which an alternative hairpin is formed with up- or downstream sequences, leading to shifting of the hairpin and creation of novel miRNA* species.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling the Ballistic-To-Diffusive Transition in Nematode Motility
    Modeling the ballistic-to-diffusive transition in nematode motility reveals variation in exploratory behavior across species Stephen J. Helms∗1, W. Mathijs Rozemuller∗1, Antonio Carlos Costa∗2, Leon Avery3, Greg J. Stephens2,4, and Thomas S. Shimizu y1 1AMOLF Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 3Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth Univ., Richmond, VA, USA 4Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan Abstract A quantitative understanding of organism-level behavior requires pre- dictive models that can capture the richness of behavioral phenotypes, yet are simple enough to connect with underlying mechanistic processes. Here we investigate the motile behavior of nematodes at the level of their trans- lational motion on surfaces driven by undulatory propulsion. We broadly sample the nematode behavioral repertoire by measuring motile trajecto- ries of the canonical lab strain C. elegans N2 as well as wild strains and distant species. We focus on trajectory dynamics over timescales span- ning the transition from ballistic (straight) to diffusive (random) move- ment and find that salient features of the motility statistics are captured by a random walk model with independent dynamics in the speed, bear- arXiv:1501.00481v3 [q-bio.NC] 24 Mar 2019 ing and reversal events. We show that the model parameters vary among species in a correlated, low-dimensional manner suggestive of a common mode of behavioral control and a trade-off between exploration and ex- ploitation. The distribution of phenotypes along this primary mode of variation reveals that not only the mean but also the variance varies con- siderably across strains, suggesting that these nematode lineages employ contrasting \bet-hedging" strategies for foraging.
    [Show full text]
  • Pristionchus Pacificus* §
    Pristionchus pacificus* § Ralf J. Sommer , Max-Planck Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Abteilung Evolutionsbiologie, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany Table of Contents 1. Biology ..................................................................................................................................1 2. Developmental biology ............................................................................................................. 3 3. Phylogeny ..............................................................................................................................3 4. Ecology .................................................................................................................................3 5. Genetics .................................................................................................................................4 5.1. Formal genetics and sex determination .............................................................................. 4 5.2. Nomenclature ............................................................................................................... 5 6. Genomics ...............................................................................................................................5 6.1. Macrosynteny: chromosome homology and genome size ...................................................... 5 6.2. Microsynteny ............................................................................................................... 6 6.3. Trans-splicing ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • An Introduction to the UCSC Genome Browser* Raymond Lee§ Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125, USA
    An introduction to the UCSC Genome Browser* Raymond Lee§ Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125, USA The Genome Browser at the University of California Santa Cruz provides a uniform graphical interface to sequences, features, and annotations of genomes across a wide spectrum of organisms, from yeast to humans. In particular, it covers seven nematode genomes: Caenorhabditis elegans, C. sp. 11, C. brenneri, C. briggsae, C. remanei, C. japonica, and Pristionchus pacificus and thus is particularly useful for multiple-genome comparative analysis. One can use the provided tools and visual aides to facilitate sequence feature detection and examination. This article provides a brief introduction for using the Genome Browser from the perspective of a C. elegans researcher. Interested users should read the official user guide and explore the site more deeply as there are many more features not mentioned here. To begin, one should choose the nematode clade, then the organism C. elegans, a version of genome sequence assembly (e.g., WS220), and a region of the genome (Figure 1). Browser behavior is context sensitive, depending on the choices made in order from left to right. There are three basic ways to specify a region to browse: by a range of chromosomal numerical positions, by a gene name and by an accession number. More flexibly, instead of exact positions, one can also search for a descriptive term (such as “kinase inhibitor”) that is present in gene records. Some restrictions are worth noting. Chromosome positions must start with “chr”. Gene names recognized by the browser are limited to those in RefSeq and Ensembl entries.
    [Show full text]
  • Exosomes Secreted by Nematode Parasites Transfer Small Rnas to Mammalian Cells and Modulate Innate Immunity
    s Buck, A. H. et al. (2014) Exosomes secreted by nematode parasites transfer small RNAs to mammalian cells and modulate innate immunity. Nature Communications, 5 (5488). ISSN 2041-1723 Copyright © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/100121 Deposited on: 08 December 2014 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk ARTICLE Received 8 Sep 2014 | Accepted 6 Oct 2014 | Published 25 Nov 2014 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6488 OPEN Exosomes secreted by nematode parasites transfer small RNAs to mammalian cells and modulate innate immunity Amy H. Buck1,2, Gillian Coakley1,2,*, Fabio Simbari1,2,*, Henry J. McSorley1,2, Juan F. Quintana1,2, Thierry Le Bihan2,3, Sujai Kumar4, Cei Abreu-Goodger5, Marissa Lear1,2, Yvonne Harcus1,2, Alessandro Ceroni1,w, Simon A. Babayan2,w, Mark Blaxter2,3,6, Alasdair Ivens2 & Rick M. Maizels1,2 In mammalian systems RNA can move between cells via vesicles. Here we demonstrate that the gastrointestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus, which infects mice, secretes vesi- cles containing microRNAs (miRNAs) and Y RNAs as well as a nematode Argonaute protein. These vesicles are of intestinal origin and are enriched for homologues of mammalian exo- some proteins. Administration of the nematode exosomes to mice suppresses Type 2 innate responses and eosinophilia induced by the allergen Alternaria. Microarray analysis of mouse cells incubated with nematode exosomes in vitro identifies Il33r and Dusp1 as suppressed genes, and Dusp1 can be repressed by nematode miRNAs based on a reporter assay. We further identify miRNAs from the filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis in the serum of infected mice, suggesting that miRNA secretion into host tissues is conserved among parasitic nematodes.
    [Show full text]
  • Alteration of Microflora of the Facultative Parasitic Nematode Pristionchus Entomophagus and Its Potential Application As a Biological Control Agent
    The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College 5-2013 Alteration of Microflora of the Facultative Parasitic Nematode Pristionchus Entomophagus and its Potential Application as a Biological Control Agent Amy M. Michaud University of Maine - Main Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, and the Parasitology Commons Recommended Citation Michaud, Amy M., "Alteration of Microflora of the Facultative Parasitic Nematode Pristionchus Entomophagus and its Potential Application as a Biological Control Agent" (2013). Honors College. 134. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/134 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ALTERATION OF MICROFLORA OF THE FACULTATIVE PARASITIC NEMATODE PRISTIONCHUS ENTOMOPHAGUS AND ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATION AS A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT by Amy M. Michaud A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Degree with Honors (Biology) The Honors College University of Maine May 2013 Advisory Committee: Dr. Eleanor Groden, Professor of Entomology, Advisor Dr. Dave Lambert, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology Elissa Ballman, Research Associate in Invasive Species and Entomology Dr. Francois Amar, Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry Dr. John Singer, Professor of Microbiology Abstract: Pristionchus entomophagus is a microbivorous, facultative, parasitic nematode commonly found in soil and decaying organic matter in North America and Europe. This nematode can form an alternative juvenile life stage capable of infecting an insect host. The microflora of P.
    [Show full text]
  • Three New Species of Pristionchus (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) Show
    bs_bs_banner Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 168, 671–698. With 14 figures Three new species of Pristionchus (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) show morphological divergence through evolutionary intermediates of a novel feeding-structure polymorphism ERIK J. RAGSDALE1†, NATSUMI KANZAKI2†, WALTRAUD RÖSELER1, MATTHIAS HERRMANN1 and RALF J. SOMMER1* 1Department of Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstraße 37, Tübingen, Germany 2Forest Pathology Laboratory, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan Received 13 February 2013; revised 26 March 2013; accepted for publication 28 March 2013 Developmental plasticity is often correlated with diversity and has been proposed as a facilitator of phenotypic novelty. Yet how a dimorphism arises or how additional morphs are added is not understood, and few systems provide experimental insight into the evolution of polyphenisms. Because plasticity correlates with structural diversity in Pristionchus nematodes, studies in this group can test the role of plasticity in facilitating novelty. Here, we describe three new species, Pristionchus fukushimae sp. nov., Pristionchus hoplostomus sp. nov., and the hermaphroditic Pristionchus triformis sp. nov., which are characterized by a novel polymorphism in their mouthparts. In addition to showing the canonical mouth dimorphism of diplogastrid nematodes, comprising a stenostomatous (‘narrow-mouthed’) and a eurystomatous (‘wide-mouthed’) form, the new species exhibit forms with six, 12, or intermediate numbers of cheilostomatal plates. Correlated with this polymorphism is another trait that varies among species: whereas divisions between plates are complete in P. triformis sp. nov., which is biased towards a novel ‘megastomatous’ form comprising 12 complete plates, the homologous divisions in the other new species are partial and of variable length.
    [Show full text]
  • Developmental Plasticity, Ecology, and Evolutionary Radiation of Nematodes of Diplogastridae
    Developmental Plasticity, Ecology, and Evolutionary Radiation of Nematodes of Diplogastridae Dissertation der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) vorgelegt von Vladislav Susoy aus Berezniki, Russland Tübingen 2015 Gedruckt mit Genehmigung der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. Tag der mündlichen Qualifikation: 5 November 2015 Dekan: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Rosenstiel 1. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Ralf J. Sommer 2. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Heinz-R. Köhler 3. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Hinrich Schulenburg Acknowledgements I am deeply appreciative of the many people who have supported my work. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisors, Professor Ralf J. Sommer and Dr. Matthias Herrmann for giving me the opportunity to pursue various research projects as well as for their insightful scientific advice, support, and encouragement. I am also very grateful to Matthias for introducing me to nematology and for doing an excellent job of organizing fieldwork in Germany, Arizona and on La Réunion. I would like to thank the members of my examination committee: Professor Heinz-R. Köhler and Professor Hinrich Schulenburg for evaluating this dissertation and Dr. Felicity Jones, Professor Karl Forchhammer, and Professor Rolf Reuter for being my examiners. I consider myself fortunate for having had Dr. Erik J. Ragsdale as a colleague for several years, and more than that to count him as a friend. We have had exciting collaborations and great discussions and I would like to thank you, Erik, for your attention, inspiration, and thoughtful feedback. I also want to thank Erik and Orlando de Lange for reading over drafts of this dissertation and spelling out some nuances of English writing.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting
    SURVEY AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF NEMATODES ASSOCIATED AS EXTERNAL EPIBIONTS ON THE FLORIDA MANATEE, TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS By RAFAEL A. GONZALEZ A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2020 © 2020 Rafael A. Gonzalez To my Mother and Father, thank you for believing in me ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank my parents Mario and Linda Gonzalez for their patience and support throughout my life. I also thank my committee members Robin Giblin-Davis, William H. Kern Jr., and Natsumi Kanzaki for their support, guidance, and patience during this work. Thanks are owed to Cathy Beck, Bob Bonde, and Susan Butler for allowing me to participate in the health assessment manatee capture events and for their advice about how to keep both myself and the animals safe from harm. I would also like to thank Seemanti Chakrabarti, Ulrich Stingl, and Brian Bahder for their valuable advice during this work. Lastly I thank my wife, Tina Fregeolle-Gonzalez for her love and support. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ 6 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 7 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Rapid Diversification Associated with a Macroevolutionary Pulse Of
    Caenorhabditis elegans Caenorhabditis elegans Pristionchus pacificus P. pacificus C. elegans C. elegans P Leptojacobus dorci P P P P P P P P P. pacificus • sensusensu sensu Mesorhabditis Mesorhabditis Caenorhabditis Rhabditis Rhabditoides inermis Poikilolaimus Dataset assembly. Inference methods. P.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pristionchus Pacificus Genome Provides a Unique
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UGD Academic Repository ARTICLES The Pristionchus pacificus genome provides a unique perspective on nematode lifestyle and parasitism Christoph Dieterich1, Sandra W Clifton2, Lisa N Schuster1, Asif Chinwalla2, Kimberly Delehaunty2, Iris Dinkelacker1, Lucinda Fulton2, Robert Fulton2, Jennifer Godfrey2, Pat Minx2, Makedonka Mitreva2, Waltraud Roeseler1, Huiyu Tian1, Hanh Witte1, Shiaw-Pyng Yang2, Richard K Wilson2 & Ralf J Sommer1 Here we present a draft genome sequence of the nematode Pristionchus pacificus, a species that is associated with beetles and is used as a model system in evolutionary biology. With 169 Mb and 23,500 predicted protein-coding genes, the P. pacificus genome is larger than those of Caenorhabditis elegans and the human parasite Brugia malayi. Compared to C. elegans,the P. pacificus genome has more genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes, glucosyltransferases, sulfotransferases and ABC transporters, many of which were experimentally validated. The P. pacificus genome contains genes encoding cellulase and diapausin, and cellulase activity is found in P. pacificus secretions, indicating that cellulases can be found in nematodes beyond plant parasites. The relatively higher number of detoxification and degradation enzymes in P. pacificus is consistent with its necromenic lifestyle and might represent a preadaptation for parasitism. Thus, comparative genomics analysis of three ecologically distinct nematodes offers a unique opportunity to investigate the association between genome structure and lifestyle. Nematodes occupy a wide range of ecological niches, from free-living larvae remain arrested in the dauer stage until the death of the insect microbivores or predators to parasites.
    [Show full text]