How did nematodes acquire a specific relationship with their beetle vectors, ?

For insect-borne pathogens, phoretic ability is important not only to spread more widely and efficiently but also to evolve virulence. , the causal agent of pine wilt disease, is transmitted by the cerambycid beetle , which is associated with pine tree host. Their specific phoretic ability to appropriate vectors depending on their life cycle is critical for efficient transfer to the correct host and is expected to enhance virulence.

Novel Functional Analysis for Pathogenic Proteins of in Pine Seed Embryos Using a Virus Vector.

Pine wilt disease (PWD), which is caused by the pine wood nematode , is among the most serious tree diseases worldwide. PWD is thought to be initiated by sequential excessive hypersensitive responses to . Previous studies have reported candidate pathogenic molecules inducing hypersensitive responses in pine trees susceptible to .

Comparative Secretome and Functional Analyses Reveal Glycoside Hydrolase Family 30 and Cysteine Peptidase as Virulence Determinants in the Pinewood Nematode .

Pine wilt disease, caused by the pinewood nematode, , is one of the world's most serious tree diseases. Although the . whole-genome sequence and comprehensive secretome profile have been determined over the past decade, it remains unclear what molecules are critical in pine wilt disease and govern virulence in host pine trees.

Thaumatin-like proteins and a cysteine protease inhibitor secreted by the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus induce cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is an infectious disease of pines that typically kills affected trees. The causal pathogen of PWD is the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Understanding of the disease has advanced in recent years through the use of a highly sensitive proteomics procedure and whole genome sequence analysis; in combination, these approaches have enabled identification of proteins secreted by PWNs.

Ultrastructural plasticity in the plant-parasitic nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

Phenotypic plasticity is one of the most important strategies used by organisms with low mobility to survive in fluctuating environments. Phenotypic plasticity plays a vital role in nematodes because they have small bodies and lack wings or legs and thus, cannot move far by themselves. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogenic nematode species that causes pine wilt disease, experiences fluctuating conditions throughout their life history; i.