ntubst2019EN

Molecular interactions between C.elegans and nematode-trapping fungi

My lab investigates the molecular basis of interactions between nematodes and nematode-trapping fungi. Using C.elegans and A.oligospora as a model, we ask how do nematodes sense and respond to their predator and how do nematode-trapping fungi sense and kill their prey. We believe that understanding the molecular mechanisms of these interactions will shed insight into the predator and prey co-evolution. Nematode-trapping fungi can sense the presence of their prey and develop elaborate trapping structures. We found that the nematode pheromones, ascarosides, are part of these signals that induce trap-formation. We think that the wide diversity of different ascarosides produceds by nematodes might be a result of evolutionary arm races between nematodes and nematode-trapping fungi. On the other hand, we use genetic, genomic and imaging approaches to study the behavior and neuronal activities of C.elegans in response to nematode-trapping fungi. We found that A.oligospora produce volatile compounds to attract worms and this attraction is mediated by the olfactory neurons of C.elegans. In the future, we will continue to study the molecular mechanisms of how nematode-trapping fungi trap and kill the worms and characterize other C.elegans behaviors in response to nematode-trapping fungi. In the long term, we hope that our study will facilitate the development of new methods, approaches, and treatments for parasitic nematode infection in plants and animals.

1. Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun G, Huang TY, Chang CW, Lin HC, Hsueh YP. (2019) Fungal feature tracker (FFT): A tool for quantitatively characterizing the morphology and growth of filamentous fungi. PLoS Comput Biol. 2019 Oct 31;15(10):e1007428.
2. Kanzaki N, Liang WR, Chiu CI, Yang CT, Hsueh YP, Li HF. (2019) Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite. Scientific Reports. 9(1):8917.
3. Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun G and Hsueh YP. (2018) Predator-prey interactions of nematode-trapping fungi and nematodes: both sides of the coin. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 102(9), 3939-3949.
4. Hsueh YP, Gronquist M, Schwarz EM, Nath R, Lee CH, Gharib S, Schroeder FC, Sternberg PW (2017) The nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora mimics olfactory cues of sex and food to lure its nematode prey. eLife 6:e20023
5. Hsueh YP, Mahanti P, Schroeder FC, Sternberg PW (2013) Nematode-trapping fungi eavesdrop on nematode pheromones. Curr Biol, 23: 83-86
6. Sun S, Hsueh YP, Heitman J. (2012) Gene conversion occurs within the mating-type locus of Cryptococcus neoformans during sexual reproduction. PLoS Genet 8:e1002810
7. Wang X*, Hsueh YP*, Lee W, Floyd A, Skalsky R, Heitman J (2010) Sex induced silencing defends the genome of Cryptococcus neoformans via RNAi. Genes Dev, 24: 2566-2582 *Equal contribution
8. Hsueh YP, Xue C, Heitman J (2009) A constitutively active GPCR governs morphogenic transitions in Cryptococcus neoformans. EMBO J 28: 1220-1233
9. Hsueh YP, Heitman J (2008) Orchestration of sexual reproduction and virulence by the fungal mating-type locus. Curr Opin Microbiol 11: 517-524
10. Hsueh YP, Xue C, Heitman J (2007) G protein signaling governing cell fate decisions involves opposing G subunits in Cryptococcus neoformans. Mol Biol Cell 18: 3237-3249
11. Hsueh YP, Idnurm A, Heitman J (2006) Recombination hotspots flank the Cryptococcus mating-type locus: implications for the evolution of a fungal sex chromosome. PLoS Genet 2: e184

• Fungal genetics