Pristionchus – biology and taxonomy

Our work since 2004 revealed that nematodes of the genus Pristionchus live in close association with certain beetles. We carried out numerous field trips to locations in Western Europe, the Eastern United States, South-Africa and Japan. From  25,000 beetles, we established more than 8,000 Pristionchus isolates, which fall into 28 species, most of which are cryptic. That is, they can only be distinguished by molecular sequence analysis and mating experiments (Herrmann et al., 2006a, 2006b, 2007).
These results indicate that Pristionchus provides a system, in which cryptic biodiversity and species interactions can be studied in great detail.


Scientists involved:

Dr. Matthias Herrmann, Staff Scientist
Dr. Erik Ragsdale, PostDoc
Dr. Werner Mayer, Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Katy Morgan, Postdoc
Dr. Angela McGaughran, Postdoc
Dr. Cameron Weadick, PostDoc
Andreas Weller, Ph.D. Student
Vladislav Susoy, Ph.D. Student
Heike Haussmann, Technician
Lisa Schuster, Ph.D. Student

The taxonomic work is performed in collaboration with Dr. Natsumi Kanzaki: http://www.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/en/research/dept/06microbio/index.html

Key publications:

Morgan K., McGaughran, A., Witte, H., Bartelmes, G., Villate, L., Herrmann, M., Rochat, J. & Sommer, R. J. (2012): Multi-locus analysis of Pristionchus pacificus on La Réunion Island reveals an evolutionary history shaped by multiple introductions, constrained dispersal events, and rare out-crossing. Mol Ecol., doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05382.x

Mayer, M. G., Sommer, R. J. (2011): Natural variation in Pristionchus pacificus dauer formation reveals cross-preference rather than self-preference of nematode dauer pheromones. Proc Biol Sci, 278 (1719), 2784-2790, doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.2760.

Herrmann, M., Kienle, S., Rochat, J., Mayer, W., & Sommer, R.J. (2010): Haplotype diversity of the nematode Pristionchus pacificus on Réunion in the Indian Ocean suggests multiple independent invasions. Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 100, 170-179.

Hong, R. L., Svatos, A., Herrmann, M. & Sommer, R. J. (2008): The species-specific recognition of beetle cues by Pristionchus maupasi. Evol. & Devel., 10, 273-279.

Hong, R. L., Witte, H. & Sommer, R. J. (2008): Natural variation in P. pacificus Insect Pheromone attraction involves the protein kinase EGL-4. Proc. Natl. Aca. Sci., 105, 7779-7784.

Mayer, W., Herrmann, M. & Sommer, R.J. (2007): Phylogeny of the nematode genus Pristionchus and implications for biodiversity, biogeography and the evolution of hermaphroditism. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 7, 104.

Herrmann, M., Mayer, W., Hong, R., Kienle, S., Minasaki, R. & Sommer, R. J. (2007): The nematode Pristionchus pacificus (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) is associated with the Oriental beetle Exomala orientalis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Japan. Zoological Science, 24, 883-889.

Hong, R. L. & Sommer, R. J. (2006): Chemoattraction in Pristionchus nematodes and implication for insect host recognition. Current Biology 16, 2359-2365.

Herrmann M, Mayer WE & Sommer RJ (2006): Nematodes of the genus Pristionchus are closely associated with scarab beetles and the Colorado potato beetle in western Europe. Zoology 109, 96-108.

Herrmann M, Mayer WE, Sommer RJ (2006b): Sex, bugs and Haldane's rule: the nematode genus Pristionchus in the United States. Frontiers in Zoology 3:14,  doi:10.1186/1742-9994-3-14.