ScienceDaily
Your source for the latest research news
Follow Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe RSS Feeds Newsletters
New:
  • 3D Printing Metal-Plastic Composite Structures
  • 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck: Complex Trade
  • Mammoth Problem With Extinction Timeline
  • Landslide Risk Remains Long After a Quake
  • Physicists Observe Wormhole Dynamics
  • New Method of Spinal Cord Tissue Repair
  • How Giant-Faced Owls Snag Voles Hidden in Snow
  • 'Unrecyclable' Plastic Can Now Be Recycled
  • Fossil Upends Views On Origin of Modern Birds
  • Mysteriously Bright Flash Pointing Toward Earth
advertisement
Follow all of ScienceDaily's latest research news and top science headlines!
Science News
from research organizations

1

2

New Findings On The Evolution Of Parasitism

Date:
January 21, 2009
Source:
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
Summary:
Today, 150 years after Darwin’s epochal “On the Origin of Species,” many questions about the molecular basis of evolution are still waiting for answers. How are signaling pathways changed by genes and by the environment enabling the development of new species? Scientists are seeking answers by decoding the molecular basis of parasitism, using nematode worms.
Share:
FULL STORY

Today, 150 years after Darwin’s epochal “On the Origin of Species,” many questions about the molecular basis of evolution are still waiting for answers. How are signaling pathways changed by genes and by the environment enabling the development of new species? Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany, are striving to decode the molecular basis of parasitism. Their objects of research are nematode worms.

advertisement

Do the dauer stages which occur in certain nematodes and the infective larvae of their parasitic cousins share a common evolutionary basis? Analyzing the chemical signaling pathways the Tübingen scientists detected an evolutionarily conserved module which controls the fate of the worm larvae. Thus they found the first indication that infective larvae originally evolved from dauer larvae.

Pheromones signal deterioration of environmental conditions such as crowding caused by a large increase of the population, unfavorable temperatures or lack of food to larvae of the small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. These signals are processed in the organism via multiple information pathways. In the end, they result in the development of the so-called dauer stage, a kind of developmental arrest of the worm before adulthood. C. elegans thus secures its survival: an active adult worm develops from this dauer stage only after the environmental conditions have become favorable again.

Because dauer larvae attach to other animals and are thus dispersed, many scientists see this as a first step towards parasitism. Indeed, parasitic nematodes invade their hosts as infective larvae, a stage with striking morphological similarities to the dauer stage of C. elegans. The details of the signaling pathways regulating the differentiation of the cells are well studied in C. elegans, but up to now there was no indication for the common origin of dauer larvae and infective larvae.

In order to identify potential conserved – i.e. unchanged in the course of evolution – signaling pathways, the research group of Ralf Sommer at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen (Germany) examined a close relative of C. elegans, a nematode called Pristionchus pacificus. In the evolution of nematodes it represents an intermediate between C. elegans and the parasitic species of this phylum.

In the wild, Pristionchus dauer larvae associate with beetles and resume development only after the beetle’s death. They then feed on microbes developing on the decaying carcass of the beetle. Scientists call this phenomenon necromeny. The dauer form is thus an essential adaptation to the ecological niche of this nematode.

In order to find out how far evolutionarily-conserved mechanisms are involved in the formation of dauer larvae, the authors first determined whether pheromones control the formation of dauer larvae also in Pristionchus. They found that this was in fact the case. However, the pheromones involved are not the same as those present in C. elegans, although further studies showed that P. pacificus does use the same chemical mediators in response to these pheromones. The induction of the dauer stage is dependent on the production of two steroid hormones (?4-dafachronic acid and ?7-dafachronic acid) which change the binding status of the respective hormone receptor (DAF-12). Obviously, this is a conserved hormonal-endocrine module which – according to the results of the Tübingen scientists – is also present in at least one parasitic representative of the nematodes, in Strongyloides papillosus. This nematode parasitizes cattle and sheep.

Thus Max Planck scientists have provided important evidence that dauer larvae and infective larvae share a common origin. “Infective larvae evolved from dauer larvae“, says Ralf Sommer. They use the same mechanisms to determine the future fate of cells and tissues during larval development. The gradual evolution of parasitism has its origin in phenotypic plasticity, “thereby enabling the retention of a bacteria-feeding free-living life cycle as in C. elegans while already shaping an alternative feeding strategy as in Pristionchus” according to the evolutionary biologist.

make a difference: sponsored opportunity

Story Source:

Materials provided by Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Akira Ogawa, Adrian Streit, Adam Antebi and Ralf J. Sommer. A Conserved Endocrine Mechanism Controls the Formation of Dauer and Infective Larvae in Nematodes. Current Biology, January13, 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.11.063

Cite This Page:

  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. "New Findings On The Evolution Of Parasitism." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 January 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113074425.htm>.
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. (2009, January 21). New Findings On The Evolution Of Parasitism. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 30, 2022 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113074425.htm
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. "New Findings On The Evolution Of Parasitism." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113074425.htm (accessed November 30, 2022).

  • RELATED TOPICS
    • Health & Medicine
      • Stem Cells
      • Cancer
      • Medical Topics
      • Genes
    • Plants & Animals
      • Insects (including Butterflies)
      • Evolutionary Biology
      • Developmental Biology
      • Nature
advertisement

  • RELATED TERMS
    • Biology
    • Endangered species
    • Evolution
    • Convergent evolution
    • Timeline of evolution
    • Mammal classification
    • Molecular biology
    • Natural selection
advertisement

  Print   Email   Share

advertisement

1

2

3

4

5
Most Popular
this week

PLANTS & ANIMALS
Put the Kettle On! How Black Tea (and Other Favorites) May Help Your Health Later in Life
525-Million-Year-Old Fossil Defies Textbook Explanation for Brain Evolution
Honey Bee Life Spans Are 50 Percent Shorter Today Than They Were 50 Years Ago
EARTH & CLIMATE
New Catalyst Could Be Key for Hydrogen Economy
Earth Might Be Experiencing 7th Mass Extinction, Not 6th
Limiting Global Warming Now Can Preserve Valuable Freshwater Resource
FOSSILS & RUINS
Oldest Evidence of the Controlled Use of Fire to Cook Food, Researchers Report
Human Evolution Wasn't Just the Sheet Music, but How It Was Played
Ancient Roman Coins Reveal Long-Lost Emperor
advertisement

Strange & Offbeat
 

PLANTS & ANIMALS
Fossil Overturns More Than a Century of Knowledge About the Origin of Modern Birds
Ant Pupae Secrete Fluid as 'Milk' to Nurture Young Larvae
Bats Use Death Metal 'Growls' to Make Social Calls
EARTH & CLIMATE
Fossil Overturns More Than a Century of Knowledge About the Origin of Modern Birds
Ancient Superpredator Got Big by Front-Loading Its Growth in Its Youth
Exploring the Possibility of Extraterrestrial Life Living in Caves
FOSSILS & RUINS
Fossil Overturns More Than a Century of Knowledge About the Origin of Modern Birds
New Quantum Computing Feat Is a Modern Twist on a 150-Year-Old Thought Experiment
Ancient Superpredator Got Big by Front-Loading Its Growth in Its Youth
Explore More
from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES

Rapid Evolution Fuels Transcriptional Plasticity in Fish Species to Cope With Ocean Acidification
Mar. 3, 2022 — A research team has revealed the basis to variability across different fish species and uncovered that some species evolve more rapidly, providing them with evolved molecular toolkits and allowing ...
Most Human Origins Stories Are Not Compatible With Known Fossils
May 6, 2021 — In the 150 years since Charles Darwin speculated that humans originated in Africa, the number of species in the human family tree has exploded, but so has the level of dispute concerning early human ...
Functional Changes of Thermosensory Molecules Related to Environmental Adaptation
Sep. 3, 2019 — Scientists have clarified the functional shift of thermal sensors among frog species adapted to different thermal niches and revealed the molecular basis for the shift in thermal perception related ...
Mysterious New Seafloor Species Sheds Light on Early Animal Evolution
Dec. 18, 2017 — Researchers have described a new species of the enigmatic marine worm Xenoturbella, named Xenoturbella japonica. Two specimens of this new species were dredged from the seafloor of the western ...
advertisement


SD
  • SD
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Home
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Health
    • View all the latest top news in the health sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Health & Medicine
      • Allergy
      • Alternative Medicine
      • Birth Control
      • Cancer
      • Diabetes
      • Diseases
      • Heart Disease
      • HIV and AIDS
      • Obesity
      • Stem Cells
      • ... more topics
      Mind & Brain
      • ADD and ADHD
      • Addiction
      • Alzheimer's
      • Autism
      • Depression
      • Headaches
      • Intelligence
      • Psychology
      • Relationships
      • Schizophrenia
      • ... more topics
      Living Well
      • Parenting
      • Pregnancy
      • Sexual Health
      • Skin Care
      • Men's Health
      • Women's Health
      • Nutrition
      • Diet and Weight Loss
      • Fitness
      • Healthy Aging
      • ... more topics
  • Tech
    • View all the latest top news in the physical sciences & technology,
      or browse the topics below:
      Matter & Energy
      • Aviation
      • Chemistry
      • Electronics
      • Fossil Fuels
      • Nanotechnology
      • Physics
      • Quantum Physics
      • Solar Energy
      • Technology
      • Wind Energy
      • ... more topics
      Space & Time
      • Astronomy
      • Black Holes
      • Dark Matter
      • Extrasolar Planets
      • Mars
      • Moon
      • Solar System
      • Space Telescopes
      • Stars
      • Sun
      • ... more topics
      Computers & Math
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Communications
      • Computer Science
      • Hacking
      • Mathematics
      • Quantum Computers
      • Robotics
      • Software
      • Video Games
      • Virtual Reality
      • ... more topics
  • Enviro
    • View all the latest top news in the environmental sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Plants & Animals
      • Agriculture and Food
      • Animals
      • Biology
      • Biotechnology
      • Endangered Animals
      • Extinction
      • Genetically Modified
      • Microbes and More
      • New Species
      • Zoology
      • ... more topics
      Earth & Climate
      • Climate
      • Earthquakes
      • Environment
      • Geography
      • Geology
      • Global Warming
      • Hurricanes
      • Ozone Holes
      • Pollution
      • Weather
      • ... more topics
      Fossils & Ruins
      • Ancient Civilizations
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • Dinosaurs
      • Early Humans
      • Early Mammals
      • Evolution
      • Lost Treasures
      • Origin of Life
      • Paleontology
      • ... more topics
  • Society
    • View all the latest top news in the social sciences & education,
      or browse the topics below:
      Science & Society
      • Arts & Culture
      • Consumerism
      • Economics
      • Political Science
      • Privacy Issues
      • Public Health
      • Racial Disparity
      • Religion
      • Sports
      • World Development
      • ... more topics
      Business & Industry
      • Biotechnology & Bioengineering
      • Computers & Internet
      • Energy & Resources
      • Engineering
      • Medical Technology
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Transportation
      • ... more topics
      Education & Learning
      • Animal Learning & Intelligence
      • Creativity
      • Educational Psychology
      • Educational Technology
      • Infant & Preschool Learning
      • Learning Disorders
      • STEM Education
      • ... more topics
  • Quirky
    • Top News
    • Human Quirks
    • Odd Creatures
    • Bizarre Things
    • Weird World
Free Subscriptions

Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader:

  • Email Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
Follow Us

Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Have Feedback?

Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Have any problems using the site? Questions?

  • Leave Feedback
  • Contact Us
About This Site  |  Staff  |  Reviews  |  Contribute  |  Advertise  |  Privacy Policy  |  Editorial Policy  |  Terms of Use
Copyright 1995-2022 ScienceDaily or by other parties, where indicated. All rights controlled by their respective owners.
Content on this website is for information only. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice.
Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners.
Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated.
— CCPA: Do Not Sell My Information — GDPR: Privacy Settings —