Nematology (2017) 19, 375-387

Robbie Rae (2017)
Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita – a new model to study the genetic evolution of parasitism
Nematology 19 (4), 375-387
Abstract: The evolutionary genetic mechanisms that are responsible for the transition of free-living nematodes to parasites are unknown and current nematode models used to study this have limitations. The gastropod parasite Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita could be used as a new model to dissect the molecular mechanisms involved in the evolution of parasitism. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita is a facultative parasite of slugs and snails that, like Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus, can also be maintained easily under laboratory conditions. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita and Phasmarhabditis species are easy to isolate from the wild and have been found around the world. The phylogenetic position of Phasmarhabditis is ideal for genomic comparison with other clade 9 species such as C. elegans and P. pacificus, as well as mammalian and insect parasites. These attributes could make P. hermaphrodita an excellent choice of model to study the evolutionary emergence of parasitism.
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Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes
review

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (pathogen)